A short history of the Australian Intelligence Corps

Introduction -- Federation -- Formation of the Corps -- World War 1
Between the World Wars -- World War 2 -- Asian Engagements -- Vietnam
Peacekeepers -- Reservists, Regulars & The Future
Official Contributers

Between the World Wars

The two decades between the Wars were not kind to the Army. The mood of society was understandably against war and the military. Most Federal Governments of the time were beset by poor economic conditions. At Army Headquarters the weak intelligence effort was fostered by the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence, still using the dispersed nature of command with Intelligence Sections in regional headquarters. It is however interesting to note that throughout the inter-war period an Australian Officer was seconded as a Liaison Officer to the Directorate of Military Intelligence of the UK War Office.

In the mid-1930's, the rise of international tension led the Directorate Military Operations and Intelligence to embark on a modest program to upgrade the Army's intelligence capabilities. Recruiting of personnel, training and planning increased at a slow pace. Part of the work of the slowly emerging intelligence effort was a systematic study of foreign nationals. Across Australia, Army intelligence identified three thousand foreigners classed as potentially dangerous to Australian interests, of whom three hundred were believed to be actively engaged in espionage or subversive activities.

January 1939, saw a number of officers on the Reserve Lists volunteer their services. Unrecognised, unpaid, and in strict confidentiality, they boosted existing efforts to lay the foundation for the tremendous effort that was to follow.



Introduction -- Federation -- Formation of the Corps -- World War 1
Between the World Wars -- World War 2 -- Asian Engagements -- Vietnam
Peacekeepers -- Reservists, Regulars & The Future
Official Contributers