Our war dead from other conflicts

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Recent conflicts

Since 1966, Australian service personnel who have died in conflicts overseas have been repatriated to Australia if practicable.

Australian war dead from more recent conflicts and operations are generally officially commemorated either at the gravesite or crematorium, or in an OAWG Garden of Remembrance, according to the wishes of the family. The place of burial or cremation is not necessarily the place of the official commemoration; the family may choose to have a private burial or cremation site and have the official commemoration separately at a Garden of Remembrance.

Members of the Australian Defence Forces who have died while on active service in recent conflicts and operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and the Solomon Islands rest in civil cemeteries and crematoria around Australia. They are either officially commemorated as Australian war dead there or at a Garden of Remembrance.

Indonesian Confrontation 1963–1966

There are 17 Australian war dead from this conflict. Some lie in the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore, others are buried or officially commemorated in Australia in civil cemeteries and crematoria or in an OAWG Garden of Remembrance.

Malayan Emergency 1948–1960

There are 36 Australian war dead from this conflict. They are buried in various locations including the Kamunting Road Christian Cemetery, Taiping, West Malaysia, Western Road Christian Cemetery, Penang, Malaysia and the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore. Others are buried or officially commemorated in Australia in civil cemeteries and crematoria or in an OAWG Garden of Remembrance.

The Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia also contains a Memorial to the Missing on which those with no known grave are officially commemorated.

Boer War 1899–1902

When Britain went to war against the Boers in South Africa in 1899, some 12,000 Australian troops fought with them as part of the British Empire. Units were immediately formed within each of the six colonies, which became the Australian States with Federation in 1901. After Federation, some Commonwealth units were also recruited.

Over 600 Australians died during the Second Boer War, also known as the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War. Graves in South Africa can be found for many of the Australian casualties, and these graves are maintained with care.

Figures and details for this period are difficult to verify; although research and documentation of the Australian war dead from the Boer War is ongoing. On rare occasions it has been proven that the death of a person who had returned to Australia from the Boer War was due to action in the war. In such cases OAWG has marked the veteran's grave with a plaque.

Contact

Contact OAWG or help to find where a particular person who died during these conflicts is commemorated.

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