All Work No Pay: Australian Civilian Volunteers in War

Abstract

Australians have always volunteered to help in emergencies, especially when the nation has been at war. During the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars, volunteers from all walks of life raised money, assisted with nursing and rehabilitation, and provided food and clothing. Servicemen and women were helped both at home and in the field. The main wartime volunteer organisations were the Australian Red Cross, the Australian Comforts Funds, the Salvation Army, and the YMCA with the YWCA. Their story and the stories of countless wartime civilian volunteers is told here, revealing important aspects of Australian social and political life.