This site is dedicated to all Indigenous Australians who have served Australia in war and peacetime. . .

"THE COLOURED DIGGER"

He came and joined the colours, when the War God's anvil rang,

He took up modern weapons to replace his boomerang,

He waited for no call-up, he didn't need a push,

He came in from the stations, and the townships of the bush.

He helped when help was wanting, just because he wasn't deaf;

He is right amongst the columns of the fighting A.I.F.

He is always there when wanted, with his Owen gun or Bren,

He is in the forward area, the place where men are men.

He proved he's still a warrior, in action not afraid,

He faced the blasting red hot fire from mortar and grenade;

He didn't mind when food was low, or we were getting thin,

He didn't growl or worry then, he'd cheer us with his grin.

He'd heard us talk democracy--, They preach it to his face--

Yet knows that in our Federal House there's no one of his race.

He feels we push his kinsmen out, where cities do not reach,

And Parliament has yet to hear the Abo's maiden speech.

One day he'll leave the Army, then join the League he shall,

And he hope's we'll give a better deal to the Aboriginal.

(By Sapper Bert Beros, a non-Aboriginal soldier in World War Two. Written about an Aboriginal soldier, Private West).

Welcome!

This site will primarily be about my research into Australian Aboriginal servicemen in the defence of Australia.  I am not very familiar with website design so please bear with me as I gradually expand this page.   I created this website to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and non-Indigenous Australians a free online resource on an aspect of our history that is not very well known.  Basically a site for Koories by Koories*.

My research involves much time spent searching through microfiche, paper and online files.  These being at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) Library, the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) among many!

I have given a lecture on behalf of the National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council at the State Library of New South Wales, on the topic of Aboriginal 'diggers' of World War One.  This lecture really spurred me onto following up the work which I completed for this lecture.  They are supporting me in my research, of which I am extremely thankful.

If you have any Aboriginal ancestors or family that you believe served in the Australian Army, Nursing Corps, Flying Corps or Navy  I'd be pleased to help you research your own family history and document his or her service.

Much of the success of this website is due to the great feedback and assistance that I have been given by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians over the past few years.  I have not named names but without you mob this site and my research would not be as extensive and be where it is without you. . . THANKS!!     :)

Thanks,

Garth O'Connell (Munro)

Other research projects of mine. . .

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(Last updated 24 April 2004)

(website created on 1 December 1998)

*See Glossary

The Aboriginal flag was designed by Harold Thomas in 1972 and was first flown in Adelaide that year. My "Black Digger" version of the flag is unofficial.

Member of the Aussie Battlers Military WebRing This site is owned by Garth O'Connell Want to join the Aussie Battlers Military WebRing?
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