As ANZAC Day 2025 approaches, we pause to honour not only those who served on the front lines, but also those who contributed behind the scenes. Among them was Evelyn Maud Proposch (née Beaumont), who served in Brisbane during World War II as part of the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF). Her story is one of quiet courage, transformation, and the unexpected paths opened up by war.
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A Country Girl Called to Serve
At 26 years of age, Evelyn was one of approximately 27,000 single women between the ages of 18 and 40 who enlisted in the WAAAF during World War II. She had grown up in country Queensland and spent several years working in Rockhampton, a regional city of about 30,000. Before enlisting, she had never been to Brisbane, let alone to larger cities like Sydney or Melbourne.
She joined the WAAAF in 1942 and was posted to RAAF Command Headquarters in Bardon, Brisbane. Life in the WAAAF was strict and structured, but for Evelyn, it was also full of new experiences. It was the first time she had lived in a big city, worked in an office, or been part of a shift-based workplace.
A New Kind of Military Service
The WAAAF, established in March 1941, was the largest of Australia’s women’s wartime services and the first to allow women to work in roles previously reserved for men. Its creation followed lobbying from women eager to contribute more directly to the war effort and a push by military leadership to free up men for overseas service.
As a clerk signals, Evelyn played a key role in managing communications for Allied air operations in the South West Pacific. It was demanding and vital work. She gained new skills, travelled more than she ever had before, and made friendships that lasted a lifetime.
She took part in “The Big March” through the streets of Sydney, which featured 2,500 servicewomen—including 1,000 from the WAAAF—and drew a crowd of 250,000 cheering onlookers. It was celebrated as the greatest women’s march in Australia’s history.
Wartime Paths to Love
It was during her time in Brisbane, in late 1943, that Evelyn met her future husband, Lieutenant William Edwin (“Bill”) Proposch of the 2nd AIF. They were introduced at a dance held in Brisbane City Hall while Bill was on leave. Their engagement followed a year later, and in 1945 they were married at St Paul’s Cathedral in Rockhampton.
Their meeting was one of the many wartime encounters that changed lives forever. Evelyn’s daughter Judith would later write that if there hadn’t been a war, her parents likely never would have met. They came from different backgrounds and widely separated parts of the country, but the war brought them together.
Homeward Shift and a Lasting Legacy
In early 1944, Evelyn’s father became gravely ill with cancer. Wanting to be closer to her family, Evelyn applied for a transfer to Rockhampton. She performed her final shift at Headquarters RAAF Command on 21 March 1944.
Years later, in 2005, Evelyn received a commemorative medal in honour of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. She was 89 at the time, living with her daughter Judith and son-in-law. Evelyn passed away on 30 January 2011 at the age of 95.
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This ANZAC Day, Remember the Women Who Served
Evelyn Proposch’s story is one of quiet service, resilience, and the far-reaching effects of a time that reshaped countless lives. She, like many other women of the WAAAF, stepped into unfamiliar territory and emerged with new strength, new skills, and lasting bonds.
This ANZAC Day, as we reflect on the many faces of service, let us remember the women who kept the lines of communication flowing, who stepped beyond expectations, and who found their way in a world forever changed by war.
Published 7-April-2025
