Description
Object description
Australian private and NCO served with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Australia, Egypt, French Syria, Lebanon, Australia and Papua New Guinea, 4/1940-1/1943; officer served with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Australia, Papua New Guinea and British Borneo, 1/1943-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Western Australia, 1909-1939: family; education; work farming in Toodyay area; memories of First World War including Armistice Day celebrations and influenza pandemic; effects of Depression on daily life; listening to radio; awareness of rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany; training with cadets and Citizen Military Forces.
REEL 2 Continues: training with 10th Light Horse; reason for enlistment; story of car; opinion of Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as private and NCO with 2/16th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 4/1940-10/1940: enlistment in 2/16th Bn at Northam Camp, 4/1940; route marches; bayonet practice; weapons training; preparations for overseas service; pay; vaccinations; question of colour patch; journey to Perth.
REEL 3 Continues: reception from crowds in Perth; comradeship; embarkation leave. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Mauretania from Australia to India, 26/10/1940-4/11/1940: embarkation in Fremantle, Australia; opinion of ship and accommodation; searches; rations; number of men on ship; attitude to overseas service; life jackets; disembarkation in Bombay, India; period in Deolali Transit Camp, India; punishments; contracting dysentery. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Lancashire from Bombay, India to El Kantara, Egypt, 9/11/1940-26/11/1940: opinion of food and conditions on board ship; disembarkation at El Kantara, Egypt, 26/11/1940.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Egypt and Palestine, 11/1940-5/1941: initial impressions of Egypt, 11/1940; description of train journey to Palestine; training; recreational activities; morale; opinion of General Thomas Blamey; move to Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 4/1941; daily routine and duties on coastal defence, 4/1941-5/1941. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2/16th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in French Syria and Lebanon, 6/1941-1/1942: move into French Syria; relations with Jewish and Arab civilians; leave periods; story of volunteering for scouting mission in French Syria; role in operations against Vichy French forces along River Litani, French Syria, 6/1941.
REEL 5 Continues: question of speed of river; crossing of river and casualties; engagement with French Foreign Legion forces at El Atiqa Ridge, French Syria, 6/7/1941; problem with machine gun; description of being wounded in arm and treatment; evacuation to battalion regimental aid post for further treatment; personal morale; memories of Aboriginal soldier Private Dick Farmer; terrain; further medical treatment in hospitals in Haifa and Tel Aviv, Palestine; opinion of nurses and treatment.
REEL 6 Continues: return to battalion at Tripoli, Lebanon; memories of Beirut, Lebanon; relations with local civilians; in tented camp on French Syria/Turkey border; patrols; problem of heavy snow; opinion of British Indian Army troops and treatment of mules; memories of Christmas, 25/12/1941; visit to restaurant; censorship of letters. Aspects of voyage aboard SS Ile de France from Suez, Egypt to Bombay, India, 1/1942-2/1942: story of death of soldier and funeral; memories of Bombay, India.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Kościuszko from Bombay, India to Fremantle, Australia via, Colombo, Ceylon, 2/1942-3/1942: transfer to Polish manned troopship HMT Kościuszko; conditions aboard ship; joining Convoy JS 3; shore leave in Colombo, Ceylon; opinion of rations; duties coaling ship; daily life aboard ship; attitude towards Japanese; position of ship in convoy; disembarkation in Fremantle, 3/1942; shore leave. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 3/1945-8/1942: posting to Spring Bank Camp at Adelaide; preparations for possible Japanese invasion at Caloundra; treatment of Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) personnel.
REEL 8 Continues: description of Spring Bank Camp in Adelaide; duties in charge and opinion of Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) personnel; duties as officer's batman; voyage aboard HMT Dominion Monarch from Fremantle to Sydney and presence of Imperial Japanese Navy submarines in Sydney Harbour; move to camp on Brisbane Line; duties training NCOs; story of surveillance mission on German farmer; attitude of Germans in Australia towards Adolf Hitler; training; embarkation aboard troopship; opinion of conditions aboard troopship. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Papua New Guinea, 8/1942-1/1943: voyage to Port Moresby; move by truck into hills; problem of heavy rain; put in charge of transport platoon; dyed uniforms dark green.
REEL 9 Continues: problem of keeping rations dry; description of hill tracks; move into tented camp in Myola; problem of damage and loss of supplies dropped from aircraft; communication with family; problem of cooking food; climate and weather conditions; morale; problem of lack of entrenching tools; role in charge of pioneer platoon reinforcing A and B Coys on the Kokoda Track; description of first engagement with Imperial Japanese Army and casualties.
REEL 10 Continues: problem of locating Japanese forces; story of Imperial Japanese Marines; withdrawal from Myola to Butcher's Hill; use of phosphorous on trees at night; description of operations on Butcher's Hill; casualties; duties as stretcher bearer; attitude to withdrawal; question of leaving behind wounded; opinion of operations on Kokoda Track.
REEL 11 Continues: opinion of Brigadier Arnold Potts; reaction to disparaging comments by General Thomas Blamey; opinion of Japanese strategy; conditions in jungle; reaction to loss of friends; returned to Port Moresby and commissioning as lieutenant, 12/1942; further training; contracted malaria; reflections on operations on Kokoda Track. Aspects of period as officer with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1/1943-8/1943: return to Australia; role in issuing pay.
REEL 12 Continues: leave; civilian attitude to war and question of discussing experiences; training with United States Marine Corps personnel in New South Wales; opinion of American service personnel and camp facilities; description of American rations; story of journey back to Papua New Guinea. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Papua New Guinea, 8/1943-1/1944: role in operations in valley of River Ramu and on Shaggy Ridge.
REEL 13 Continues: description of Shaggy Ridge and terrain; opinion of Shaggy Ridge operation; story of American United States Army Air Force Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilot; return to Australia, 1/1944. Aspects of period as officer with 2/16th Infantry Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1/1944-6/1945: further training; role commanding headquarters company; story of artillery shells landing in camp and casualties; attitude to co-operation with Americans forces. Aspects of operations with 2/16th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div, Australian Imperial Force in British Borneo, 6/1945-8/1945: description of amphibious landing.
REEL 14 Continues: duties as battalion quartermaster supplying rations and ammunition and clearing Japanese forces defensive positions; story of incident with Australian Army Provost Corps; problem of tanks being destroyed by Imperial Japanese Army artillery; discovery of Japanese manufactured torpedoes; memories of gas fields; reaction to news of dropping of atomic bombs and Japanese surrender, 8/1945; move into camp on coast; daily routine and duties; Japanese prisoner of war; duties inspecting Japanese prisoner of war camp; attitude to Japanese; story of wounded officer.
REEL 15 Continues: duties guarding Japanese prisoners of war; attitude to Japanese treatment of Allied prisoners of war; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; story of return to Australia and demobilisation, 1945. Reflections on military service during Second World War: attitude to son serving in Vietnam War; attitude to reconciliation with Japanese; opinion of politicians; question of treatment of ex-servicemen; activities with 2/16th Battalion Association.
REEL 16 Continues: importance of comradeship; question of discussing wartime experiences; attitude towards wartime service.