1941: Service Amid Strife – Australia in the Second World War
May 15, 2026
This evocative collection honours the courage, resilience and evolving roles of Australians during 1941, a year defined by conflict abroad and transformation at home.
Fighting around the Mediterranean — on the sea, in the air and on the land — characterised the experiences of Australian forces. Australians served in campaigns across North Africa and the Middle East, and in Greece and Crete.
On the home front, the year also marked a significant turning point with the establishment of women’s services, which expanded rapidly to include increasingly technical roles and challenged long-held assumptions about women’s contributions in wartime.