Michael Kelly

Michael is a historian at the Australian War Memorial.

Michael has worked at the Memorial since 2004, specialising in post-1945 conflicts: Australia’s involvement in the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation, and the Vietnam War. 

He has research interests in the Gallipoli campaign, the Sinai–Palestine campaign, and Allied airborne operations in Europe during the Second World War.

He has worked as an assistant curator in the redevelopment of the Second World War and First World War galleries, has curated exhibitions for Korean War and Vietnam War anniversaries, and was lead historian on the upgrade to the Memorial’s Cold War galleries.

Michael is the coordinator of the Memorial’s Summer Vacation Scholarship Scheme, is a member of the editorial staff of the Memorial’s WM magazine, and researches and writes biographies for the Last Post Ceremony.

Publication highlights

Edited books

In From the Cold: Reflections on Australia’s Korean War [ed with John Blaxland and Liam Brewin–Higgins], ANU Press, 2020

Book chapters

“Australia’s Confrontation with Indonesia and military commitment to Borneo 1964–65” [with Lachlan Grant], in Peter Dean and Tristan Moss (eds), Fighting Australia’s Cold War, 1945-1965, ANU Press, 2022

“The Samichon: A Final Barb in the Hook, 24–27 July 1953”, in John Blaxland, Michael Kelly and Liam Brewin Higgins (eds), In From the Cold: Reflections on Australia’s Korean War, ANU Press, 2020

Articles

“Saving Seoul: The 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade and the Battle of Kapyong, 22–25 April 1951, The International History Review, 47(4), https://doi.org/10.1080/07075332.2025.2466468

“A VC on any other day: Lieutenant Alexander MacNeil’s exploits at Bullecourt placed him among the bravest Australians of the First AIF”, Wartime 105, 2023

“Secret agents across the Samichon”, Wartime 101, 2023

“The Battle of Long Khanh”, Britain at War 189, 2023

“Fire Eater of the 48th: Lieutenant Charles Stoerkel survived all that war could throw at him, but struggled in its aftermath”, Wartime 100, 2022

“That Winning Feeling: Captain Norman Winning”, Britain at War 187, 2022

“Battle of Kapyong: Victory against all odds”, Britain at War 168, 2021

“That Crazy Australian”, Wartime 92, 2020

“Valour in Warzone D”, Britain at War 160, 2020

“Crossing the Rhine: The Allies’ Operation Varsity used immense air power to make the final push into Nazi Germany”, Wartime 87, July 2019

“Saving a Domino: Australia’s fight against communism in the Malayan Emergency was part of a wider pattern in the region”, Wartime 2019 

“Armageddon to Aleppo: General Sir Harry Chauvel called it ‘the sort of operation every calvalryman dreams about’”, Wartime 84, 2018 

“Kapyong: an epic battle in a forgotten war”, The Age/ Canberra Times/ Sydney Morning Herald, 21 April 2016

“Hard Road to Pakchon: In their first duty, the Australians of 3RAR proved their mettle alongside their British comrades”, Wartime 72, October 2015

“First to Fight; at the Battle of Bitapaka, the AN&MEF were the first Australians in combat”, Wartime 67, 2014

“Keeping Faith with the Devils: Australians with No. 196 Squadron, RAF, ferried British Paratroops on D-Day”, Wartime 66, 2014

“Raid on the Twin Trenches: Meticulous planning led to a brilliant success”, Wartime 60, 2012

“The Apple Orchard: 3RAR's first major action in Korea was a brilliant success”, Wartime, 2011

“The Raid on Celtic Wood: The 10th Battalion's action was tragic, but it's no longer a mystery”, Wartime 52, 2010