Dr Dzavid Haveric.
“Australian Muslims are part of the Australian multicultural landscape. Anzac Day is a great opportunity to honour all Australian Anzac soldiers, including Australian Muslim military personnel – LEST WE FORGET.” – Dr Dzavid Haveric
For the first time in history of Australia and the world, Dr Dzavid Haveric’s research/ book project has unearthed important historical facts, archival data, many interesting stories and precious testimonies contradicting many stereotypes.
His book project was supported by Charles Sturt University and the Australian Army History Unit, Department of Defence. His forthcoming book is titled A History of Muslims in the Australian Military from 1885 to 1945: Loyalty, Patriotism, Contribution (2024).
Dr Haveric started his research in 2018. His research/book project includes numerous field trips in Australia searching for Muslim migrants and their descendants serving in the Australian military.
He visited local Muslim communities and mosques, meeting descendants of the Muslim soldiers and representatives of Returned Services’ Leagues (RSLs), holding discussions with scholars in related fields, as well as consulting the National Archives of Australia, the Victorian Archives Centre and libraries, including the National Library of Australia, the Australian War Memorial, local war memorials and cemeteries, army museums and historical societies.
He collected relevant photos, diaries, postcards, letters, booklets, images of plaques and headstones as well as unique stories that continue to be handed down from one generation to the next.
Muslims fighting and defending Australia started with their loyalty, patriotism and then contribution. Muslim loyalty is a love for the country, Australia. By migrating, living, and working in Australia, Muslims progressively built their attachment to Australia.
The Australian military was an opportunity to build positive life experiences and prosperity in Australia, despite encounters with bias, denials and discrimination in public life due to the impact of the White Australia Policy associated with the Immigration Restriction Act and with their quest for their naturalisation.
In the Australian Army there wasn’t a colour line. Many stories across the nation reveals that Muslims and their descendants willingly accepted the call, were treated equally, and they took their roles proudly – and they ‘did their bit’.
They fought with other Australian brothers-in arms against their common enemies, above any potential ‘complicating ties’ in the Muslim world. Indeed, they put Australia ahead of any individual considerations. Muslim families gave husbands, fathers, brothers and sisters to the Australian military forces.
The extraordinary data going deep in social military history reveals Muslims involvement in the Australian Army in battlefields in Gallipoli and on the Western Front. During World War II, Muslims served in the Australian military in considerably larger numbers.
They fought in many theatres of war against the Axis powers in the Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Merchant Navy (MN).
Muslim soldiers were of many different ethnic, cultural, sectarian, linguistic backgrounds. This research/book project found a number of women of Islamic backgrounds in the Australian military. Many of Muslim military personnel received medals for the recognition of their contribution.
Nationwide research / book project has been completed by Dr Dzavid Haveric!
“The social virtues of Muslim ‘loyalty, patriotism, and contribution’ which I found in my research and are in the book’s title are in many respects interconnected, and certainly they are an integral part of Australian social cohesion.” (CSU News, 23. 4. 2024)
Dr Dzavid Haveric is Adjunct Research Fellow at Charles Sturt University, Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation, He is a leading expert on history of Islam and Muslim in Australia. He is also a Research Associate at Museum Victoria.
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