Coastwatcher Captain Martin Clemens, a member of the Solomon Islands Defence Forces who remained on Guadalcanal throughout the Japanese occupation, is pictured here with local policemen.

[AWM 043648]

Approximately 400 coastwatchers served in Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific islands during World War II. Their dangerous task was to gather information about shipping and aircraft and then to transmit it to the Australian or American naval intelligence organisations. This section includes a unique simulation of an actual AWA ‘3BZ’ transmitter that was used by the coastwatchers. It includes the instructions, and shows how the coastwatchers sent their messages.

Bibliography

G Hermon Gill, Australia in the War of 1939-1945; Series Two, Navy, Vol 1 - Royal Australian Navy 1939-1942, Canberra, 1957.

Eric Feldt, The coast watchers, Melbourne, 1946.

Operation CLICK: Anzac to Kokoda

is a classroom resource which draws on and encourages the use of the following Veterans' Affairs websites:
• Australia’s War 1939–1945 – www.ww2australia.gov.au
• Visit Gallipoli – www.anzacsite.gov.au

You may download Work sheets - provided in PDF file format.

The resource book and CD-ROM package contains lessons that can be used in many contexts in History and Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) classrooms. They were written by experienced history teachers with three aims in mind:

• to provide both beginning and experienced teachers with lessons using the two websites as core resources
• to invite teachers to explore more effective ways of encouraging their students to incorporate ICT skills into their classroom learning activities
• to provide exciting and original lessons that will encourage young Australians to learn more about Australia’s wartime heritage through the stories and images provided on the two websites.