Hilda Grey
Through our series: '75 days, 75 stories’ we honour the some one million Australians who served during the war. Today we remember Hilda Grey, who joined the Australian Women's Land Army at 16 years old. Hilda's most vivid memory of the war years dates back to 3 September 1939.
Hilda Grey audio script
75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War
Audio actuality
“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” – (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)
On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia Remembers Hilda Grey, who joined the Women’s Land Army at just 16.
Hilda Grey
Hilda worked on a farm, replacing the men who had gone off to war. But her most vivid memory of the war years harks back to September the 3rd, 1939.
When war was declared, we had a wireless. And we lived out in the bush where there was only 5 houses. And the neighbours came in and we were all gathered around and they said the war was declared.
Robert Menzies actuality
“It is my melancholy duty to inform you that in consequence of persistence by Germany and her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her and that as a result, Australia is also at war".
It’s just that all the women burst into tears, because of course they’d been through it before. And that’s how I remember it. The men straight off said, “Well, we have to go”. The very next day, my father joined up the very next day. I was only a child then, but I do remember it.
Saturday August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.