Benness, Edwin Charles (Oral history)

Australian private and NCO with 16th Bn (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) in Australia, 1939-1940; NCO served with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, Middle East and North Africa, 1940- 1942; officer cadet served with Officers Cadet Training Unit in Palestine, 1942-1943; officer served with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia and New Guinea, 1943-1944; officer served with Australian Army in Australia, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Western Australia, Australia, 1915- : reasons for moves around state; family; transport owned by family; memories of childhood including family home and religion; contact with First World War veterans; shooting; story of ANZAC Day Parade; civilian attitude to veterans; war memorials and services at school in Perth; talking about experiences; learning about First World War at school including Gallipoli Campaign; details of cadets system at school; background to joining militia; knowledge of events in Germany; effects of Great Depression and gaining of civilian work, 1931; details of civilian work; knowledge of and reaction to events in Germany. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to Munich Agreement; outbreak of war and call-up; reaction of family. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 16th Bn (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) in Australia, 1939-1940: training received from militia before war; opinion of preparedness for war; posting to Rottnest Island; population of island; accommodation; defences built on island; cooking of meals; artillery presence; background to joining 2/28th Battalion; process of joining regular army; reasons for joining-up; morning swims; attitude to Germany; opinion about length of war; reactions to Dunkirk evacuation; details of veterans joining-up; comradeship. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1940-1941: shortage of weapons; knowledge of senior officers; opinion of instructors; loyalty of troops; memories of commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel John Lloyd; embarkation leave and journey to Fremantle; reactions to posting abroad and knowledge of destination; news from war; morale. Aspects of voyage from Fremantle, Australia, to El Kantara, Egypt, aboard RMS Aquitania and the New Zealand, 1/1941: story of sharks in harbour and troops going AWOL; scenes on embarkation; reactions to situation; comradeship. REEL 3 Continues: leisure activities and relationship with civilians in Northam before embarkation; details of camp in Northam; accommodation onboard RMS Aquitania; interest in ship; gaining of nickname, Beans; details of ship and convoy; concerns for safety including duties onboard; accommodation; rations; activities during voyage; lectures on life in Middle East; VD warnings; reactions on leaving Australia; morale during voyage; further details of activities during voyage; news from war; rumours about destination; activities during leave in Colombo including relationship with civilians and rations; details of the New Zealand including conditions onboard; intervention of Lieutenant Colonel John Lloyd and subsequent changes; reason for delay in Suez Canal including make-up of convoys; anti-aircraft activity. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Middle East, 1/1941-3/1941: scenes of wounded troops at El Kantara; reactions to situation; knowledge of war in North Africa including opinion of General Wavell; impressions of civilians in Egypt and Palestine; reception on arrival in Khassa. REEL 4 Continues: details of camp; rations available from civilians; equipment shortages; route marches; conditions underfoot and methods of dealing with them; morning procedures; breakfast; sports; training undertaken; leisure activities and leave; details of Muslim and Jewish civilians including theft of rifles from tent and visit to a kibbutz; knowledge of war in North Africa; concerns about equipment shortages including rifle training; conversations among troops; restrictions on leave; mail received including knowledge of war in Perth; censorship of mail; talks with First World War veterans and advice gained; details of First Aid kits issued; medical training received; reactions to situation; opinion of length of war; rumours about next posting; beer available; morale; entertainments including during leave. REEL 5 Continues: visits to cinemas and restaurants; warnings about local food; opinions of posting; climate; impressions of civilians; latrines; reactions to situation; news of posting in Libya; opinion of officers; story of giving digging training to miners; relationship with troops; knowledge of situation including later changes made by Montgomery; relationship with British troops; description of journey to Tobruk including contact with 7/11th Battalion in Mersa Matruh. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in North Africa, 3/1941-9/1941: knowledge of wider war and importance of Middle East; plans for posting in Benghazi; knowledge of German armed forces; reasons for staying in and details of Tobruk; state of town; state of positions taken on perimeter; news of German advance. REEL 6 Continues: make-up of 24th Brigade; description of defences and terrain around Tobruk; importance of Tobruk; details of positions held by 24th Brigade; Italian weapons in positions including artillery training received; receiving and state of units arriving at Tobruk including concerns about situation; arrival of and attack made on German armoured cars; reason for delay in main German attack and Allied activities during wait; details of German attacks and Allied resistance including own experiences; equipment shortages; firing of weapons in anger; posting to Derna Road; details of positions dug; proximity to Axis lines and freedom of movement; air attacks; story of a Junkers Ju-87 Stuka attack; problems from sandstorms; cooking of meals; water ration including hygiene and brewing of tea; description of condensers made; story of "well"; types of patrols sent into No Man's Land; reactions to German propaganda. REEL 7 Continues: Allied units at Tobruk including relieving troops; news of withdrawal; physical state; details of a company attack; embarkation from Tobruk harbour; details of voyage to Alexandria. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Middle East, 9/1941-7/1942: activities in Alexandria including health; rest period in Palestine; work with advance party in Lebanon; details of camp; relationship with civilians; exercises; news of Tobruk's capture and reaction; situation in North Africa and return journey to Egypt including attempts to disguise nationality. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in North Africa, 1942: knowledge of General Montgomery; details of Alamein Line; initial Australian activities; health and evacuation to Palestine; hospitalisation; reaction to posting as instructor; comradeship; state of unit on return; promotion gained; details of reinforcements. REEL 8 Continues: changes made by General Montgomery; training of reinforcements; news of posting to officer training; equipment situation; air activity; problems faced by Rommel; morale and further details of training given to reinforcements. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Officers Cadet Training Unit in Palestine, 1942-1943: journey to Acre; living conditions including story of first night; drill training; standard of turnout; opinion of training; fitness training; exercises; sports; Christmas 1942; situation in North Africa; story of 9th Division parade; interview with commanding officer and return to unit at Port Tewfik; results of North African campaign. Aspects of voyage from Port Tewfik, Egypt, to Fremantle, Australia, aboard the RMS Queen Mary, 1/1943-2/1943: conditions onboard; details of ship; duties during voyage; stops en route; details of route taken; approach to Australia; reactions on return to Australia; physical training and other activities onboard; concert parties; reactions on arrival. Aspects of period as officer with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 2/1943-9/1943: duties on arrival; leave. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in North Africa, 3/1941-9/1941: question of morale in Tobruk; opinion of German and Italian troops; story of German POWs captured; initial morale and later improvement; details of German attacks; health of troops; shelling received; story of company attack including own involvement; story of temporary truce including burial of dead and contact with Germans; evacuation of wounded; medical facilities; hospitalisation with dysentery including Junkers Ju-87 Stuka attacks; details of hospital staff; morale of patients; details of Tobruk; Naval support including German shelling of harbour; details of defence lines and reserve areas; swimming parades including story of washing clothes; washing facilities; description of positions held. REEL 10 Continues: problems with wildlife; daily routine including rations and supply of rations; details of mail and censorship; talk among troops; knowledge of and reaction to battles in Greece and Syria; opinions of Winston Churchill and General Wavell; morale; description of reconnaissance and standing patrols; German attacks on standing patrols; knowledge of German treatment of POWs; details of mines and booby traps used by Germans; sleeping arrangements; story of accordion; story of rum ration; reaction to nickname gained from Lord Haw-Haw. REEL 11 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 2/1943-9/1943: relationship with civilians; details of parade in Perth; work of old comrades associations; details of 2001 parade for Rats of Tobruk; air raid built by mother; reactions to blackout of Perth; knowledge of Japanese Army and war in New Guinea; leave including talking about war experiences; jungle and invasion training in Queensland; relationship with American troops; rations during secondment with US Army; knowledge of General MacArthur and war in New Guinea; further details of jungle training; attitude to fighting in jungle. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in New Guinea, 9/1943-1/1944: conditions in camps at Milne Bay and Buna; climate and salt tablets; malaria precautions; situation in New Guinea. REEL 12 Continues: knowledge of Japanese troops; briefings for attack on Lae; voyage to and landing at Red Beach; movement inland and role of battalion in attack on Lae; start of advance on Lae; story of river crossing including reconnaissance patrol led to find crossing point; opposition faced after crossing and action taken; further details of river crossing including training received; equipment carried; non- swimmer's method of crossing river; time of crossing; night following crossing; establishment of beachhead; continuation of advance; equipment lost during river crossing and its replacement; activity of Australian and Japanese artillery; dealing with casualties including burial and evacuation. REEL 13 Continues: situation on arrival in Lae; description of camp established outside Lae; withdrawal and evacuation due to illness; details of scrub typhus; illnesses in jungle; hospitalisation and convalescence; staff of Voluntary Aid Detachments including details and morale of fellow patients; story of flight across New Guinea; return to unit; situation at Finschhafen and action against Japanese; activities during period in Finschhafen area; reactions on return to Australia. Aspects of period as officer with 2/28th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1944: journey to Western Australia; leave and marriage including health problems. Aspects of period as officer with Australian Army in Australia, 1944-1945: story of journey with Railway Construction Unit. REEL 14 Continues: living conditions for air force officers; health problems after return to 2/28th Battalion following leave; posting on troop trains; gaining of post in army finance; postings in Brisbane and Perth; details of army finance and duties undertaken; re- allocation of pay following a soldier's death; VE and VJ Day celebrations; training of troops for parade through Perth; desire to return to civilian life; reaction to use of Atomic Bombs; demobilisation and return to civilian work. Aspects of period as civilian in Australia from 1945: problems of troops settling into civilian life and contact with old comrades; care given to families of dead; army comradeship; attitude to war; reasons for joining Citizen Military Forces; attitude to British Empire and Commonwealth; details of civilian life; hopes for future; reflections on army service.