In 1932, Australia found itself engaged in one of the most bizarre conflicts in history — against emus, large flightless birds known for their speed and resilience. This event, later dubbed ‘The Great Emu War’, ended in an embarrassing failure for the humans involved.
How it started
After World War I, the Australian government allocated farmland in Western Australia to returning soldiers under the Soldier Settlement Scheme.
However, by the early 1930s, farmers faced a serious problem: an invasion of approximately 20,000 emus, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers revealed. These birds, which migrate seasonally, were moving inland, devouring crops, damaging fences, and making farming nearly impossible.
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Desperate for a solution, farmers sought assistance from the Australian government. In response, the government dispatched soldiers armed with machine guns to eliminate the birds.
Battle begins
Australian War Memorial Archives revealed that in November 1932, Major GPW Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery led a small unit armed with Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Their objective was simple: eliminate as many emus as possible to protect agricultural land.
However, the emus proved to be highly elusive opponents for the following reasons.
Speed & evasion: Emus can reach speeds of up to 50kmph (31mph), making them difficult targets.
Tactical retreats: The birds would break into small groups and scatter, making it impossible for soldiers to target large numbers at once.
Gun malfunctions: Soldiers attempted to mount a machine gun on a truck to chase the emus, but rough terrain made aiming difficult, and the weapon frequently jammed.
Despite their superior firepower, the Australian troops struggled to control the emu population. At one point, it was reported that an entire magazine of bullets was needed to bring down a single emu.
Humiliating defeat
After several failed attempts, the government decided to withdraw the troops.
The final statistics were as follows:
Emu casualties: Approximately 1,000
Bullets fired: Around 10,000
Australian military casualties: None
Major Meredith famously remarked, “If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds, it would face any army in the world”.
Aftermath
The Great Emu War was widely mocked in Australia and internationally, with newspapers ridiculing the failure. Eventually, the government resorted to bounties and barrier fences as a more effective method of controlling the emu population.
PNN
