The Great Emu War: when the Australian Army was defeated by a flock of flightless birds

To fully understand the Great Emu War, it's important to consider the broader context of Australia during the early 20th century.

Australia, particularly the western region, experienced significant agricultural development during this period.

Fertile soils and vast tracts of land made Western Australia an appealing location for wheat farming.

Following World War I, the Australian government pursued a policy of developing this farmland further, providing returning veterans with plots of land to cultivate in the hopes of boosting the country's wheat production.

However, the veterans, many of whom had little farming experience, faced a number of challenges including environmental hardships, market fluctuations, and unpredictable weather patterns.

In parallel with this agricultural narrative is the story of the emus of Western Australia. Emus are large, flightless birds native to Australia.

They are nomadic and opportunistic in their feeding habits, typically subsisting on a variety of plants, insects, and small animals.

During breeding season, they tend to move towards coastal areas, but as the hot, arid summer takes hold, they migrate inland in search of food and water.

These patterns of emu migration brought them into direct conflict with the newly established farming communities in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The situation was further exacerbated by the onset of the Great Depression in the late 1920s.

The global economic downturn plunged Australia into a financial crisis. Wheat prices plummeted, pushing many farmers into dire straits.

Amidst this bleak economic backdrop, the emu population, estimated at around 20,000, began to migrate from the interior regions of Western Australia towards the coast, descending upon the farmlands and devouring the crops. 

In the early 1930s, the confluence of environmental, economic, and political factors sparked a conflict unlike any other.

The plight of the Western Australian farmers reached a tipping point when, following the breeding season in 1932, a large number of emus migrated from the inland regions towards the cultivated farmlands.

This emu invasion compounded the existing hardships faced by farmers.

The birds found a veritable feast in the crops, particularly wheat, and took to the cultivated lands with an insatiable appetite.

They ravaged the farmers' fields, consuming and trampling the crops, leading to substantial losses.

Moreover, their large size and flocking behavior resulted in widespread damage, not only to the crops but also to fences, allowing rabbits and other pests to enter the fields and cause further destruction.

Simultaneously, the farmers' calls for assistance became increasingly desperate. The Australian government, spurred into action, considered various methods of controlling the emu population.

The decision to involve the military was influenced by several factors. Firstly, many of the affected farmers were veterans of World War I and were well-acquainted with the potential of military intervention.

Secondly, it was believed that the military could effectively use machine guns to cull the emu population, simultaneously providing target practice for the soldiers.

Interestingly, the public perception of this impending 'war' was initially mixed. While many saw the government's decision as a necessary measure to protect the agricultural sector, others viewed it with skepticism or even outright amusement.

The 'Emu War' officially began in October 1932, under the leadership of Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Seventh Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery.

The Australian military deployed two soldiers armed with Lewis guns, a type of light machine gun, along with 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

The hope was to cull the emu population swiftly and efficiently, thereby saving the farmlands from further destruction.

Accompanying the military force was a cinematographer from Fox Movietone to document this extraordinary campaign.

In the beginning, military operations did not go as planned. On November 2, 1932, the soldiers set up near Campion, where a group of approximately 50 emus had been sighted.

However, the birds stayed out of range, leading to a failed initial attempt at culling.

A few days later, the soldiers staged an ambush at a local dam, but their efforts were once again thwarted.

This time, the emus scattered upon the soldiers' approach, making it difficult to target them.

These early engagements exposed the challenges inherent in fighting a highly mobile and unpredictable 'enemy'.

The novelty of the situation also led to unanticipated problems. Emus, being fast, robust creatures, proved to be tough targets. It became apparent that the emus could take multiple bullets but keep running, making the Lewis guns far less effective than anticipated.

Moreover, the birds never moved alone; they traveled in large groups scattered across the wide expanse of the outback. When one group was fired upon, they would scatter in all directions, making it almost impossible to inflict significant casualties.

The 'war' was off to a slow start, and the soldiers were finding it much harder to reduce the emu population than they had initially assumed.

What was envisioned as a quick operation was turning into an enduring, frustrating, and resource-intensive conflict.

Following the initial unsuccessful attempts to cull the emu population, Major Meredith decided to move further south, where the birds were reportedly more populous and tame.

On November 4, a significant breakthrough came in the form of what could be called the first 'successful' engagement.

The military force, having encountered a mob of emus, managed to kill around a dozen birds. This minor victory, however, was short-lived.

The following week brought another series of frustrating encounters, with the emus once again proving elusive and resilient.

Major Meredith even attempted mounting a gun on a truck, but the terrain was too rough for accurate aim, and the fast-moving emus were difficult to pursue.

The campaign was halted temporarily on November 8 due to the limited success and negative press coverage it received.

The Australian House of Representatives discussed the operation, with some members criticizing the decision to use military force.

Despite this setback, the farmers once again requested military assistance, and the operation was resumed on November 12 with additional troops and ammunition.

This second phase of the war proved somewhat more successful. A series of engagements over the following weeks resulted in a significant number of emus being culled.

Major Meredith reported that his troops were killing approximately 100 emus per week.

However, the vastness of the emu population and the vast territory they roamed made it a daunting task to significantly reduce their numbers.

Despite some instances of success, the military operation was officially ended on December 10, 1932, due to ongoing public criticism and the high cost of ammunition.

By the end of this unusual 'war,' official estimates suggested around 1,000 of the 20,000 emus had been killed, though some in the military claimed the number to be higher.

Nevertheless, it was clear that the emus had proved to be a far more formidable 'foe' than anyone had anticipated.

The reaction to the Great Emu War was varied, both domestically and internationally.

Within Australia, the operation drew widespread public attention, with many expressing shock and amusement at the government's decision to wage war against emus.

The idea of soldiers armed with machine guns chasing after flightless birds across the Australian outback seemed almost comical.

However, others were sympathetic to the farmers' plight and supported the government's drastic measure.

In the Australian House of Representatives, the operation was subject to scrutiny and debate.

Some parliamentarians criticized the decision to involve the military, arguing it was an inappropriate use of resources during a time of economic hardship.

They also raised concerns about the negative impact on Australia's international reputation.

The war also attracted a considerable amount of international media coverage, with newspapers around the world reporting on the events with a mix of fascination and ridicule.

The British media, in particular, took delight in the unusual spectacle, often portraying the conflict as a humorous and quintessentially Australian event.

Public opinion shifted further when news of the operation's limited success and the high cost of ammunition started to circulate.

The military's failure to significantly reduce the emu population was seen by many as an embarrassment, leading to further criticism of the operation.

The decision to end the campaign in December was welcomed by many, but it left the problem of the emu invasion largely unresolved.