Volunteer Defence Corps: Difference between revisions

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[[SADLER, Norman - W82366]]<br>
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[[WILLIAMS, Howard Thomson]]<br>
[[WILLIAMS, Howard Thomson]]<br>

Latest revision as of 12:57, 19 November 2024

The Volunteer Defence Corps(VDC) was a part time, unpaid, volunteer service, modelled on the British Home Guard. It was created on 6th June 1940 at a meeting of the Returned and Services League(R&SL) when the men of Western Australia wanted to do something to help defend their country.

Initially it was not recognised, funded or equipped by the regular Army, and the R&SL and the volunteers themselves had to provide whatever they needed. In the beginning it was only open to ex-servicemen but that requirement was relaxed by early 1941.

By 1941, the Army had recognised the value of the Volunteer Defence Corps and took over responsibility for equipping, training and organising the men. A Standing Order was issued on 12th May 1941 outlining the new structure and operational procedures for the Corps. It was taken under the umbrella of the Citizen Military Force but with different conditions of service. When the Citizen Military Force went to New Guinea the VDC carried out the CMF home duties and were involved in plane spotting and manning anti-aircraft installations, coast watching and manning the coast defence installations, protecting and patrolling around vital industries.

In Western Australia, the Volunteer Defence Corps was arranged into 16 Battalions. The records of these Battalions can be accessed via the icons on this page. The personal records of VDC members can be accessed via the alphabet tabs. Publications that concern all of the battalions are recorded under the General VDC Photos and Documents tab.

The Volunteer Defence Corps was officially disbanded late 1945.

VDC members were awarded the Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 if they volunteered for three or more years service. This was calculated via the dates on the enlistment documents and the dates the different Units were put into Reserve or disbanded. It was strictly adhered to, and falling a few days short of the required service days resulted in not being awarded a medal.
A small number of the senior officers were officially employed on a full time basis and if they were in this position for more than 28 days, they were entitled to the War Medal 1939-1945.

The National Emergency Service was formed on 1st February 1939 and trained men and women as air raid wardens. This Service was not a part of the Volunteer Defence Corps but its members all volunteered their time and the personal records of its members can be accessed via this page.


  • Headquarters

    Headquarters

  • No. 1 Battalion Perth

    No. 1 Battalion
    Perth

  • No. 2 Battalion Fremantle

    No. 2 Battalion
    Fremantle

  • No. 3 Battalion Swan

    No. 3 Battalion
    Swan

  • No. 4 Battalion Bunbury

    No. 4 Battalion
    Bunbury

  • No. 5 Battalion Busselton

    No. 5 Battalion
    Busselton

  • No. 6 Battalion Katanning

    No. 6 Battalion
    Katanning

  • No. 7 Battalion Geraldton

    No. 7 Battalion
    Geraldton

  • No. 8 Battalion Kalgoorlie

    No. 8 Battalion
    Kalgoorlie

  • No. 9 Battalion Northam

    No. 9 Battalion
    Northam

  • No. 10 Battalion Narrogin

    No. 10 Battalion
    Narrogin

  • No. 11 Battalion North West

    No. 11 Battalion
    North West

  • No. 12 Battalion Jarrah

    No. 12 Battalion
    Jarrah

  • No. 13 Battalion Moora

    No. 13 Battalion
    Moora

  • No. 14 Battalion Karri

    No. 14 Battalion
    Karri

  • No. 15 Battalion Merredin

    No. 15 Battalion
    Merredin

  • No. 16 Battalion Murchison

    No. 16 Battalion
    Murchison

  • Reconnaissance and Intelligence Section

    Reconnaissance and
    Intelligence Section

  • Training Cadre

    Training Cadre








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