Indigenous Bravery Awards in WWI

Over the last decade, there has been a growing interest in Australia about the contribution made by Aboriginal men and women in World War I (1914-1918), but still little is known about the many acts of courage and gallantry by Aboriginal men and women in the First World War.

Doubtless many acts of bravery went unseen and no formal bravery award was given for others.

Indigenous Bravery Awards Recipients in World War One [ – 506kb] compiled by Andrew Bratley lists some of the known Bravery awards received by Aboriginal men and women in World War I.

Printed copies of this list can also be found at the Azelia Ley Museum and Cockburn Libraries.

More stories of bravery by Indigenous men and women can be found in the eBook They Served with Honour: Untold Stories of Western Australian Aboriginal Servicemen at Gallipoli, written and published by the WA Department of Aboriginal Affairs.