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November 2, 1932: Initial Deployment at Campion

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November 2, 1932: Initial Deployment at Campion

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The military campaign officially began when Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Seventh Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery arrived with two Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. The first major confrontation with the emus took place near Campion, where soldiers encountered about 50 emus. Despite their preparation, the military's first attempt was largely unsuccessful due to the birds' ability to scatter and survive multiple hits.

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November 4, 1932: The Ambush at Walgoolan

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November 4, 1932: The Ambush at Walgoolan

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Near Walgoolan, soldiers attempted to ambush a large group of emus that were moving towards water sources. Despite setting up a carefully planned operation, the machine guns jammed after only a dozen birds were killed. This technical failure became symbolic of the operation's ongoing difficulties.

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One of the largest confrontations occurred near Burracoppin, where soldiers mounted machine guns on trucks to pursue the emus. This new mobile strategy proved ineffective as the rough terrain caused the guns to jam and made accurate shooting impossible. The emus continued to display remarkable ability to withstand multiple hits and split into small groups, making them harder to target.

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November 13, 1932: Farmers' Stand at Karridale

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November 13, 1932: Farmers' Stand at Karridale

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Local farmers around Karridale joined forces with the military to protect their crops. They reported significant damage to wheat fields and fencing caused by approximately 2,000 emus. Despite the combined efforts, the birds continued to evade major casualties and maintained their destruction of crops.

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November 18, 1932: Operations near Chandler

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November 18, 1932: Operations near Chandler

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The military relocated their efforts to the Chandler region, where large emu populations were reported. Soldiers attempted to herd the birds into an ambush point, but the emus split into small groups and scattered across the landscape, demonstrating tactical behavior that frustrated military personnel.

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November 22, 1932: Nungarrin Confrontation

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November 22, 1932: Nungarrin Confrontation

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Near Nungarrin, soldiers reported their most successful engagement, claiming to have killed 100 emus. However, the overall population remained largely unaffected, with thousands of birds continuing to damage crops and fences throughout the region.

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The campaign's final major operation took place near Mukine. Despite implementing new tactics and having gained experience fighting the emus, the military's efforts remained ineffective. Major Meredith was forced to withdraw, marking the end of the main phase of the 'war.' Reports indicated that only 986 of the roughly 20,000 emus were killed with 9,860 rounds of ammunition.

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December 10, 1932: Withdrawal from Merredin

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December 10, 1932: Withdrawal from Merredin

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The official withdrawal of military forces was announced in Merredin. The 'Great Emu War' was declared a defeat for the Australian military, becoming a somewhat embarrassing yet fascinating chapter in Australian history. The event highlighted the resilience of the emu population and the difficulties in controlling these native birds, leading to the later implementation of exclusion fencing as a more effective solution.