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On 13th Nov 1932 the Emu War turned hot again. Meredith was back in the field. The Emu occupation of the wheatfields still underway, so the Premier of Western Australia had pressured for the army to return.
Meredith's force began to use ambush tactics to target the Emus again.
Meredith's force began to use ambush tactics to target the Emus again.
At first, this was successful. Meredith became briefly concerned when the Emus seemed to learn the range of his guns and began staying just outside of it, but suddenly Emu numbers dropped drastically.
Finally, it seemed like Meredith's forces were winning.
Finally, it seemed like Meredith's forces were winning.
"The gunners are at last getting the upper hand over the enemy, many of which have been killed or are carrying lead." He wrote. "The rest, apparently considering discretion the better part of valour, are gradually sneaking
off."
Meredith was wrong. The Emus were laying a trap.
off."
Meredith was wrong. The Emus were laying a trap.
On 15th Nov, Meredith received an urgent call for help from Walgoolan, south of Campion. A small force of Emus had been spotted.
Overconfident, Meredith left a token force in the north and rushed south to intercept it.
While he was gone, the Emus attacked the north in force.
Overconfident, Meredith left a token force in the north and rushed south to intercept it.
While he was gone, the Emus attacked the north in force.
The Emus hadn't been 'sneaking off', they'd used their superior mobility to regroup and execute a wide swing to the north, attacking across a 40km front.
Only the hasty mobilisation of the Merredin Rifle Club stopped Meredith's token force from being completely overrun.
Only the hasty mobilisation of the Merredin Rifle Club stopped Meredith's token force from being completely overrun.
Meredith rushed north to help, and the situation was stabilised, but the damage had been done and the wheatfields were once again mostly under Emu control.
The Emus had shown that they were not beaten. They could still field a fighting force.
The Emus had shown that they were not beaten. They could still field a fighting force.
Meredith fought to regain the initiative, and inconclusive fighting continued until the 10th Dec when, with drought setting in, the Emus began to voluntarily withdraw to the coast.
Claiming success, Meredith's force was hastily withdrawn.
Claiming success, Meredith's force was hastily withdrawn.
So who really 'won' the Emu War?
Meredith and the Australian government certainly claimed a victory. But the Emu forces repeatedly outmanoeuvred them and controlled the battlefield throughout. Fighting a perfect asymmetric war against a better armed and more advanced foe.
Meredith and the Australian government certainly claimed a victory. But the Emu forces repeatedly outmanoeuvred them and controlled the battlefield throughout. Fighting a perfect asymmetric war against a better armed and more advanced foe.
Similarly, we have no Emu sources. No oral history. No war diaries. No poetry. No letters from the front.
We have no perspective on how THEY viewed the conflict. Did they see it as a defeat? Are their squawks today sad songs about their fallen ancestors, or triumphal ballads?
We have no perspective on how THEY viewed the conflict. Did they see it as a defeat? Are their squawks today sad songs about their fallen ancestors, or triumphal ballads?
What we CAN do is look at what happened next. Here two things stand out.
First, when a campaign medal was mooted, Western Australian politician A.E. Green declared that only if it was to be issued to the Emus, because "they have won every round so far."
First, when a campaign medal was mooted, Western Australian politician A.E. Green declared that only if it was to be issued to the Emus, because "they have won every round so far."
Second, we must acknowledge that the Emus withdraw on their own terms. Indeed further major Emu invasions followed.
In 1934, 1938 and 1943 the farmers requested the army deploy against the Emus again.
Each time the Government, and the Army, refused to take the field.
In 1934, 1938 and 1943 the farmers requested the army deploy against the Emus again.
Each time the Government, and the Army, refused to take the field.
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