Honoring shared service and strengthening our defense partnership

Each year on ANZAC Day, Australians pause to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served our nation. It is also a moment to reflect on the enduring partnerships forged in times of conflict - partnerships that continue to shape our cooperation today.

- MARC INNES-BROWN

For Australia and the Philippines, our defense ties are longstanding and deeply rooted in shared history. They date back to the Second World War, when our nations stood together in the face of profound challenges.

Early in the Pacific War, Australia provided safe harbor to President Quezon, Vice President Osmefia and key members of the Philippine wartime Cabinet when they escaped from the besieged fortress of Corregidor. They landed at Batchelor Field in the Northern Territory on 27 March 1942. From there, they journeyed from Alice Springs to Adelaide, and finally by train to Melbourne, where they reunited with General Douglas MacArthur, before journeying to the United States to contribute to the eventual liberation of the Philippines.

Our shared wartime experience also included cooperation with the Filipino resistance. In 1943, Australian prisoners of war who escaped from Sandakan joined guerrilla fighters in Tawi-Tawi, contributing to their efforts.

Australian forces played an important role in the liberation of the Philippines. During the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944, HMAS Arunta and HMAS Shropshire alongside other allied forces defeated a Japanese Battle Squadron which allowed the successful amphibious landings at Leyte Gulf and General MacArthur's return to the Philippines. Just prior to the battle, HMAS Australia suffered what is believed to be the first-ever kamikaze attack that damaged the ship and killed her commanding officer.

During the liberation, Australian naval, air and army forces also supported amphibious landings in Luzon, conducted aerial reconnaissance, provided signals intelligence and contributed to naval operations and airfield construction. These early experiences established a foundation of trust and cooperation between our armed forces that has remained steadfast ever since.