Time Line (1939-1945)
SEPTEMBER 3RD 1939- The government of Australia declares war on Germany
JUNE 11TH 1940-Australia declares war on Italy
APRIL 10TH- APRIL 16TH 1941- The Australian Army begins actions against the Italians in Libya.
APRIL 12TH 1941-Three divisions of British, Australian and New Zealand troops at the Alikmon Line in the Vermion Mountains are defeated.
APRIL 26TH 1941-Verimon line allied troops are now redeployed to defensive positions around Mount Olympus.
APRIL 27TH- APRIL 30TH 1941-Allied codebreakers intercept word of the impending German invasion of Crete.
APRIL 30TH 1941-Operation Demon is activated, covering the evacuation of some 51,000 Allied troops from southern Greece via the Royal Navy
MAY 19TH 1941- in advance of the Crete invasion, RAF fighters are relocated to Egypt for safe- keeping
MAY 19TH 1941-Allied codebreakers intercept word that operation Mercury will commence the very next day. The allies begin preparations.
MAY 20TH 1941-Allied flak teams destroy as many as 50% of the invading German transport planed in the first few hours of the operation.
MAY 20TH 1941-in- air losses for the second wave of German paratroopers is nearly equal to the first thanks to the stellar Allied flak defences on Crete
MAY 21ST 1941-German army troops making their way to Crete cia the sea are intercepted and pummeled by elements of the Royal Navy. Just 60 of these German soldiers live to see another day.
MAY 21ST 1941-A German offencive against Heraklion is pushed away by at least 8,000 dug- in allied soldiers
MAY 27TH 1941-allied forces retreat to defensive positions at Galatas.
MAY 28TH 1941-the evacuation order is given by major- General Freyberg for the gradual withdrawl of Allied from the island of Crete.
MAY 28TH 1941-Herakloin in the north and Sphakia in the south of Crete will serve as a major evacuation junctions for the allies
MAY 30TH 1941-the brave defense of Reythymnon by Australian soldiers finally falters under intense pressure from the German army.
FEBRUARY 29TH 1942-The Japanese 1st air fleet conducts a surprise attack on the Allied ships at Broome and Darwin. Twelve ships are sunk in the assault
MARCH 8TH 1942-Japan invades New Guinea
MARCH 8TH 1942-Japanese forces, numbering two battalions strong, land at Law and Salamaua in New Guinea
JULY 21ST 1942-Japanese Majo General Horii and his 18th Army land near Buna
JULY 22ND 1942-The Japanese army gain ground around the Us, Australian and Papuan infantry regiment defenders
AUGUST 14TH 1942-Major General Horii and his 18th Army march towards Port Moresby
AUGUST 14TH 1942-The Japanese army gains vital territory leading up and into the Owen Stanley Range
AUGUST 14TH 1942-The Japanese army takes control of the village of Kokoda
AUGUST 25TH 1942-The Japanese army reached Isurava just outside of port Moresby
AUGUST 26TH 1942-The Japanese Navy completes and amphibious landing at milne bay to establish a beachhead and open a second front on New Guinea
AUGUST 29TH 1942-The 18th Australian Brigade, utilizing valuable intelligence reports, meet the arriving Japanese amphibious forced head- on and hold the Japanese B=beachhead at Milne Bay
AUGUST 30TH 1942-a further 600 Japanese army soldiers are landed at Milne bay to help strengthen the beachhead
SEPTEMBER 4TH 1942-American General Douglas MacArthur employs his superiors for additional firepower and troop strength to help hold Papua
SEPTEMBER 26TH 1942-Wit the allied resistance holding off firther advance, the Japanese army begins a formal withdrawal of the island
NOVEMBER 15TH 1942-Australian army forces hold fast to territory near Toribaiwa
DECEMBER 9TH 1942-As Australian forces continue their march from the west against Japanese- held areas
DECEMBER 14TH 1942-Allied Australian and US forces continue their marched against the Japanese, taking territory through fierce firefights.
JANUARY 31ST 1943-The Kokoda trail is firmly in Allied hands by this date
JUNE 11TH 1940-Australia declares war on Italy
APRIL 10TH- APRIL 16TH 1941- The Australian Army begins actions against the Italians in Libya.
APRIL 12TH 1941-Three divisions of British, Australian and New Zealand troops at the Alikmon Line in the Vermion Mountains are defeated.
APRIL 26TH 1941-Verimon line allied troops are now redeployed to defensive positions around Mount Olympus.
APRIL 27TH- APRIL 30TH 1941-Allied codebreakers intercept word of the impending German invasion of Crete.
APRIL 30TH 1941-Operation Demon is activated, covering the evacuation of some 51,000 Allied troops from southern Greece via the Royal Navy
MAY 19TH 1941- in advance of the Crete invasion, RAF fighters are relocated to Egypt for safe- keeping
MAY 19TH 1941-Allied codebreakers intercept word that operation Mercury will commence the very next day. The allies begin preparations.
MAY 20TH 1941-Allied flak teams destroy as many as 50% of the invading German transport planed in the first few hours of the operation.
MAY 20TH 1941-in- air losses for the second wave of German paratroopers is nearly equal to the first thanks to the stellar Allied flak defences on Crete
MAY 21ST 1941-German army troops making their way to Crete cia the sea are intercepted and pummeled by elements of the Royal Navy. Just 60 of these German soldiers live to see another day.
MAY 21ST 1941-A German offencive against Heraklion is pushed away by at least 8,000 dug- in allied soldiers
MAY 27TH 1941-allied forces retreat to defensive positions at Galatas.
MAY 28TH 1941-the evacuation order is given by major- General Freyberg for the gradual withdrawl of Allied from the island of Crete.
MAY 28TH 1941-Herakloin in the north and Sphakia in the south of Crete will serve as a major evacuation junctions for the allies
MAY 30TH 1941-the brave defense of Reythymnon by Australian soldiers finally falters under intense pressure from the German army.
FEBRUARY 29TH 1942-The Japanese 1st air fleet conducts a surprise attack on the Allied ships at Broome and Darwin. Twelve ships are sunk in the assault
MARCH 8TH 1942-Japan invades New Guinea
MARCH 8TH 1942-Japanese forces, numbering two battalions strong, land at Law and Salamaua in New Guinea
JULY 21ST 1942-Japanese Majo General Horii and his 18th Army land near Buna
JULY 22ND 1942-The Japanese army gain ground around the Us, Australian and Papuan infantry regiment defenders
AUGUST 14TH 1942-Major General Horii and his 18th Army march towards Port Moresby
AUGUST 14TH 1942-The Japanese army gains vital territory leading up and into the Owen Stanley Range
AUGUST 14TH 1942-The Japanese army takes control of the village of Kokoda
AUGUST 25TH 1942-The Japanese army reached Isurava just outside of port Moresby
AUGUST 26TH 1942-The Japanese Navy completes and amphibious landing at milne bay to establish a beachhead and open a second front on New Guinea
AUGUST 29TH 1942-The 18th Australian Brigade, utilizing valuable intelligence reports, meet the arriving Japanese amphibious forced head- on and hold the Japanese B=beachhead at Milne Bay
AUGUST 30TH 1942-a further 600 Japanese army soldiers are landed at Milne bay to help strengthen the beachhead
SEPTEMBER 4TH 1942-American General Douglas MacArthur employs his superiors for additional firepower and troop strength to help hold Papua
SEPTEMBER 26TH 1942-Wit the allied resistance holding off firther advance, the Japanese army begins a formal withdrawal of the island
NOVEMBER 15TH 1942-Australian army forces hold fast to territory near Toribaiwa
DECEMBER 9TH 1942-As Australian forces continue their march from the west against Japanese- held areas
DECEMBER 14TH 1942-Allied Australian and US forces continue their marched against the Japanese, taking territory through fierce firefights.
JANUARY 31ST 1943-The Kokoda trail is firmly in Allied hands by this date