Description
Object description
Ts memoir (68pp), with photocopies of related documents and photographs integrated in the text, of his service in the RAAF, eventually with the rank of Warrant Officer, from his enlistment in August 1940 until his passage back to Australia in August 1945, describing his training in New South Wales, Australia at No 1 Initial Training School at Somers, at No 1 Air Observers School at Cootamundra, at No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School at Evans Head, and at No 1 Astro Navigation School, Parkes before qualifying in April 1942, his embarkation for overseas service on the SS CERAMIC to New Zealand, then across the Pacific to the USA and finally in convoy across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom (May - August 1942), his posting to No 21 Operational Training Unit at RAF Moreton-in-the Marsh, Gloucestershire and then to No 40 Squadron RAF, Middle East Command at Gardabia (March 1943) flying operations as an Air Gunner and later an Air Observer (March - April 1943) until his capture by Italian troops after being shot down over Tunisia (19/20 April, his transfer to Germany, where he was imprisoned initially at Dulag Luft (Frankfurt), then at Stalag Luft I (Barth) (April - November 1943), at Stalag Luft VI (Heydekrug) (November 1943 - July 1944), at Stalag Luft IV (Gross Tychow) (July 1944 - February 1945), and finally on a forced march westwards (February - May 1945) until liberated by advancing British troops at Gadow (May 1945). The account contains good descriptions of the varying regimes in the camps and of conditions on the march, this section being largely based on a contemporary diary, and also includes interesting comments on wartime London and Cairo.
Content description
Ts memoir (68pp), with photocopies of related documents and photographs integrated in the text, of his service in the RAAF, eventually with the rank of Warrant Officer, from his enlistment in August 1940 until his passage back to Australia in August 1945, describing his training in New South Wales, Australia at No 1 Initial Training School at Somers, at No 1 Air Observers School at Cootamundra, at No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School at Evans Head, and at No 1 Astro Navigation School, Parkes before qualifying in April 1942, his embarkation for overseas service on the SS CERAMIC to New Zealand, then across the Pacific to the USA and finally in convoy across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom (May - August 1942), his posting to No 21 Operational Training Unit at RAF Moreton-in-the Marsh, Gloucestershire and then to No 40 Squadron RAF, Middle East Command at Gardabia (March 1943) flying operations as an Air Gunner and later an Air Observer (March - April 1943) until his capture by Italian troops after being shot down over Tunisia (19/20 April, his transfer to Germany, where he was imprisoned initially at Dulag Luft (Frankfurt), then at Stalag Luft I (Barth) (April - November 1943), at Stalag Luft VI (Heydekrug) (November 1943 - July 1944), at Stalag Luft IV (Gross Tychow) (July 1944 - February 1945), and finally on a forced march westwards (February - May 1945) until liberated by advancing British troops at Gadow (May 1945). The account contains good descriptions of the varying regimes in the camps and of conditions on the march, this section being largely based on a contemporary diary, and also includes interesting comments on wartime London and Cairo.
History note
Cataloguer AAM
History note
Catalogue date 2001-03-28