Peacekeeping: 1947-current
Numbers of Australians involved in Peacekeeping: over 65,000 to date
Numbers of Australian troops who died on Peacekeeping Missions: There are 52-names in the Remembrance Book held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Currently, 11 of the 52 names in the Remembrance Book are names of peacekeepers; the others lost their lives in other non-warlike operations.
Three peacekeepers’ names appear on the Roll of Honour, as they died on operations classified by Defence as warlike.
However, this book does not cover those operations declared “War Zones” like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. A Peacekeepers Memorial has been established and will open on the 14th September 2017.
Numbers taken prisoner: Nil
Prime Ministers:
Robert Menzies (Liberal) 1949-1966
Harold Holt (Liberal) 1966-1967
John McEwen (Liberal) 1967-1968
John Gorton (Liberal) 1968-1971
William McMahon (Liberal) 1971-1972
Gough Whitlam (Labor) 1972-1975
Malcolm Fraser (Liberal) 1975-1983
Robert Hawke (Labor) 1983-1991
Paul Keating (Labor) 1991-1996
John Howard (Liberal) 1996-2007
Kevin Rudd (Labor) 2007-2010
Julia Gillard (Labor) 2010-2013
Kevin Rudd (Labor) 2013
Tony Abbott (Liberal) 2013 -2015
Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal) 2015-2018
Scott Morrison (Liberal) 2018-2021
Anthony Albanese
(Labor) 2021-
PEACEKEEPING
Since 1945 Australia as a founding member of the United Nations (UN) has sent peacekeeping missions or joined peacekeeping missions to over 50 operations.
These operations have included the Berlin Airlift, Malta, Occupational Forces in Japan, Indonesia, Cyprus, India & Pakistan, Israel & Syria, Iran, Iraq (First & Second Gulf Wars), Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, East Timor, Ethiopia & Eritrea, Sudan, Solomon Islands and Bougainville. Some of these operations were declared a War Zone and required deployment of Australian Navy, Army & Air Force Personnel. War Zones like Iraq and Afghanistan have seen Australian servicemen & women in harm’s way, and while doing their duty Australian Service personnel have further offered help & assistance in the building of schools and improving and repairing destroyed infrastructure. Other duties and activities undertaken by Peacekeepers have included observing truces (and fighting), providing humanitarian aid in remote areas, establishing law and order in trouble-spots, observing elections and referendums, and de-mining in countries like Iraq & Afghanistan.
4 Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross during the Afghanistan War
See Peacekeepers Memorial at:
