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Dr Rhys Crawley

Dr Rhys Crawley

Senior Lecturer
ʹڲƱ Canberra
School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Dr Rhys Crawley isa senior lecturer in history at ʹڲƱ Canberra, and the author of the , 2005-2010.

His research interests, broadly defined, are military and intelligence history, with a particular focus on Australian military history, the war in Afghanistan, special operations, First World War operational history, military logistics, espionage, and domestic security intelligence.

In 2024-2025, while contributing to '' project, Rhys was a senior research fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Military History (NIMH), and a visiting scholar at the Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD). From 2016-2023Rhyswas an historianat the Australian War Memorial and a Partner Investigator on ARC Linkage Project 'memorySCAPE: the commemoration of war using a database narrative framework' (LP180100080). This project developed an innovative interactive Afghanistan war archive using an intelligent database narrative framework. Prior to that,from 2010-2016,heworked at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs, at The Australian National University, where he was the principal researcher and co-author of the multi-volume , and co-author of volume 1 of the .

His books include(2014);(2016);(2018);(2018);(2019); and (2025).
E-mail
r.crawley@unsw.edu.au
Location
Room 103, Building 29
  • Books | 2019
    Londey P; Crawley R; Horner D, 2019, The long search for peace: Volume 1, The official history of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and post-cold war operations: Observer missions and beyond, 1947-2006,
    Books | 2017
    Blaxland J; Crawley R, 2017, The Secret Cold War The Official History of ASIO, 1975-1989
    Books | 2014
    Crawley R, 2014, Climax at Gallipoli The Failure of the August Offensive, University of Oklahoma Press
  • Book Chapters | 2025
    Crawley R; Pratten G, 2025, '‘Everybody doing their thing’: coalition warfare in southern Afghanistan, 2006–10', in Beaumont J; Pratten G (ed.), Military History Supremo: Essays in Honour of David Horner AM FASSA, ANU Press, Canberra, pp. 217 - 247,
    Book Chapters | 2025
    Crawley R, 2025, 'Organising for operations: case studies from the Australian Defence Force's Afghanistan commitments, 2005-2006', in Blaxland J (ed.), Mobilising the Australian Army: Contingencies and Compromises Over More than a Century, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, pp. 368 - 386,
    Book Chapters | 2021
    Crawley R, 2021, 'Egan, Clyde Joseina (1917–1993)', in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 19 1991-1995 (a-Z), ANU Press,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'A 'lop-sided' umpire: Australian military observers in Kashmir, 1971-85', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 424 - 452
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'A sustained commitment: AUSTCIVPOL in Cyprus, 1976-2006', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 717 - 750
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'An island divided: AUSTCIVPOL in Cyprus, 1974-76', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 482 - 504
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Service in the Sinai: Australia and the MFO, 1993-2006', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 779 - 813
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Snow Goose and the Milk Run: RAAF transport support for UNMOGIP, 1975-78', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 453 - 481
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'The first decade: Australian police in Cyprus, 1964-74', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 347 - 377
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Horner D; Londey P; Crawley R, 2019, ''Tough men wanted': Australian military observers in Kashmir, 1951-71', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 185 - 218
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Razi W; Goodman J, 2019, 'Afghanistan: Military occupation, violence and ethnocracy', in Violence in South Asia Contemporary Perspectives, pp. 177 - 191,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Winter C; Crawley R, 2019, 'A reluctant start: The road to Cyprus, 1964', in The Long Search for Peace: Volume 1, The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947-2006, Cambridge University Press, pp. 318 - 346
    Book Chapters | 2018
    Blaxland J; Crawley R, 2018, 'A history of the Australian intelligence community', in Intelligence and the Function of Government, Mup Academic, pp. 37 - 58
    Book Chapters | 2018
    Crawley R; Dean P, 2018, 'Strategy and Sustainment: A Century of Australian Amphibious Operations in the Asia-Pacific', in New Interpretations in Naval History Selected Papers from the Eighteenth McMullen Naval History Symposium Held at the United States Naval Academy 19-20 September 2013, Naval War College Press, Newport
    Book Chapters | 2018
    Crawley R; Ford SB, 2018, 'The state of Intelligence Studies: Australia in international context', in Intelligence and the Function of Government, Mup Academic, pp. 13 - 36
    Book Chapters | 2018
    Crawley R, 2018, '‘Shaping Operations: General Headquarters and the Gallipoli Campaign’', in Crawley R; LoCicero M (ed.), Gallipoli New Perspectives on the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 1915-16, Helion & Company, United Kingdom, pp. 193 - 220
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Crawley R, 2017, 'Marching to the beat of an imperial drum: contextualising Australia’s military effort during the First World War', in The British Empire and the First World War, Routledge, pp. 125 - 141
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Crawley R; Dean PJ, 2016, 'Amphibious Warfare: Training and Logistics, 1942-1945', in Australia 1944-45 Victory in the Pacific, Cambridge University Press, pp. 257 - 277
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Crawley R, 2016, '“Backs to the wall”: Australians on the Western Front, January-June 1918', in The AIF in Battle How the Australian Imperial Force Fought, 1914-1918, Melbourne Univ. Publishing
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Australia’s Cold War Frontline: ASIO in Papua New Guinea, 1962-1975', in The Protest Years The Official History of ASIO, 1963-1975, Allen & Unwin, pp. 289 - 314
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'The Dardanelles as a Joint Operation', in The War at Sea Proceedings of the King-Hall Naval History Conference 2013: 1914-18, Sea Power Centre – Australia, Canberra, pp. 95 - 102
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Crawley R, 2014, 'Eye in the sky: the Royal Naval Air Service', in Gallipoli History, Memory and National Imagination, Istanbul Medeniyet Universitesi, Istanbul, pp. 67 - 78
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Crawley R, 2014, 'Protecting the identity of ASIO agents: The case of Mercia Masson', in The Spy Catchers The Official History of ASIO, 1949-1963, Allen & Unwin, pp. 563 - 580
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Crawley R, 2013, 'Commanding Combined and Joint Operations: The Gallipoli Model', in Joint and combined operations in the history of warfare, Ministry of Defense, Rome, pp. 342 - 348,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Crawley R, 2013, 'Supplying the offensive: the role of Allied logistics', in Gallipoli A Ridge Too Far, Exisle Publishing, Sydney, pp. 254 - 271
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Crawley R, 2010, 'The myths of August at Gallipoli', in Zombie Myths of Australian Military History, ʹڲƱ Press, Sydney, pp. 50 - 69
  • Edited Books | 2018
    Baldino D; Crawley R, (ed.), 2018, Intelligence and the Function of Government, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne,
    Edited Books | 2018
    Crawley R; LoCicero M, (ed.), 2018, Gallipoli: New Perspectives on the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 1915-16, Helion & Company, United Kingdom,
  • Journal articles | 2023
    Crawley R, 2023, 'Supplies Over the Shore', Australian Army Journal, 19,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Crawley R, 2020, 'Australia’s First Spies: The Remarkable Story of Australia’s Intelligence Operations, 1901–45', Australian Historical Studies, 51, pp. 99 - 100,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Australia's Lessons', Parameters, 49, pp. 49 - 63,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Marching to the beat of an imperial drum: Contextualising Australia's military effort during the First World War', Australian Historical Studies, 46, pp. 64 - 80,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Crawley R, 2014, 'Sustaining Amphibious Operations in the Asia-Pacific: Logistic Lessons for Australia, 1914-2014', Australian Defence Force Journal: journal of the Australian profession of arms, pp. 28 - 39
  • Other | 2024
    Crawley R, 2024, Seventy-five years of history behind ASIO director-general’s threat assessment, Australian Strategic Policy Institute,
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    Crawley R, 2022, 'The Gallipoli Campaign: An Australian Perspective', presented at Gallipoli Revisited: International Conference of the United Service Institution of India and the Indian Council of World Affairs, Online, 22 April 2022
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    Crawley R, 2021, 'Mobilising for war: case studies from the ADF’s Afghanistan commitments, 2005-2006', presented at Contingencies and compromises: mobilising the Australian Army, Online, 10 November 2021,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Amphibious logistics 1944-45', presented at Royal Australian Navy King-Hall Naval History Conference, Sydney, 08 October 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Australia and the war in Afghanistan', presented at SDSC War Studies Seminar Series, no. 38, Canberra, 17 June 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Baptism of fire: CH-47 operations in Afghanistan', presented at Australian Army Aviation Corps conference, Brisbane, 07 August 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Find, file, write: Working on the Official History of Australian Operations in Afghanistan', presented at The War in Afghanistan as an Historiographical Challenge: An International Survey, Potsdam, 28 November 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, 'Lessons from Australia’s war in Afghanistan', presented at Afghanistan: Lessons Learned conference, Institute for the Study of War and Strategy, University of St Andrews, Scotland, 11 February 2019 - 13 February 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Crawley R, 2018, 'A unique model? A history of the Australian intelligence community', presented at RAAF Intelligence Conference, Canberra, 20 September 2018
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Australian logistics in the First World War', presented at RAAOC conference: Logistics: Past, Present and Future, Bandiana, 08 October 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Circumnavigating the globe: The Royal Australian Navy during the First World War', presented at The First World War: Local, Global and Imperial Perspectives, University of Newcastle, 26 March 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Logistics and the Oboe operations', presented at Asia-Pacific War, 1931-1945, Canberra, 10 July 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, 'Making the legend? The legacy and influence of the Gallipoli official histories', presented at Exploring the Legacy of the ANZACs: Gallipoli 100 Years On, Deakin University, 16 April 2015
    Curatorial Outputs | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, Journey to the Front Line (audio tour), exhibited at: Australian War Memorial, Canberra, -
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Crawley R, 2014, 'Logistics at Gallipoli', presented at ANZAC Defence Logistics Conference, Canberra, 17 November 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Crawley R, 2013, 'Naval command, co-operation and capability during the Dardanelles campaign', presented at Royal Australian Navy King-Hall Naval History Conference, ‘The war at sea: 1914-18, Canberra, 23 May 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2010
    Crawley R, 2010, 'Supplying the offensive: the role of Allied logistics', presented at Australian War Memorial International Conference, Gallipoli: A ridge too far, Australian War Memorial, 05 August 2010 - 06 August 2010
    Conference Presentations | 2009
    Crawley R, 2009, 'The official war historians and their impact on contemporary understandings of Gallipoli', presented at Australian Historical Association Conference: Constructing the Past, University of the Sunshine Coast, 01 July 2009
    Conference Presentations | 2009
    Crawley R, 2009, 'Understanding the August Offensive: An Operational Analysis', presented at Second International Gallipoli Symposium: Gallipoli and National Imagination, Australian National University, 15 April 2009 - 16 April 2009
  • Media | 2021
    Crawley R, 2021, Afghanistan,
    Media | 2020
    Crawley R, 2020, Australia’s War in Afghanistan,
    Media | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, Artillery logistics over the shore,
    Media | 2019
    Crawley R, 2019, Australian artillery at Gallipoli,
    Media | 2018
    Crawley R, 2018, Australia in Afghanistan,
    Media | 2018
    Crawley R, 2018, Tactics and the use of artillery in the Anzac campaign, 1915,
    Media | 2016
    Crawley R; Cook M, 2016, On the climax at Gallipoli,
    Media | 2016
    Crawley R, 2016, Is it time for another intelligence review?,
    Media | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, Changed Forever, WildBear Entertainment
    Media | 2015
    Crawley R, 2015, Lest We Forget What?, ABC2,

Supplies over the shore (2023)

Project Investigators:Rhys Crawley
Project Title:Supplies over the shore: logistics and Australian littoral operations
Project Funding:Department of Defence

ARCProject Investigators:,, Baden Pailthorpe, Brian Dawson, , Rhys Crawley and Robyn Van Dyk
ARCProject Title:memorySCAPE: The commemoration of war using a database narrative framework
Project Funding:ARCLP180100080