Did you know that one of the most bizarre military engagements in history involved waging war on birds? What's even more incredible was that a nation's military might lost the war to its avian foes! Sounds unbelievable but it's true. This happened in 1932 in Australia when the nation's army waged a war on the native species of bird — emu.
What Was The Emu War Of 1932?
In the aftermath of World War I, many Australian veterans were settled on marginal lands in Western Australia, tasked with transforming arid soil into flourishing wheat fields. However, their agricultural dreams soon turned into nightmares as nearly 20,000 emus — the large, flightless birds native to Australia — descended upon their farms like an avian army. These emus were not just hungry; they were determined to wreak havoc, trampling crops and ignoring fences with a nonchalance that would make any rebellious teenager proud.
As the Great Depression of the US, which lasted till the late 1930s, tightened its grip on the economy, farmers found themselves in dire straits. Desperate for assistance, they urged the government to intervene. In a move that would later be met with incredulity and laughter, the Australian government decided to deploy three soldiers from the Royal Australian Artillery, armed with machine guns, to combat this feathery menace.
Australia's Emu War Begins
On November 2, 1932, Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith led his troops into battle armed with two Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. The plan was simple: mow down the emus and restore order to the wheat fields. However, the emus had other ideas. As soon as gunfire erupted, these birds displayed an uncanny ability to scatter into small groups, effectively evading the soldiers’ attempts at mass extermination.
The first few days were nothing short of comical. Soldiers attempted to herd emus using trucks, only for one truck to crash after colliding with an emu — talk about a “crash course” in wildlife management! Even shooting from moving vehicles proved futile as the birds outpaced them on rough terrain.
The Emus' War Tactics
The emus displayed what can only be described as guerrilla tactics. They would regroup and send out scouts to warn others of impending danger. Major Meredith had then said that these birds could "face machine guns with the invulnerability of tanks", a quote that has now become famous. The soldiers’ morale plummeted as it became clear that they were not just fighting birds; they were battling nature itself.
By November 8, after days of futile attempts and mounting ridicule from the media and Parliament — who jokingly suggested that if anyone deserved medals for bravery, it was the emus — the military withdrew temporarily. However, after a brief hiatus and some exaggerated reports of emu casualties, they returned to the field on November 12, 1932.
Over the course of this "war", which continued till December 10, 1932, soldiers managed to kill 986 emus, expending nearly 10 rounds per bird killed — hardly an efficient use of resources. Despite these efforts, the overall emu population remained largely unaffected. The operation was eventually deemed a failure; after all, how does one declare victory over a bird that can run faster than humans?
The government eventually shifted its strategy from military intervention to building fences — a move that proved more effective.