Almost a million Australians, both men and women, served in the Second World War. Many of those who came home chose not to talk about their experiences.

The Great Search uncovered a previously unknown story about Australian airmen who, when they ran out of bombs, decided to drop bottles on the enemy. To the distracted foe, the bottles sounded just like shells.

Another story begins with a photo of an Aussie Beaufort Bomber, minutes after being shot down over the Pacific and turns into one of the most remarkable stories of survival behind enemy lines you are ever likely to read.

PILOT'S PRIDE IN AUSTRALIAN EFFORTS

NAME: Vic Cashmore

DATE: 1941

UNIT: 454 Squadron RAAF

LOCATION: Middle East, Kenya, Italy

Having learned to fly in Australia, Vic Cashmore found himself on board the Queen Elizabeth in April 1941 heading for the Middle East, qualified to fly twin-engined Ansons at the age of 21
 

SAILOR FORCED TO SWIM ON FOUR OCCASIONS

NAME: Francis Rupert Chesterman

DATE: 1940-41

UNIT: RAN

LOCATION: Greece, Crete

Many merchant seamen were torpedoed or bombed during World War II. Some survived to serve on other ships, many were killed.
 

THE SINKING OF THE WOLLONGBAR II

NAME:  Civilians

DATE: 1943

UNIT:

LOCATION: Queensland, Australia

A one-sided secret sea-battle raged in the New South Wales north coast waters during one fortnight in mid 1943. Much wreckage and Australian blood washed on to beaches during this battle. Because of strict Government censorship laws, it became a secret war, with most Australians being unaware of the extent of the damage being wrought by marauding Japanese submarines.
 

FLYING IN NEW GUINEA WAS PRETTY HAIRY

NAME: John  Clark

DATE: 1942 - 1943

UNIT: 6 Squadron

LOCATION: New Guinea

Flying in New Guinea during World War II was pretty hairy at the best of times, but when bad weather set in it caused all sorts of problems.
 

SOLDIER FULL OF PRAISE FOR AUSTRALIAN NURSES

NAME: Jack Clarris

DATE: 1941

UNIT: 2/15th Battalion AIF

LOCATION: Middle East

Private Jack Clarris was full of praise for the Australians fighting at El Alamein and for the work of Australian nursing sisters and VADs.
 

FOUR AIRMEN BAILED OUT OVER THE SIMPSON DESERT AND SURVIVED

NAME: Laurie Coleman

DATE: 1944

UNIT: 2 Squadron RAAF

LOCATION: Simpson Desert, Northern Territory

When four airmen had to bail out of their aircraft over the Simpson Desert in the middle of the night during World War II, you wouldn't have given much for their chances of survival.
 

A DAY HARRY DALE WILL NEVER FORGET

NAME: Harry Dale

DATE: 1942

UNIT: HMAS Karangi

LOCATION: Darwin

The day the Japanese bombed Darwin is one that Harry Dale will never forget. He was on a ship in the harbour when the planes began their raid on Thursday, 19 February 1942, and was lucky to survive.
 

WAR TIME TRAVEL LESS THAN LUXURIOUS

NAME: David Davis

DATE: 1942 - 1944

UNIT: 105 Radar Station, Point Charles

LOCATION: Darwin, NT, Australia

Travelling from Melbourne to Darwin is pretty easy these days. Just hop on a plane and a few hours later you're there. But during World War II the journey took more than a week.
 

TROOPS RESCUED FROM GREECE BY HMAS PERTH

NAME: Frank De Silva

DATE: 1941

UNIT: 6th Division AIF

LOCATION: Greece

Following a concerted German attack on Yugoslavia and Greece, with a force of 15 divisions backed by a powerful formation of Stuka dive bombers and Messerschmitts, the Allied troops were forced to withdraw from Greece.
 

DRAWING ON LIFE IN THE SIGNALS UNIT

NAME: Max Dimmack

DATE: 1943 - 1945

UNIT: Signals, 7th Australian Division, AIF

LOCATION: New Guinea, Borneo

Corporal Max Dimmack was always on the scrounge in New Guinea during World War II. He collected every decent scrap of paper he could lay his hands on, including old envelopes.