What's On

 Reserve Forces Day is the National recognition of the former and serving Navy, Army and Air Force Reserve personnel, numbering over 1.25 million people. It occurs on the anniversary of the reforming of Citizen Military Forces after the Second World War in 1948.

The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (commonly referred to as the Far East Strategic Reserve or the FESR) was a military force created from units of the British, Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces. Created in the 1950s and based in Malaya, the FESR was conceived as a forward defence point for Australia and New Zealand, providing stability against communist regimes growing in the Southeast Asia region. The FESR Navy Association aims to promote recognition of the service of the men of the FESR's RAN component. 

The urgent need for an organisation capable of producing airfields in forward positions at short notice while under threat of air attack led to the creation of No 5 Airfield Construction Squadron. The squadron was initially tasked with constructing an airfield at Wards Field, five miles from Port Moresby, in July 1942, which it did in the face of extraordinary difficulties. 

The Association des Anciens Combattants Francais de Victoria holds a commemorative service to honour the services of French and Australian soldiers each year on Bastille Day (14 July), the French National Day.

In July, we commemorate the following important dates:

10 July, 1911: Formation of the Royal Australian Navy
On 10 July, 1911, HM King George V bestowed on the Permanent Naval Forces the title Royal Australian Navy and approved of Australian ships of war being called 'His Majesty's Australian Ship'.

1 July, 1916: The Battle of the Somme
The opening day of the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest day in British or Commonwealth history with more than 60,000 men lost on the first day of the battle alone. The campaign would last for months and cost the Australian Imperial Force more than 23,000 casualties. 

4 July, 1918: The Battle of Hamel
This battle was the first set-piece operation planned and conducted under Lieutenant General Sir John Monash. It came to be regarded as a model for later Western Front battles. 

19 July, 1941: The Battle of Cape Spada
HMAS Sydney sunk the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni in the Battle of Cape Spada off Crete.

This annual pilgrimage by the Friends of the 15th Brigade commemorates the Battle at Fromelles, fought 19 July, 1916. This was the first major action involving Australian troops on the Western Front. It proved disastrous, with nearly 2,000 Australians killed in attacks on strong German positions.