Almost a million Australians, both men and women, served in the Second World War. The war began against Germany and Italy in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, then spread to south-east Asia and other parts of the Pacific. When the Australian mainland came under direct attack for the first time, the message for the island nation was clear - the war that had come to our doorstep was now inside the house.

By the time the Germans were defeated and the Japanese surrendered, over 30,000 Australian servicemen had been taken prisoner, and 39,000 had given their lives. While those who became prisoners of the Germans had a strong chance of returning home at the end of the war, 36 per cent of prisoners of the Japanese died in captivity.

With injury and death all around, you had to be prepared for the fact that you or your mate could be next.

The threat of Japanese invasion of Australia had the Curtin government bringing men home from Europe and the Middle East to fight in the Pacific. The Navy was also sent to the Pacific, where a new weapon was being employed.

Soldiers, sailors and airforce personnel fought for King and Country. So did nurses, who were vital to the war effort.

In almost every conflict in which we have taken part, Australians have become prisoners of war, but the severe treatment metred out by the Japanese during World War Two was especially brutal.

Ray Graetz was a wireless operator/air gunner on a bombing and strafing mission in New Guinea in 1944 when his plane was shot down by enemy gunfire.

While most of the action was happening in Europe and the Pacific, Australia too was under threat. Darwin was bombed and Japanese mini subs infiltrated and attacked Sydney Harbour.

Despite strenuous opposition from Churchill, Prime Minister Curtin brought home our troops to defend the Pacific.