800 Torres Strait Men Served Without Equal Pay or Voting Rights

When Japan threatened Australia's northern shores in World War Two, more than 800 Torres Strait Islander men stepped forward to defend a country that didn't even count them as citizens. One in five people from the entire Torres Strait population of 4,000 enlisted, forming Australia's only all-Indigenous battalion and achieving the highest enlistment rate per capita in Commonwealth history.

These men couldn't vote. They weren't included in the census. They earned half the wages of other Australian soldiers. Yet nearly every able-bodied man in the Torres Strait Islands signed up to protect Australia from Japanese forces.

Today, the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion's legacy lives on through emotional Anzac Day ceremonies on Thursday Island. Attendees wear traditional warrior garments representing thousands of years of protecting their sea country, connecting ancient tradition with modern military service.

Warrant Officer Troy Laza, who oversees training and welfare for current Torres Strait servicemembers, says the pride runs deep. "Every single person can trace their family back to a serving member," he explains, adding that "the warrior spirit that lives in the Torres Strait has been here from times past and continues through to what we do now."

Horn Island in the Torres Strait became the second most attacked location in Australia during WWII, behind only Darwin. The stakes were personal and immediate for these island communities.

The Ripple Effect

Veteran and Wagadagam Tribal Elder Gabriel Bani believes this "forgotten" story holds power for all Australians. He joined the army reserves in the 1980s and now works as a cultural mentor, pushing for this history to be taught in schools nationwide.

"Without a voice, without equal pay or recognition, some made the ultimate sacrifice," Gabriel says. He gets emotional during Anzac Day ceremonies, thinking about warriors who defended a nation that hadn't yet extended them basic rights.

The recognition is slowly spreading. More Australians are learning that their northern borders were protected by men who asked for nothing in return except the chance to serve. Gabriel still meets people today who don't know the Torres Strait Islands exist, let alone their extraordinary military legacy.

He prefers the word "healing" to "reconciliation" when describing Australia's journey forward. For him, telling these stories in their full context helps young people understand the complex identity Australia continues to form.

The warrior tradition that protected Torres Strait waters for millennia became the same spirit that produced the Commonwealth's highest enlistment rate and the nation's largest First Nations military unit.