The Great Emu War: How Australia Lost to Emus in 1932
The Great Emu War, or Emu War, occurred in Australia in 1932. It was a unique military operation. This event aimed to deal with emus that were damaging crops in the Campion district of Western Australia.1 The operation set out to reduce the emu population by 20,000. However, after two months, only around 1,000 emus had been eliminated. This highlighted the operation’s failure to meet its target.
A special group, Royal Australian Artillery, was called to handle the emu problem. They used Lewis guns. Because of this, the media dubbed the operation the “Emu War”. The Royal Australian Artillery soldiers were equipped with Lewis light machine guns to fight the emus. Despite these efforts, the emus were too many to control. They kept causing damage to the crops.
Key Takeaways
- The Great Emu War was a failed military operation in Australia in 1932 aimed at curbing the emu population that was ravaging wheat crops.
- The Australian government attempted to cull 20,000 emus, but only managed to kill fewer than 1,000 after two months of military intervention.
- The emus’ resilience and evasive tactics, including breaking into small groups and scattering, outsmarted the soldiers and their Lewis machine guns.
- The ineffective military operation led to the implementation of a bounty system, which claimed over 57,000 emu deaths in six months.
- The Emu War has become a notorious and humorous chapter in Australian history, with plans for a film adaptation in development.
The Bizarre True Story of Australia’s War Against Emus
In 1932, Australia faced an unusual enemy — emus. These soldiers were armed not against a human foe, but birds. The Australian government sent troops with machine guns to stop nearly 20,000 emus from destroying wheat in Western Australia.3 This effort became known as the Great Emu War.
Soldiers Armed with Machine Guns to Combat Flightless Birds
As the Great Emu War began, soldiers met a group of 50 emus. They shot some down, but most escaped. This early win was not a sign of things to come. The emus quickly learned to dodge the soldiers, leading to challenges. The birds used surprising tactics that proved difficult for the soldiers to overcome.
The Emus’ Guerrilla Tactics Outsmarted the Military
The emus showed their intelligence by breaking into smaller groups. This made them tougher to hit. They also had a warning system to avoid the shots fired by the military. In a notable example, over 1,000 emus managed to outsmart the soldiers, winning a significant battle when a machine gun malfunctioned. After a month of continuous but fruitless efforts, the human soldiers had to admit defeat and left the battlefield.
Background: Soldier Settlement and the Great Depression
After World War I, Australia gave a lot of veterans land for farming, mainly in Western Australia. This land was not the best for farming.4 They got about 24 million acres in Australia by 1924.4 These veterans were told to grow more wheat when the Great Depression hit in 1929. But the wheat prices fell, and their situation got worse.
World War I Veterans Given Farming Land in Marginal Areas
Then, about 20,000 emus showed up and started to eat the wheat. They also made the fields easier for rabbits to get through. This just added to the farmers’ troubles.45
Plummeting Wheat Prices and Crop Destruction by Emus
Emus were a big problem, with 20,000 of them destroying crops in Western Australia. They didn’t just eat the wheat, they ruined a lot of it, even more than they could eat. This showed how bad their impact was.65
Statistic Value Farmland allotted for Soldier Settlement Scheme 24 million acres by 19244 Emu population invading farmlands Around 20,00065 Emu trampling rate 100 plants trampled for every 1 consumed5
Farmers’ Plea for Military Assistance
The farmers were struggling with emus destroying their wheat crops in Western Australia. They asked the government for help7. A group of ex-soldiers from World War I met with officials. They wanted the military to bring machine guns to fight off the emus7.
Sir George Pearce, the Minister of Defense, accepted their request. But, he said the Western Australian government must pay for moving the troops. The farmers also had to cover the cost of their food, where they stayed, and the bullets7.
20,000 Emus Ravaging Wheat Crops in Western Australia
In 1932, around 20,000 emus moved to farmland in Campion and started eating the crops87. This caused a lot of harm to the farmers’ wheat fields. Over time, the emu problem kept getting worse, causing more losses for the farmers.
The Australian Army tried to help in what became known as the Great Emu War. They had two missions against the emus. The goal was to prevent more damage to the fields and support the farmers.
The Great Emu War: How Australia’s Soldiers Lost a Battle to Birds
Major G.P.W. Meredith Commands Troops with Lewis Machine Guns
The Emu War’swar australia>war australia> military operation was overseen by Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith. He led a team with two Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammo.1
Initial Encounters: Emus Scatter and Evade Gunfire
The emuswar australia> quickly displayed their smart tactics. They’d break into small groups to avoid getting hit, showing their clever evade-and-confuse “guerrilla tactics.”lose to emus>10
Emus’ Crafty Tactics and Seemingly Bulletproof Resilience
Even with the soldiers’ bestmeredith commands emu war> shots, the emus stayed tough. Meredith marveled at their resilience. He stated they were almost bulletproof, acting like Zulus who shrugged off even the toughest bullets.evade gunfire>110
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAX-uk4l_xU
Withdrawal and Resumption of Military Operation
After the first try failed, emus kept destroying farmlands. This made people ask the government for more help. Even with jokes and bad stories in the news, the Defence Minister said yes to trying again in November 1932.
Public Ridicule Forces Temporary Retreat
The emu fight became a big joke in the media. Newsreels and newspapers laughed at how the army couldn’t beat the birds. Because of this bad press and what people thought, the government stopped fighting for a bit.
Renewed Efforts and Claimed Kills
Major Meredith led a new attack on the emus. The soldiers said they killed about 986 emus and used almost 10,000 bullets. But, some don’t believe these numbers.
Even though they tried again, the government faced issues. The failure and jokes from before were still fresh. Stopping the emu invasion was not easy.
Aftermath: Bounty System and Conservation Concerns
Even after the Emu War, farmers still faced challenges with the emu population. To tackle this, the government started a bounty system for emu hunting. This turned out to be quite effective. In just six months of 1934, more than 57,000 bounties were claimed.
Bounties Claimed for Emu Hunting
The bounty system made it worthwhile for people to hunt emus. In 1934, thousands of bounties were claimed, showing it was working. This was a far cry from the failed Emu War tactic.
Protecting the Emu as a Native Species
But, some were worried about the over-hunting affecting the emu’s numbers. They feared for the bird’s survival, even though the ICUN considered it a ‘least-concern’ species. This was because their numbers were still strong.
The government declined requests for more military help against emus in 1934, 1943, and 1948. This stance showed the need to balance farmer’s economic needs with protecting the emus. It stressed the importance of conserving the emu as part of Australia’s natural heritage.
Media Depictions and Legacy
The quickly got widespread attention and became a joke in the news. Videos and articles made fun of the army’s struggle against the birds. Today, this event is seen as a funny part of Australia’s history, and there’s a movie about it coming in 2021.
Newsreels and Humorous Portrayals
The and articles laughed at the army’s difficulties with the emus. Their efforts were seen as a farce, entertaining many.
The birds’ witty escapes and the army’s embarrassment were widely broadcast.
Planned Film Adaptation of the Emu War
There are plans for an to tell this unique story on the silver screen. It’s surprising that an army lost to birds, capturing attention and curiosity. This movie promises to highlight Australia’s extraordinary yet funny past.
Military Tactics vs. Guerrilla Warfare of Emus
The military tried to use common tactics and ambushes against the emus. But these didn’t work well. The birds could run off and avoid being hit by shots.8 They seemed to know when the soldiers were coming. This made it even harder for the military to succeed.13 Also, the emus were tough animals. They could take hits from the guns. Even if some were shot, they would keep on moving.
Formation Tactics and Ambushes Fail Against Evasive Birds
The usual tactics of using formations and setting up ambushes didn’t work on the emus. They could break up into smaller groups. This let them dodge the shots from the soldiers. This ability messed up the army’s plans to fight back well.
Emus’ Lookout System and Resilience Against Gunfire
The emus had a way to watch for danger. This let them know when soldiers were getting close. They were also tough against the gunfire. This surprised the soldiers. Even if they got hit, many emus kept on running.
The military had a hard time dealing with the emus. It showed that these birds were smart and adaptable. This made fighting against them a big challenge.
Environmental and Economic Impact
The Emu War began due to a drought and the emus’ moves. This brought many emus to Western Australia’s farming areas. In 1932, about 20,000 emus showed up in Chandler and Walgoolan. They damaged crops and fences a lot. By harming the farmers’ crops, the emus made it tough for world war I veterans. These veterans had left their lands earlier because farming was hard there.
Drought Conditions and Emu Migration Patterns
In the early 1930s, the Australian government acted against the large emu population. Emus are hard to catch due to their speed and knowledge of the land. They kept outsmarting the military efforts to control their numbers.
Crop Destruction and Hardship for Farmer Veterans
After farmers complained, about 20,000 emus became targets during the Great Emu War of 1932.1 But, the military achieved little success, killing less than 1,000 after two months.1 By the operations’ end, only 986 emus were officially killed. Another 2,500 died from their wounds.1 Around 57,000 bounties for dead emus were paid within six months of the Emu War. This shows the intense hunting after the military action.
The military used two Lewis guns against the emus. Despite this, very few emus died during six days of shooting. After the Emu War, the State Barrier Fence caused problems for emus and other wildlife. It led to animals starving or getting hurt.
Public Perception and Political Implications
The Emu War was widely mocked, both in the media and the Australian Parliament. People poked fun at the military’s struggle against emus. They viewed it as a big failure for Australia. Even with the mission’s failure, the government kept trying to help World War I veterans. This event showed the big challenges the farmers faced and the government’s small ability to help.
Ridicule in Media and Parliament
The Emu War quickly got lots of media attention and was heavily ridiculed. News stories and articles laughed at the army’s fight against the birds. The negative view spread to the Australian Parliament, where members also made jokes about the situation.
Government’s Efforts to Support Soldier-Settlers
Even though the military operation failed, the government kept on helping the veteran settlers hit by the emu crisis. However, this showed just how tough things were for these farmers. It also showed the government had limits in how much they could help with the big issues.
FAQ
What was the Great Emu War?
In 1932, the Australian government faced a big problem. Emus were destroying farmers’ crops in Western Australia. They sent soldiers with machine guns to fight back. But the emus were too quick and smart for the soldiers. The mission didn’t go well.
Why did the Australian government deploy soldiers to fight the emus?
After World War I, many veterans got land in Western Australia to farm. This caused issues when emus started eating their crops. The emu problem got worse during the Great Depression. with about 20,000 birds flocking in. The farmers asked for military help, and that’s when the soldiers were sent in.
How did the soldiers fare in their battle against the emus?
The soldiers, led by Major G.P.W. Meredith, found it hard to catch the emus. The birds worked together and dodged the soldiers well. They split into small groups and watched out for each other, making it hard for the soldiers to shoot them. Meredith even said the emus were “invulnerable” to the bullets.
What was the outcome of the Great Emu War?
The soldiers couldn’t beat the emus. Using traditional tactics failed. Even after the fight, the emus kept damaging the crops. So, the government tried a different plan. They started paying people to hunt emus. This was more successful but raised concerns about protecting the emu population.
How has the Great Emu War been portrayed in popular culture?
The Emu War turned into a big joke in the media. Newsreels and newspapers made fun of the military’s efforts. Today, many find the event funny and strange. In 2021, news came out about a movie based on the Emu War. This film is set to make the unusual war known to more people.
Source Links
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Emu-War
- https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/the-emu-war-of-1932
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-great-emu-war-australia
- https://explorethearchive.com/great-emu-war
- https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/wildlife-management/the-great-emu-war-of-1932
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War
- https://medium.com/@lualsama.mk/the-great-emu-war-of-australia-an-unbelievable-story-42db35affab4
- http://nomadsworld.com/great-emu-war/
- https://medium.com/@faresdz990001/the-great-emu-war-australias-battle-with-birds-84e2bab0af61
- https://www.thecollector.com/great-emu-war/
- https://medium.com/@sithijadinuwara/the-great-emu-war-explained-how-australias-birds-fought-back-5d4bffc68195
- https://vocal.media/education/the-great-emu-war-when-australia-lost-to-birds
- https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/emu-war/
- https://medium.com/@jayfour042/the-great-emu-war-how-australia-lost-a-battle-vs-birds-0f824284ff03
- https://medium.com/@mirrorkioo23/the-great-emu-war-when-birds-battled-the-australian-army-6cf42bd4e299
- https://www.historyhit.com/the-great-emu-war/