First World War

From 1914 to 1918, over 324,000 Australians served overseas in the First World War, with two-thirds becoming casualties. Their experiences had long-lasting effects on them, their families and society.

Topics

A topic is a collection of records with interpretation and inquiry questions. Each topic is aligned to the Australian Curriculum and focuses on an aspect of Australian history.

Topic

First World War: The Middle East

From 1916, Australian troops served with Allied forces throughout the Middle East, mainly taking part in action against the Ottoman Empire.
Topic

First World War: The Western Front

The First World War was fought on many fronts, but it was in France and Belgium that the war started and ended – and it was there that the largest number of Australian troops saw action.
Topic

First World War: War Precautions Act 1914

After the outbreak of the First World War, the federal parliament, following the lead of Britain, passed the War Precautions Act 1914.
Topic

First World War: Women in Australia after the war

The women and families of injured First World War veterans took on the bulk of their day-to-day care.

Records

Each record focuses on a single item from the National Archives' collection. Some records contain extra information to help you interpret them.