Flightless Foes: How Australia Lost the Great Emu War

In the remote outback of Western Australia, an unusual chapter of military history unfolded in late 1932. Known as the Great Emu War, this conflict saw Australian soldiers pitted against an unexpected adversary: emus. This peculiar episode is remembered not only for its sheer absurdity but also for its insight into the challenges faced by post-World War I Australia.

The Seeds of Conflict

The roots of the Great Emu War can be traced back to the end of World War I. Returning soldiers were awarded land in the arid regions of Western Australia as part of a government initiative to boost agricultural production and aid in the soldiers’ reintegration into civilian life. However, these newly established farms faced a significant threat: emus.

Emus are large, flightless birds native to Australia. Each year, they migrate from inland regions to the coast in search of food and breeding grounds. In 1932, approximately 20,000 emus found their way to the farmlands of Western Australia, drawn by the abundant crops. For the farmers, already struggling with the Great Depression and drought conditions, the emus’ arrival was disastrous. The birds trampled fences, devoured crops, and left fields in disarray.

The Call to Arms

Desperate for a solution, the farmers turned to the government for help. In response, Minister of Defence Sir George Pearce authorized a military operation to cull the emu population. Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Seventh Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery was tasked with leading the mission. Armed with two Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, Meredith and his small team embarked on what would become one of the most infamous wildlife control efforts in history.

The Campaign Begins

The operation began on November 2, 1932. The soldiers soon found that fighting emus would not be easy. The large, aggressive birds could run at speeds of up to 50 km per hour; they were moving targets, difficult to hit. On the first day, an ambush near Campion came up empty, as the emus broke up into small groups, becoming too scattered for the machine gun to take effective potshots.

For days, the soldiers persisted in their efforts, with meager success. On November 4, the soldiers managed to kill about 200 emus, but again, the sheer numbers of the birds and their hardiness made the work close to impossible. The birds adapted their behavior: they started to disperse even further, making any coordinated attack effectively useless.

Operational Challenges

The problem that Major Meredith and his team encountered went well beyond the emu’s speed and agility. The open terrain of the outback, and the unreliability of the machine guns, worked against them. On one occasion, a gun jammed after only twelve birds had been killed. Mounting a machine gun on a truck also proved to be an utter failure due to the rough terrain making accurate shooting impossible.

In nearly every tactical move, the emus outmaneuvered the soldiers. By mid-November, it was crystal clear that the operation was not having its desired results. Major Meredith reportedly said that the birds displayed remarkable hardiness, continuing to run despite having massive wounds on them.

Retreat and Review

On November 8, the operation was suspended after an estimated 1,000 emus had been killed. However, the emu problem persisted; thus, the campaign resumed in early December. Still, little has changed. On December 10, the government officially withdrew the military personnel and admitted defeat.

In total, the soldiers had spent 9,860 rounds of ammunition to kill approximately 1,000 emus, which is far from the set target. The emus had proved themselves as a formidable foe, and the farmers’ woes remained largely unaddressed.

Aftermath and Legacy

The Great Emu War was almost instantly treated as a laughingstock, and the embarrassment it brought upon the Australian government was beyond measure. The media was all over the campaign, many times in a comical way. The public could hardly get over the idea of how soldiers could fail to subdue a flock of birds with machine guns.

Alternative methods of emu population control were later tried by the government in the following years, including bounties and fencing programs. These were successful in safeguarding the crops without involving the military.

Despite its failure, the Great Emu War has entered the hall of legendary lore in Australian history. It remains a case often cited as an example of human folly and how inscrutable nature can be. The event points out the tenacity of wildlife and how complex it really is to handle wildlife, even with modern technology and weapons.

Conclusion

The Great Emu War stands as a fascinating and humorous footnote in the annals of history. It is a story of unintended consequences, where a well-meaning attempt to aid struggling farmers spiraled into a battle against nature itself. The emus, with their remarkable resilience and speed, outsmarted the military efforts, leaving behind a legacy of both laughter and reflection.

Today, the Great Emu War is remembered not just as a curious historical event, but as a poignant reminder of the enduring struggle between human progress and the natural world. The emus, in their unintentional rebellion, secured their place in history, demonstrating that sometimes, the might of nature can outdo even the most determined human efforts.