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Australia in WWI Facts & Worksheets

When Britain declared war against Germany in August 1914, Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was automatically also at war.

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When Britain declared war against Germany in August 1914, Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was automatically also at war.

See the fact file below for more information on the Australia in WWI or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Australia in WWI worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

WORLD WAR I

  • World War I’s roots were from brewing tensions of alliances between European powers, mainly the “Triple Entente” (Great Britain, France, and Russia) and the secret “Triple Alliance” (Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy).
  • In July 1914, tensions between the alliances ignited after the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during a visit to Sarajevo.
  • Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the attack so Russia backed its ally, Serbia. A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia so their their allies jumped in and the continent was at war.
  • World War I’s roots were from brewing tensions of alliances between European powers, mainly the “Triple Entente” (Great Britain, France, and Russia) and the secret “Triple Alliance” (Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy).
  • In July 1914, tensions between the alliances ignited after the assassination of Austria-Hungary’s heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during a visit to Sarajevo.
  • Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the attack so Russia backed its ally, Serbia. A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia so their their allies jumped in and the continent was at war.

HOW AUSTRALIA JOINED THE WAR

  • When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, Australians knew they were to take part in the war. They offered 20,000 men of any suggested composition.
  • The empire accepted the offer so Australia needed to recruit the first AIF (Australian Imperial Force). However, the first recruits were sent first to Egypt, not Europe, to neutralize Turkey’s threat over British interests in the Middle East and the Suez Canal.
  • Then, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) departed by ship for the Gallipoli peninsula.
  • The allies tried to break through Turkish lines but the Turks tried to drive the allied troops off the peninsula, causing a long stalemate.
  • After Gallipoli, the Australian forces fought campaigns for the Western Front and in the Middle East. The AIF divisions were alongside its allies in France, but suffered a long stalemate.
  • Trench systems were designed during the war and it were relied on for defense against machine guns, massive artillery bombardments and infantry attacks, hence providing similar outcome on opposite forces’ war schemes.
  • In the Battle at Fromelles in July 2016, Australian forces suffered 5,533 casualties in just 24 hours. By the end of the year, about 40,000 Australians were killed or wounded.
  • In March 1918, the German army launched its final offensive of the war, to thwart the allied forces’ growing strength with the entry of the United States.
  • Although they advanced to as far as 64 kilometers, the following months however were not favorable as the allied forces steady dominated their campaigns.
  • The German forces began to experience defeat when on July 4, 1918, the Australian forces captured Hamel in just 93 minutes.
  • Even so, there were 1,062 Australian casualties, of whom 800 lost their lives.
  • Furthering the allied offensive, beginning on August 8 at Amiens, Australian and allied captured Mont St Quentin, Péronne and to the capture of the Hindenburg Line.
  • In early October 1918, the Australian divisions were called back from the frontlines for rest and refitting as they were to return when Germany surrendered on November 11.

AFTERMATH OF THE WAR

  • After the war, all AIF units went into camp and began the process of demobilisation. 95,951 soldiers in France, 58,365 in England, and 17,255 in the Middle East plus nurses in Salonika and India were prepared to be transported home.
  • A total of 416,809 men enlisted in the Army during the war and 331,781 AIF were sent overseas. By the end of the war, Australia sustained approximately 210,000 casualties, of which 61,519 were killed or died of wounds and another 4,000 men were captured.

Australia in WWI Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Australia in WWI across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Australia in WWI worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Australia in WWI. When Britain declared war against Germany in August 1914, Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was automatically also at war.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Australia in WWI Facts
  • Roots of Conflict
  • Sparks of WWI
  • WWI Alliances
  • Island Country: Australia
  • Aussie Soldiers
  • Faces of War
  • Boy Soldiers of WWI
  • Shift in Territories
  • Effects of War
  • Changes in Time

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Link will appear as Australia in WWI Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 4, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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