Remembering the ANZACS: The story of Australian soldiers’ involvement in the Indonesian Confrontation

Events at Gallipoli in 1915 marked the birth of the ANAC spirit. However, since then Australian Defence Force personnel have served in manty fields of war. ANZAC Day commemorates the service of those men and women. However, one group that receives little attention are the soldiers who were deployed to Borneo at the time of the Indonesian Confrontation.

Twenty-three Australian defence personnel died during Indonesian Confrontation while Indonesia list 590 troops. Source: Source: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas

Dr Paul Thomas is an affiliate researcher at Monash University and editor of the book Talking North which celebrates the history of the use of Indonesian in Australia.  He talks to Sri Dean about the background to the conflict and the extent of Australia’s seldom discussed involvement

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The Indonesian Confrontation ended in 1966. Relations between Indonesia, Malaysia (and the Philippines) improved with the formation of ASEAN in 1967. Source: Source: AK Rockefeller /Creative Commons.