Interview with Bertram Charles Long

Australian private served with 28th Bn, Citizen Military Forces in Australia, 12/1940-9/1941; trooper served with 1st Australian Armoured Div in Australia, 9/1941-9/1944; private served with Z Special Force, Services Reconnaissance Department in Australia and British Borneo, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Middlesex, GB and Perth, Australia, 1921-1940: birth in Middlesex, GB and emigration to Australia; childhood in Middlesex, GB and Perth, Australia; education; death of father Bertram Long in Perth, 12/1/1930; impressions of GB; discussion of national identity; father's Bertram Long's service with 23rd Field Howitzer Bde, Australian Imperial Force during First World War; employment; comparison between Perth and Melbourne during 1930s; knowledge of events in Europe. Aspects of period as private with 28th Bn, Citizen Military Forces in Australia, 12/1940-9/1941: joining Citizen Military Forces, 12/1940; training and camps; reasons for joining Australian Army at Claremont, 24/9/1941; awareness of dangers of military service; reaction to Phoney War, 9/1939-5/1940; posting to signal platoon at Fremantle and unit communications; composition of battalion; earning to march; belief in ultimate Allied victory; sense of remoteness from war; settling into military life; relations with fellow troops. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as trooper with 1st Australian Armoured Div in Australia, 9/1941-9/1944: preparation for posting to Middle East; settling into armoured unit; impressions of war in North Africa; opinion of Japanese opposition; hearing news of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and cancellation of draft, 7/12/1941; signals duties; reaction to Japanese forces' activity in Pacific; relations with American military forces; posting on Brisbane Line; make-up of unit; listening post duties and impressions of division's armour; awareness of Imperial Japanese Army Air Service air attacks in Northern Territory; story of hearing machine gun fire during leave in Sydney. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 28th Bn, Citizen Military Forces in Australia, 12/1940-9/1941: reaction to becoming a militiaman; reason for becoming a signalman and signals training; rifle issued; knowledge of Morse Code; duties. Aspects of period as trooper and NCO with Headquarters Sqdn, 1st Australian Armoured Div in Australia, 9/1941-9/1944: story of machine gun fire during leave in Sydney; story of near posting to Middle East; period in Rokeby, including wireless duties; pattern of service in Australia, including on Brisbane Line; communications; posting to Western Australia; disbandment of 1st Australian Armoured Div, 9/1944. Recollections of period as NCO with Z Special Unit, Services Reconnaissance Department in Australia, 9/1944-3/1945: selection for Z Special Unit; journey to Fraser Island; reaction to selection for Z Special Unit; pattern of training and knowledge of future role; background of unit personnel; allocation of parties; history of Z Special Unit; explosive training. REEL 4 Continues: accident during training; opinion of survival chances; navigation test; invasion training at Mount Martha; hand-to-hand combat training; parachute training at RAAF Richmond; length of training with Z Special Unit; troops eager to see action; unit stores; incident of missing train in Sydney; period in Leyburn; awareness of potential posting to British Borneo. REEL 5 Continues: details of weapons made for Operation Semut I in Borneo; problems with digging latrines and arrest of Royal Australian Engineer NCO sent to help; escorting NCO to Brisbane; departure of advance party. Recollections of journey from Darwin, Australia, to British Borneo via Morotai Island, Dutch East Indies, 3/1945: nights spent in Darwin, Australia and Morotai Island, Dutch East Indies; take off from Morotai Island, Dutch East Indies; receiving message from advance party and offer to not carry on; issue of cyanide tablets; chaplain's religious service; use of cyanide tablet; flight to British Borneo; parachute jump, including clothing worn and equipment carried; problems with parachutes issued during air drop. Recollections of operations as NCO with Z Special Unit, Services Reconnaissance Department in British Borneo, 4/1945-10/1945: landing and reception from civilians; proposed role in British Borneo; details of Japanese occupation; reasons for not arriving by submarine; reunion with party and search for equipment; assistance given to advance party and disintegration of mission; wireless shelter; need for accuracy in sending messages; march south and location of wireless set site. REEL 6 Continues: nature of wireless messages sent and received; suspicions following his taking over of wireless duties and later actions of reinforcements; relations with civilians; Japanese forces activity reported and discussed; civilians and workers attached to wireless station; terrain and wildlife; memories of Dan Lyric; nature of journey over mountain; problems from climate; further memories of Dan Lyric and other American military personnel; relations with civilians; rations; news of VE Day, 8/5/1945; memories of commanding officer Major Tom Harrisson. REEL 7 Continues: nature of air drops and rations; actions of Major Tom Harrisson during and after war; use and re-use of message pads; reiteration of suspicions following his taking over of wireless duties and later actions of reinforcements; further details of air drops and initial restrictions of communications; arrival and use of Eureka/Rebecca system; creation of air strip; arrival of octane; problems with dropping of tinned spam; effects of Japanese and Allied forces activity on civilians; story of Imperial Japanese Army soldier captured by civilians; character of Japanese and Korean prisoners of war; problem of Imperial Japanese Army troops continuing to fight on after VJ Day, 15/8/1945 and subsequent actions of Warrant Officer Jonathan 'Jack' Tredrea; story of captured Japanese civilian women and local dancing girl; news of Japanese surrender, 15/8/1945; story of civilian escape from Japanese occupied territory. REEL 8 Continues: activity at end of Second World War; story of civilian workers; celebrations at end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; story of aircraft used to evacuate Americans; further details of non-surrendering Imperial Japanese Army troops; march to coast; health problems and voyage to Australia. Post-war life and employment in Australia: problems settling into civilian life; final posting with Australian Army in Perth; civilian employment; reflections on military service.