Description
Object description
Australian NCO served with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, Palestine and North Africa, 6/1940-3/1942; officer cadet served Middle East Officer Cadet Training Unit in Egypt and Palestine, 3/1942-10/1942; officer served with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div during Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 10/1942-11/1942; prisoner of war in Egypt, 11/1942; hospitalisation in Egypt and Australia, 11/1942-1/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Subiaco, Perth, Australia, 1920-1940: family; father's employment; membership of Boy Scouts; knowledge of and civilian attitude to First World War; awareness of events in Europe and approach of Second World War; attitude towards United Kingdom; reaction to Munich Agreement, 9/1938 and declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 6th (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) Battalion, Citizen Military Forces in Australia, 1939-1940: joining battalion, 9/1939; voyage from Perth to Rottnest Island; opinion of servie with Citizen Military Forces; reaction to Phoney War, 9/1939-5/1940; background to enlistment in 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, including reaction of parents and medical.
REEL 2 Continues: background to becoming NCO; character of battalion. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 1940-1941: pattern of training at Northam Camp; equipment situation; degree of knowledge of German Army and Italian Army; reaction to fall of France, 6/1940; story of later activities of Deutsches Afrika Korps tanks at Tobruk, Libya; opinion of German chances in invasion of GB; weapons and tactical training; attitude to military service; origins of fellow troops; leisure activities; lying about age on joining armed forces; pride in battalion; relations with civilians; events leading to embarkation; journey to Fremantle. Recollections of voyage aboard the HMT Aquitania and the HMT Nieuw Zeeland from Fremantle, Australia to Egypt, via Ceylon, 1/1941: character of HMT Aquitania; send-off received from mother on wharf and civilians during journey to Fremantle; impressions of HMT Aquitania on embarkation; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; gambling; reaction on leaving Australia; travelling in convoy; daily routine; degree of knowledge of war in North Africa; shore leave in Colombo, Ceylon.
REEL 3 Continues: relations with civilians on Ceylon; conditions on board HMT Nieuw Zeeland; nature of voyage up Red Sea; opinion of Axis opposition to be faced; sights witnessed on Suez Canal, Egypt; arrvial at El Kantara Camp, Egypt. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div in Palestine, 1/1941-4/1941: journey to Palestine; details of camp occupied; pattern of training; equipment situation; morale; relations with civilians, including later problems with thefts of rifles; degree of knowledge of North African Campaign. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div during Siege of Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941-9/1941: journey from Palestine to Tobruk, 4/1941; reason for move to Tobruk; degree of knowledge of Deutsches Afrika Korps; prior recollection of Australian Rules Football match against 2/11th Australian Infantry Bn at Mersa Matruh, Egypt; degree of knowledge of campaign in Greece; journey from Mersa Matruh, Egypt to Tobruk; degree of knowledge of situation, including awareness of arrival of German forces; laying of mines at Tobruk; reaction to situation; proximity of positions to town; nature of defensive positions; first action against Deutsches Afrika Korps.
REEL 4 Continues: story of first patrol; importance of patrols; daily routine; nature of patrols, including casualties; reaction to situation, war news and rations; periods in rest area; importance of Tobruk; Axis air raids and artillery fire received; visits from chaplain and Lieutenant-Colonel John Lloyd; Axis mortar fire received; reaction to coming under fire; story of near miss; activities of Royal Australian Artillery; nature of aerial activity; further details of reaction to being under fire; reaction to later death of NCO during Battle of El Alamein, Egypt; morale; gaining of nickname 'Rats of Tobruk'.
REEL 5 Continues: awareness of William Joyce 'Lord Haw Haw'; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel John Lloyd; opinion of senior officers and Prime Minister Winston Churchill; knowledge of wider war, including discussion of Australian concerns and activities at Tobruk; later reaction to fall of Tobruk, 6/1942; proximity to Deutsches Afrika Korps lines; communication with Deutsches Afrika Korps; discussion of German General Erwin Rommel; movement around Tobruk, including rest area; Axis air raids during swimming parties; talk amongst troops; rations; details of mail including censorship; problems with desert sores; nature of sandstorms; morale; story of trick played on officer.
REEL 6 Continues: relations with officers; attitude of troops to siege; receiving news of departure; punishment given to troops illicitly visiting Tobruk town; activities of troops in Tobruk; voyage from Tobruk to Alexandria, Egypt, 9/1941; physical state; opinion of successes during Siege of Tobruk. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div in Middle East, 9/1941-3/1942: arrival in Alexandria, Egypt; period at Kilo 89 Camp in Palestine, including duties and training; Christmas 25/12/1941; relations with troops; details of sergeants' mess; leave in Cairo, Egypt and Haifa, Palestine; relations with Jewish civilians; problems between Jewish and Arab civilians; journey to Tripoli. Lebanon; attitude to role in Lebanon.
REEL 7 Continues: reaction to Japan's entrance into Second World War, 12/1941; prior knowledge of Japan; knowledge of and reactions to Japanese attacks in Asia and Australia; role of unit in Lebanon; news received from Australia; morale. Recollections of period as officer cadet with Middle East Officer Cadet Training Unit in Cairo, Egypt and Haifa, Palestine, 3/1942-10/1942: allocation to officer training; question of desire to become officer; opinion of qualities looked for in prospective officers; situation in Cairo, Egypt, 3/1942; pattern of training including leadership; discussion of training received; prior recollection of shelling incident in Tobruk, Libya; activities of unit in absence; reiteration of importance of Tobruk, Libya; expectation of defensive role in Cairo, Egypt; move to Haifa, Palestine; involvement of 2/28th Bn Australian Infantry Bn in Battle at Ruin Ridge, Egypt, 7/1942; concern for comrades serving with battalion; reformation of 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn; discussion of senior officers performance in North Africa.
REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn, 24th Australian Infantry Bde, 9th Australian Infantry Div during Battle of El Alamein Line, Egypt, 10/1942-11/1942: return to battalion on El Alamein Line; description of artillery barrage at start of Battle of El Alamein, 22/10/1942; role of battalion; patrolling prior to start of battle; nature of battle and relief of frontline troops; orders for fighting patrol, 2/11/1942; formation and success of patrol; contact with German prisoners of war; continuation of patrol and wounding; initial self-treatment; reaction to being wounded; awaiting capture. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Egypt, 11/1942: medical evacuation by Deutsches Afrika Korps personnel, 3/11/1942; talk with German guard; medical treatment received; evacuation of field hospital to Mersa Matruh; nature of field hospital; treatment received from German nurses; evacuation of Deutsches Afrika Korps forces;
talk with Indian prisoners of war; reaction to possibilities of having to kill.
REEL 9 Continues: awaiting liberation; equipment situation in hospital; arrival of British forces, 10/11/1942; situation in North Africa; aerial activity. Recollections of hospitalisation in Egypt and Australia, 11/1942-1/1944: journey to British hospital in Cairo, Egypt; medical treatment received for wounds; morale amongst fellow patients; opinion of medical staff; reaction to situation; reaction to presence of female Australian Army Medical Corps nurses aboard AHS Wanganella; concerns during voyage; disembarkation in Fremantle, Australia and reaction on arrival in Western Australia; opinion of importance of Battle of El Alamein; opinion of General Bernard Montgomery; opinion of 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn's performance during Battle of El Alamein; treatment from civilians in Australia; reception from family. Aspects of period as civilian in Australia, 1944-1945: pay; story of Imperial Japanese Army Air Forcer raid; Japanese threat and precautions taken.
REEL 10 Continues: return to civilian employment; purchase of car; reaction to war news; VE and VJ Day celebrations, 1945; reaction to end of Second World War and dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; attitude to political situation, 2002; reflections on military service; contact with comrades since end of Second World War; hopes for future.