Description
Object description
Australian private served with No 2 Independent Company, Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 7/1941-12/1941; served with No 5 Section, B Platoon 2/2nd Independent Company, Australian Imperial Force in Dutch Timor, Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor, 12/1941-12/1942; trooper served with 2/2nd Commando Squadron, Australian Imperial Force in Papua New Guinea, 6/1943-10/1944; served with 2/2nd Commando Squadron, Australian Imperial Force on New Britain, Papua New Guinea, 4/1945-8/1945; NCO served with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 27th Commonwealth Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 12/1950-4/1951; served with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 28th Commonwealth Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 5/1951-11/1951
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Perth, Australia: family; childhood in suburb of Subiaco; father's military service at Gallipoli, Turkey in First World War; attitude to GB and Royal Family; awareness of rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazis in Germany; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction to Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940-6/1940. Aspects of enlistment and training with Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1939-1940: reason for enlisting; basic training at Northam Camp; bayonet training; attitude to dying for King and County; reason for joining Australian Imperial Force; opinion of equipment. Recollections of training as private with No 2 Independent Company in Australia, 7/1941-12/1941: posting to guerilla warfare camp on Wilson's Promontory, 7/1941; selection process for training as commando; physical training; cross-country exercises; role of Major Mike Calvert in training; attitude to commando training; weapons and explosives training.
REEL 3 Continues: night exercises; unarmed combat; use of knife; discipline; survival training; role of Captain Frederick Chapman in training; question of secrecy; lectures on Japanese; opinion of Japanese forces; tactical exercises; description of kit, including Everest Pack; commando knives and weapons; memory tests; leave; question of destination; journey to Darwin.
REEL 4 Continues: canvas water bags attached to trucks; further training in Katherine and Northern Territory; accommodation in huts; swimming in River Katherine; reaction to Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, United States of America, 7/12/1941. Recollections of operations as private with No 5 Section, B Platoon, 2/2nd Independent Company, Australian Imperial Force in Dutch Timor, Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor, 12/1941-12/1942: voyage aboard SS Zealandia from Australia to Dutch Timor, Dutch East Indies; problem of landing troops reason for presence in Dutch and Portuguese Timor; reaction to fall of Singapore, Malaya, 15/2/1942; morale; set up defensive positions on aerodrome at Dili; Japanese forces' landings and withdrawal into mountains. 2/1942; rations trucks; attitude towards Japanese forces.
REEL 5 Continues: location of B Platoon; description of ambushing Imperial Japanese Army truck convoy; reaction to first experience of combat; problem of malaria and dysentery; organisation of unit; location of B Platoon; terrain; memory of sight of Imperial Japanese Navy battle fleet; reaction to news of bombing of Darwin, Australia, 19/2/1942; organisation of sections; use of local civilians as guides; method of obtaining food and living off land; story of killing boar; buffalo meat; treatment of wounded; frequency of contact with Japanese forces; use of horses by officers.
REEL 6 Continues: hostile attitude of villagers toward unit; story of mission to obtain money; relations with Timorese warriors; story of severed heads; reprisals against Timorese civilians by Japanese forces; role in operations to disrupt Japanese forces; story of sentry; blowing up of roads; story of shooting Imperial Japanese Army soldier.
REEL 7 Continues: effects of Japanese offensive on Timor, 8/1942; role of Royal Australian Navy in landing supplies on Portuguese Timor; reaction to sinking of HMAS Armidale in Timor Sea, 1/12/1942; evacuation by Royal Netherland Navy destroyer HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes, from Portuguese Timor to Australia, 12/1942. Aspects of period as private with 2/2nd Independent Company and trooper with 2/2nd Commando Squadron in Australia, 12/1942-6/1943: physical condition; medical treatment; problem of not being able to eat.
REEL 8 Continues: contracting jaundice; leave with family; rejoining unit. Recollections of operations as trooper with 2/2nd Commando Squadron, Australian Imperial Force in Papua New Guinea, 6/1943-10/1944: flight to base in Bismarck Ranges, 6/1943; description of terrain; prior recollection of period in Darwin; long-range patrols and attacks on Imperial Japanese Army positions; rations; role as scout; opinion of General Douglas MacArthur and American military personnel.
REEL 9 Continues: prior recollection of operations in Portuguese Timor and evacuation, 8/1942-12/1942; role of commandos in Papua New Guinea; use of canoes along River Ramu; description of terrain and vegetation; location of Imperial Japanese Army positions; water supplies; care of wounded; use of No 88 Wireless Set; relations with local civilians; story of circling village to give impression of larger number.
REEL 10 Continues: patrols and ambushes; rest periods; summary of movements across Papua New Guinea; memories of Salvation Army canteen; return to Australia, 10/1944. Aspects of operations as trooper with 2/2nd Commando Squadron, Australian Imperial Force on New Britain, Papua New Guinea, 4/1945-8/1945: daily routine and duties; reaction to loss of friends; story of incident in Papua New Guinea; reaction to news of end of Second World War, 15/8/1945.
REEL 11 Continues: description of camp; relations with Japanese prisoner of war; living conditions in camp; attitude to Japanese treatment of Allied prisoners of war; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; duties with water transport unit; return to Australia, 1945. Aspects of period in Australia, 1945-1950: problem of adjustment to civilian life; employment with newspaper; social life; reflections on period of military service.
REEL 12 Continues: reunion with former members of 2/2nd Commando Squadron; attitude to demobilisation. Aspects of enlistment and training as NCO with Australian Army in Australia and Japan, 1950: awareness of Cold War; attitude to Soviet Union opinion of Communists in Australia; comments on events in South Korea; reasons for re-enlistment in Australian Army and reaction of mother to his re-enlistment; enlistment at Perth; training; move to Japan; opinion of People's Republic of China and spread of Communism.
REEL 13 Continues: further training in Japan. Recollections of operations as NCO with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 27th Commonwealth Infantry Bde in North and South Korea, 12/1950-4/1951: flight from Japan to South Korea; weather conditions; description of Seoul; opinion of General Douglas MacArthur and American forces; signing on for 12 month tour of duty; New Year's Day celebrations, 1/1/1951; move up to 38th Parallel; attack by Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; problem of cold weather; duties of companies; refugees; story of Korean woman exploding grenades and casualties; retreat from Seoul on trucks, 1/1951; crossing over frozen Han River; description of first engagement with Chinese People's Volunteer Army forces, 1/1951; experience of napalm attack.
REEL 14 Continues: casualties; crossing 38th Parallel; summary of operations, 2/1951-4/1951; reaction to replacement of General Douglas MacArthur; question of use of nuclear weapons. Recollections of operations with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 27th Commonwealth Infantry Bde during Battle of Kapyong, South Korea, 22/4/1951-25/4/1951: distribution of companies; story of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops dressed in Korean uniforms; description of terrain and defensive positions; story of shooting Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier holding grenade; description of Chinese People's Volunteer Army assault.
REEL 15 Continues: weapons; problem of rifle malfunctioning; further Chinese People's Volunteer Army assaults; use of bayonets; retreat of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops at dawn; importance of training and discipline; ordered to leave position and rejoin company; comparison of weapons of Chinese People's Volunteer Army and Australian Army troops; examples of helping wounded soldiers; further description of operations; story of taking photographs; collection of wounded; story of wounded Chinese People's Volunteer Arm soldier.
REEL 16 Continues: casualties; opinion of Republic of Korea (ROK) troops; assessment of role of battalion at Kapyong; physical effects of air burst shells; opinion of Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops; friendly fire incident with napalm; story of tank; attitude to lack of food and sleep; story of ammunition box; withdrawal; story of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier.
REEL 17 Continues: United States Air Force air-supply drops; landscape; summary of movements; rest periods; communication with home; memory of flares. Aspects of operations as NCO with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 28th Commonwealth Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 5/1951-10/1951: move to River Imjin; description of Chinese People's Volunteer Army invasion routes; location of battalion; hill features in landscape; crossing River Imjin with British Centurion Tanks. Aspects of operations as NCO with 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt, 28th Commonwealth Infantry Bde, 1st Commonwealth Div during Battle of Maryang San, 5/10/1951-8/10/1951: role as B Coy platoon commander in capture of feature; capture of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier; capture of other features; problem of heavy fog; move to area named The Hinge.
REEL 18 Continues: description of role in attack on Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops on spur; opinion of order to attack and casualties; occupying The Hinge, 7/10/1951; memories of Chinese People's Volunteer Army flares; description of Chinese People's Volunteer Army artillery barrage and assaults on The Hinge; question of luck in battle; story of helping wounded friend; allowing Chinese People's Volunteer Army to collect dead and wounded.
REEL 19 Continues: being relieved by British Army troops; return to original positions; reaction to Chinese People's Volunteer Army regaining captured ground and features; assessment of operations at Maryang San; description of setting up new defensive post; posted back to battalion headquarters near Seoul; problem of snow storm; flight from South Korea to Japan. Aspects of period as NCO with Australian Army in Japan, 11/1951-12/1951: friendships; reaction to end of tour of duty; living conditions at base in Japan; story of visit to Hiroshima.
REEL 20 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with Australian Army in Australia, 1952: journey from Japan to Australia; receiving three weeks leave; duties as instructor for new recruits; discharge from Australian Army. Post-war life in Australia: attitude of civilians to Korean War; story of visit to Republic of South Korea, 2001; opinion of Kim Il Sung; reflections on period of service in Korean War; opinion of modern South Korea; reflections on military service in Second World War and Korean War.
