Description
Object description
Australian NCO served with 14th Field Bty, 2/7th Field Regt, Royal Australian Artillery, 9th Australian Infantry Div, Second Australian Imperial Force in Australia, Palestine and North Africa, 4/1940-12/1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in West Perth, Australia, 1917-1940: father's military service during First World War; family; education; effects of Depression on daily life; attitude towards GB and British Empire; awareness of events in Europe. Aspects of period as gunner with 3rd Field Bde, Royal Australian Artillery in Australia, 1939-1940: reasons for enlistment in Citizen Militia Forces; training as signaller; story of applying to join Royal Australian Air Force; further training at Rockingham Camp, 1939-1940. Aspects of period as NCO with 14th Field Bty, 2/7th Field Regt, Royal Australian Regt, 9th Australian Infantry Div, Second Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 4/1940-11/1940: volunteering for service with regiment, 4/1940
REEL 2 Continues: posting to Northam Camp; unit batteries; training at Northam Camp; embarkation leave; issue of sea kit bag. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Stratheden from Australia to Egypt, 11/1940-12/1940: embarkation aboard ship at Fremantle, Australia; reason for delay in sailing; character of ship and conditions on board; accommodation; sailing from Fremantle, Australia, 22/11/1940; daily routine and duties; physical training; lectures; recreational facilities; leave in Colombo, Ceylon; duties as gun sergeant; gun crew and transport; kit inspection; disembarkation at El Quantara, Egypt, 12/1940. Aspects of operations as NCO with 14th Field Bty, 2/7th Field Regt, Royal Australian Artillery, 9th Australian Infantry Div, 9th Australian Infantry Div, Second Australian Imperial Force in Palestine, 12/1940-1/1941: move by truck to Qastina; tented accommodation; problem of mud and rain; visit to Jerusalem; reputation of artillery; opinion of other troops. Aspects of operations as NCO with 14th Field Battery, 2/7th Field Regt, Royal Australian Artillery, 9th Australian Infantry Div, Second Australian Imperial Force in North Africa, 1/1941-10/1942: role in operations in Mersa Matruh area, Egypt; air attacks and casualties.
REEL 3 Continues: prior recollection of Qastina, Palestine and opinion of kibitzes; opinion of Italian Army troops; location of batterty; accommodation; amusing story of latrines; relations with South African troops; initial experience of being bombed; reaction to loss of friends; shell shock case in battery; morale; description of desert terrain; awareness of situation in Tobruk, Libya; opinion of Deutshes Afrika Korps and British Army troops; attitude to winning war; types of guns used; role in operations at Sidi Barani, Egypt; description of wadis; camouflaging of guns; laying down harassing fire.
REEL 4 Continues: problem of German Air Force aircraft dropping flares; problem of boredom; story relating to South African officer; description of being under Deutsches Afrika Korps artillery fire; opinion of German 88mm Gun; attitude to danger; description of Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun; ammunition; gun crew and duties; rate of fire.
REEL 5 Continues: daily routine and duties at Sidi Barani, Egypt; posting as depot regiment to Heliopolis, Egypt; duties testing captured Axis artillery; visits to Cairo, Egypt; opinion of Egyptian Army and officers; relations with local Egyptian civilians; story of incident at pay office; recreational and sporting activities; visit to pyramids; reaction to Japanese entering Second World War, 12/1941; opinion of Japanese; memories of Christmas, 25/12/1941; further comments on fall of Tobruk, Libya, 6/1942.
REEL 6 Continues: posting to Tripoli area, Libya; description of terrain; location of battery in mountains; return to Egypt; hostile reception from civilians in Cairo, Egypt; reaction to defeat of 2/28th Australian Infantry Bn at Ruin Ridge, Egypt, 26/7/1942-27/7/1942. Aspects of operations as NCO with 14th Field Bty, 2/7th Field Regt, Royal Australian Artillery, 9th Australian Infantry Div, Second Australian Imperial Force in Egypt, 6/1942-10/1942: description of attack by Deutsches Afrika Korps tanks; casualties; problem of guns overheating; role in counter-battery operations; attacks by German Air Force Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber aircraft; incident of being strafed by German Air Force aircraft whilst on motorcycle; accommodation in slit trench; rations; personal hygiene; uniform and clothing; washing clothes in petrol; sanitary arrangements; leave; reason for attempting to join Royal Australian Navy.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude to active service; use of ear plugs and respirators; opinion of British Army troops; opinion of General Bernard Montgomery; preparations for Battle of El Alamein, 10/1942; description of artillery barrage at start of Battle of El Alamein, 23/10/1942; noise of guns; German counter-battery artillery fire; role during Battle of El Alamein; story of being treated for burst appendix and shrapnel wounds; conditions in Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) and hospital in Alexandria, Egypt.
REEL 8 Continues: further treatment in hospital in Gaza, Egypt; period in rehabilitation camp in Palestine until 12/1942; communication with home and censorship; example of racism witnessed among American military personnel. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Nieuw Amsterdam from Egypt to Australia, 1943: sailing in convoy with HMT Queen Mary; conditions on board ship; disembarkation in Fremantle, Australia. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Australian Artillery in Australia, 1943-1945: reaction to return to Australia; reception from civilians; leave in Perth; engagement; marching through Perth with guns; train journey to Queensland; holding rank of warrant officer.
REEL 9 Continues: further comments on train journey to Queensland; posting to training camp on River Barron; story relating to snakes; daily routine and duties including tree cutting; rationing in Australia; opinion of Americans; further training in Atherton Tablelands region; two week posting to Tarakan Island, Dutch Borneo, Dutch East Indies; return to Australia for medical treatment of ear infection.
REEL 10 Continues: reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; post-war life and employment in Australia.