ISBN: 0958575150 9780958575157

Category: History / Military / General

Page count: 236

Australians have always volunteered to help in emergencies, especially when the nation has been at war. During the Boer War, World War I and World War II, volunteers from all walks of life raised money, assisted with nursing and rehabilitation, and provided food and clothing. Servicemen and women were helped both at home and in the field. The main wartime volunteer organisations were the Australian Red Cross, the Australian Comforts Funds, the Salvation Army, and the YMCA with the YWCA. Their story and the stories of countless wartime civilian volunteers is told for the first time, revealing important aspects of Australian social and political life. For example, it was the pressure of the volunteers that forced governments to act on essential matters like repatriation benefits for returning soldiers and for the welfare of their dependents.