LEST WE FORGET WESTERN AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIALS ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER WAR MEMORIAL, KINGS PARK Cultural Warning: This document lists the names of people who have died. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial is located off Forrest Drive to the south- southwest of the WA State War Memorial and its inscription reads: To the memory of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who gave their lives while Serving with Australian armed forces and services. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have represented their country in all wars and actions involving Australian armed forces and services since the Boer War. The Roll of Honour shown here has been complied from three sources, details of which are given in the references provided at the end of this document. None of these sources claim to be comprehensive, nor do they provide any criteria by which the names have been included. Personal details for each of the Service Men or Women shown in this Roll are not comprehensive, and this personal information is intended to be used in conjunction with the personal details available on the national websites including the National Archives of Australia, the Australian War Memorial, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Nominal Rolls (WWII and Post WWII Conflicts). During WWI, many of the Soldiers shown with short durations of Service were discharged for being “not substantially of European origin or descent:”. These words came from Section 138 of the Defence Act 1909 that exempted persons in this category from compulsory military service, but was used in a perverse manner (along with other prohibitions) to prevent such persons providing voluntary military service. This policy persisted into the early days of WWII, but was eventually reversed. However, the numbers who actually served despite this policy indicate that it was inconsistently applied. During WWII, serving Indigenous members in Western Australia began to be discharged from 1943 onwards as their contribution to the war effort was more vital in the pastoral and agricultural sectors than was the need for them to remain in uniform. The overall contribution of Indigenous people to the war efforts in both World Wars was substantial and this story is told in the book The Black Diggers that is referenced at the end of this document.