Interview with Philip Edington Rhoden

Australian officer served with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, Lebanon and French Syria, 6/1940-8/1942; served with and commanded 2/14th Bn, Australian Imperial Forces, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Papua New Guinea, 1942-1943; served on training duties in Australia, 3/1943-7/1945; commanded 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Dutch East Indies and British Borneo, 7/1945-1/1946

REEL 1 Background in Essendon and Melbourne, Australia, 1914-1940: family and childhood; education; effects of depression; civilian attitude towards First World War; memories of aunt who served during First World War; degree of knowledge of First World War; memories of ANZAC Day; military service with 14th Bn, Citizen Military Forces prior to Second World War; awareness of events in Europe and approaching war; attitude towards United Kingdom; reaction to and activities following declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. REEL 2 Continues: period at Port Melbourne including attitude to military service and comradeship. Aspects of enlistment in Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1940: background to joining Australian Imperial Force; reaction to Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940-6/1940; opinion of Prime Minister Winston Churchill; equipment situation and morale; reactions to Italy joining war. Aspects of period as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 5/1940-10/1940: joining battalion, 4/1940; pattern of training at Puckapunyal; embarkation leave; contraction of mumps and method of hiding it during journey to Sydney and voyage to Fremantle; reaction to overseas posting abroad; departure from Melbourne; thoughts about future. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Aquitania from Sydney, Australia to Egypt via India, 19/10/1940-25/11/1940: arrival in Suez Canal, Egypt, 11/1940; embarkation at Sydney, Australia, 19/10/1940; composition of convoy; relations with other Australian battalions on board; activities during voyage; period in Deolali, India. REEL 3 Continues: morning procedures; training and lectures; sporting activities; evening activities including talk among troops; development of comradeship; atmosphere on board; duties including censorship of mail; conditions on board; morale; impressions of Bombay, India, 4/11/1940; train journey to Deolali, India; relations with civilians; knowledge of destination; aerial activity during voyage along Suez Canal, Egypt; disembarkation and first impressions of Egypt. Aspects of period as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Middle East, 11/1940-6/1941: accommodation; relations with civilians and leave in Cairo, Egypt; training; preparations for move to Greece; posting to Mersa Matruh, Egypt; reaction to German successes; opinion of chances in battle; knowledge of situation on move to Lebanon and French Syria. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Lebanon and French Syria, 6/1941-7/1941: reaction to situation in Middle East; first contact with French Foreign Legion. REEL 4 Continues: train journey to Haifa, Palestine; knowledge of situation in, preparation and plans for invasion of Lebanon and French Syria; nature of advance into French Syria; arrival in Tyre, Lebanon; crossing of River Litani, Lebanon, 12/6/1941; assistance given to 25th Australian Infantry Bde; attack by German Air Force Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber; mail; attack on Hill 1284 near Jezzine, Lebanon; plans for an attack at Damour, Lebanon; knowledge of wider situation; night movement; casualties; reaction to casualties including question of effect on making friends; question of pressure; capture of hills in front of Damour, Lebanon, 6/7/1941-9/7/1941; attacks from tanks; Vichy French opposition faced; health of troops; knowledge and opinion of senior officers; end of campaign, 7/1941; opinion of results and necessity of campaign. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 2/14th Bn Australian Imperial Force, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in French Syria and Lebanon, 7/1941-1/1942: initial activities of battalion; move to border between French Syria and Turkey; use of mules; positions dug; knowledge of wider war including reaction to German invasion of Soviet Union, 6/1941; comradeship; knowledge of events in North Africa; newspapers received; discussion of politics; news from Siege of Tobruk, Libya; concerns following Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, United States of America; degree of knowledge of Japanese forces; reaction to United States of America entering Second World War, 12/1941; period in Palestine; journey to Port Tewfik, Egypt; reaction to return to Australia to fight against Japan. Aspects of voyage aboard the HMT Ile de France and HMT City of Paris from Port Tewfik, Egypt, to Adelaide, Australia, 1/1942-3/1942: changes to destination; population of ship; entertainments; sleeping on deck; approach to Australia and reaction to return there; separation from battalion transport; arrival in Fremantle, Australia; continuing voyage to Adelaide, Australia. Aspects of period as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 3/1942-8/1942: initial period in Adelaide; details of leave; knowledge of Japanese air attack on Darwin; pattern of postings and activities in Australia. REEL 6 Continues: question of Japanese threat to Australia and reaction of civilians to it; awareness of Japanese forces' activity; pattern of training; role in battalion; liaison with senior officers; memories of Brigadier Arnold Potts; voyage from Australia to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 8/1942. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Papua New Guinea, 8/1942-1/1943: arrival in harbour at Port Moresby, 13/8/1942; disembarkation and journey inland; loss of transport; cutting down of equipment carried; knowledge of situation; details of 39th Bn, Citizen Military Forces; preparations for march up Kokoda Track; equipment carried; conditions on track; problems with insects and disease; movement along Kokoda Track including Golden Stairs; maintenance of battalion morale. REEL 7 Continues: further movement along Kokoda Track including sleeping arrangements and terrain; climate; songs sung by troops; morale; question of contact with other units; details of trip to Myola for supplies; final march to Isurava, 25/8/1942-26/8/1942; situation on arrival; importance of campaign; role in C Coy; arrival at Isurava, 26/8/1942; deployment in postions at Isurava; arrival of other battalion companies; nature of Japanese opposition; state of 39th Bn Citizen Military Forces; relations between Citizen Military Forces and Australian Imperial Force troops; details of speech made in 2000; events during first two days at Isurava; Imperial Japanese Army attacks, 28/8/1942-29/8/1942; memories of Corporal Charles McCallum, killed in action, 8/9/1942. REEL 8 Continues: memories of Major Bill Russell and provides details of Battle of Isurava from his published battalion history; replacement of lost platoon commanders; knowledge of Imperial Japanese Army troops; hand-to-hand combat and use of bayonet at Isurava; duties including communications; details of Japanese and Australian weapons; question of need for longer ranging weapons; nature of Imperial Japanese Army jungle tactics; examples of Imperial Japanese Army's failure to exploit successes; Imperial Japanese Army troops' attempts to talk to Australians; Imperial Japanese Army use of snipers; reasons for withdrawal; troops cut off; organisation of withdrawal; loss of commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Samuel Key. REEL 9 Continues: reaction of battalion to Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Key capture and execution, 10/9/1942; rebuilding of battalion morale; withdrawal to Brigade Hill including question of supplies; positions taken and action at Brigade Hill; decision to make brigade counter-attack; question of taking of prisoners of war in Papua New Guinea; activities following failure of counter-attack; talk given to troops; motivation of troops; religion; events following battle at Brigade Hill; opinion of American General Douglas MacArthur; question of faulty knowledge of Kokoda Track. REEL 10 Continues: Very Important Persons (VIPs) visits to Owers' Corner; action at and casualties at Ioribaiwa; reasons for withdrawal of Japanese forces; opinion of closeness Australian forces came to losing Port Moresby; activities during rest period; changes to brigade including new role; reactions to Australian counter-attack and departure of Brigadier Arnold Potts; story of reaction to speech made by General Thomas Blamey and later visit battalion received from him, 12/1943; talking with troops following General Thomas Blamey's visit; writing to families of casualties; mail including story of proposal to girlfriend; discussion of marriage during wartime; news of move towards Gona; composition of battalion and preparations for attack at Gona. REEL 11 Continues: summary of campaign in New Guinea; plans for attack on Gona; nature of attack on Gona, 29/11/1942 including casualties; nature of American forces operations at Buna; actions; memories of Private Bruce Kingsbury VC. Aspects of period on training duties as officer with Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1/1943-11/1943: leave; reason for return to Papua New Guinea. Aspects of operations commanding 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Papua New Guinea, 11/1943-3/1944: journey to join battalion at Dumpu in Ramu Valley; arrival at battalion; reaction to posting as battalion commanding officer; terrain and situation in Ramu Valley; nature of attack on Shaggy Ridge, 27/12/1943; importance of Battle of Shaggy Ridge, 19/1/1944-31/1/1944. REEL 12 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Australia, 3/1944-5/1945: details of parade in Melbourne; leave; story of marriage, 6/1943; receiving news of D-Day and thoughts about future; reactions to role allocated to Australian forces by Americans. Recollections of operations commanding 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Dutch Borneo, 7/1945-8/1945: opinion of troops including briefings for landings at Balikpapan, 1/7/1945; movement inland to Mangaar; actions of Captain Thorpe at Mangaar airfield; nature of attack made at Mangaar including battalion casualties; events leading to end of Second World War and VJ Day celebrations, 15/8/1945; attitude of Japanese prisoners of war; contact with released former Australian prisoners of war; attitude towards and opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops; prior recollection of invasion training at Cairns, Australia. Aspects of period commanding 2/14th Bn, 21st Australian Infantry Bde, 7th Australian Infantry Div in Dutch Borneo and Celebes Island, Dutch East Indies, 8/1945-1/1946: start of demobilisation process; posting to Celebes Island, 10/1945; reaction to death of Prime Minister John Curtin, 5/7/1945; realignment of command in South East Asia Command and meeting of Lord Louis Mountbatten; arrival on Celebes Island; role with Japanese forces on island including relations with former Japanese commander, General Toshima. REEL 13 Continues: role with agriculture of island; contact with Dutch authorities; reaction to atomic bombs being dropped on Japan; memories of General Toshima; return to Australia and disbandment of battalion, 1/1946; reception on arrival home; settling into civilian life. Reflections on military service: discussion of relationship with Japanese since Second World War including personal contact through civilian employment; comradeship during military service and story of help given to old comrade.