From All Directions: The Battles of World War Two

‘Fought across great distances in all directions - from Crete to Greece, through the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, the coins of Royal Australian Mint have crisscrossed landscapes forever altered by the Second World War. In order to illustrate those who found themselves entangled in the individual battles which took place in far-flung fields, coasts, forests and deserts, our coin designers have utilised Morse and pictorial code in their latest designs.  By commemorating these heroic moments in metal for over 60 years, the Mint continues to remember the deployments to the left, the landings from the right, the bombs dropping from the air and the victories ahead.’

The Royal Australian Mint has a long history of honouring those who have bravely served our country with designs commemorating their service. This showcase focuses on the second world war – the battles, the sacrifices, the victories and the losses. In this showcase, alongside our newest coin release, you can see many of our previous coins, medals and plasters as well, including:

This beautiful silver year set commemorates the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The designs capture many different aspects of the war – the relief of a soldier reuniting with his family, the joy of hearing the war is over, and the solemn reflection on the losses all have suffered and the sacrifices made. This coin set was presented in a beautiful jarrah wood case with deep blue velvet lining, making the silver truly shine.

Military nursing in Australia can be traced back to the 19th century, when nurses were deployed in the Second Boer War in South Africa from 1899 to 1902. Since then, our service nurses have been deployed under many titles and organisations, including the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs), Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS), Royal Australian Army Nursing Service (RAANS), and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC).

During World War II, approximately 8,500 women joined the AAMWS. They served in Australia and overseas, including in Borneo, Bougainville and New Guinea, and after the war many members went on to serve in the peacetime army.

Countless lives have been saved by our brave service nurses, and many have also given their lives in the line of duty. During World War II, 72 AANS nurses, 1 VAD and 8 AAMWS members lost their lives. With this coin design, we pay respect and thanks to all the brave nurses who have served our country.

A huge number of various animals have served their countries during times of war. In 1943, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) designed and struck the Dickin Medal, which is widely recognised as the ‘Victoria Cross’ equivalent for animals. The medal has been awarded 75 times since it’s initial creation, with the recipients comprising of 38 dogs, 32 pigeons, 4 horses and one cat.

This coin pays tribute to recipient DD.43.Q.879, or ‘Q’, the carrier pigeon. Q and two other brave birds were with US forces on Manus Island when their patrol was attacked by Japanese forces. They were cut off from help and without any other communication options, so they released the three birds, two of which o were sadly gunned down. Q flew through heavy fire back to headquarters and alerted authorities to the patrol’s location, and they were subsequently able to be rescued.

The people who served our country in times of war deserve our utmost respect and gratitude, and so do the animals who served by their side.