Description
Object description
Australian private served with 12th Advanced Workshop, Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers on Bougainville, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Nedlands, Australia, 1923-1942: family; education; employment in Perth; story of running family business after service in Second World War; character of Nedlands prior to Second World War; memories of parents; reaction to Japanese threat in Far East, 1941; parent's reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; fate of friends. Aspects of period with Australian Army in Australia, 1942-1944: nickname for conscripts; further details of Japanese threat in Far East; reaction to call up, 1/1942; issue of equipment.
REEL 2 Continues: initial role as ammunition carrier; driving skills; mechanical courses; posting to medical unit; use of Universal Carriers; degree of knowledge about Japanese forces; arrival of American forces in Australia; American troops relations with Australian women; opinion of General Thomas Blamey; comparison between American and Australian military equipment; attitude to being in Australian Army; question of knowledge of destination; pay; parent's reaction to his overseas posting; question of motivation of Australian troops. Recollections of operations as private with 12th Advanced Workshop, Australian Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 1944-1945: lack of jungle training prior to posting; role of Australian Army troops.
REEL 3 Continues: conditions in camp in Queensland prior to embarking for Bougainville; comparison between Australian and American manufactured boots; headgear worn; conditions during voyage from Australia to Bougainville; duties; character of local population; living conditions at Port Augusta, Australia; treatment of General Thomas Blamey on visit; rations available; meeting with teachers; comradeship and morale; attitude to service at Bougainville; question of individualistic nature of Australian Army soldiers; forces newspaper; reaction to hearing news of atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; attitude towards Japanese.
REEL 4 Continues: waiting for demobilisation; move to Rabaul, New Britain; need to keep rifle near during service on Bougainville; attitude towards Japanese prisoners of war; treatment of Japanese prisoners of war; attitude to service on Rabaul, New Britain; return to Australia; caves occupied by Imperial Japanese Army on Rabaul, New Britain; reaction to arrival in Australia, 1946; attitude to having served in Australian Army in Second World War.