Torres Force

The 14 inhabited islands in the Torres Strait each had their own proud and diverse people. Japan’s entry into the war presented a common enemy to the Torres Strait Islanders and many joined the Australian Army to defend their home.  By 1943, the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion, which primarily served as a garrison, had grown from an independent company of 100 men (including 17 white Australian officers) to 850 Torres Strait Islander volunteers. Local knowledge was vital to Allied operations in the area.