The Setup: 20,000 Emus vs. The Royal Australian Artillery
In 1932, the wheat-farming regions of Western Australia found themselves under assault — not from an enemy nation, but from approximately 20,000 emus. The massive, flightless birds had migrated to the Campion district after breeding season, attracted by the water and crops that returned soldiers had been given land to farm. The farmers, many of them World War I veterans, appealed to the government for help. The government, apparently without irony, decided to deploy the military.
The Commander: Major G.P.W. Meredith
Major G.P.W. Meredith of the Seventh Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, was placed in command of the operation. He brought two Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. He also brought genuine optimism that this would be a simple, brief campaign. He was incorrect. Meredith later observed that the emus could withstand multiple bullet wounds and continue moving. 'If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds, it would face any army in the world,' he told an ornithologist who apparently found this hilarious.
The Campaign: A Military Disaster in Three Acts
The first engagement took place on November 2, 1932. The emus scattered before the guns could be positioned, preventing any effective firing. A second attempt near a dam allowed a short burst — but the Lewis gun jammed almost immediately. The third phase involved attaching the guns to a truck for mobility. The emus, displaying an apparently innate understanding of tactical dispersal, simply split into small groups and moved in different directions. The truck proved unable to keep up with fleeing emus across rough terrain. Each emu required an average of more than 10 rounds to bring down, and they were not cooperating.
The Verdict: The Emus Won
After 12 days of operations, the military withdrew. Major Meredith reported killing 2,500 emus, though ornithologists estimated the actual figure was considerably lower. Australian politician Sir George Pearce, who had authorized the campaign, was so embarrassed by media coverage that he became known as the 'Minister for the Emu War.' The emus returned to the fields. The farmers continued to request military assistance, which was denied. Australia subsequently moved to bounty-based culling, which also had limited success. The emus are still there.
Why the Emus Won: A Tactical Analysis
Military historians who have studied the campaign note several structural advantages the emus held. First, their dispersal behavior was genuinely effective counter-tactics — whether instinctive or not, spreading into small groups across rough terrain negated the Lewis guns entirely. Second, their physical resilience was unexpectedly high: emus can absorb significant damage and continue running. Third, the terrain favored the native species. The emus knew the land. The artillery did not. Australia has not attempted military operations against wildlife since.
“If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds, it would face any army in the world.”
— Major G.P.W. Meredith, 1932