Description
Object description
Australian aircraftman and NCO served with Royal Australian Air Force in Australian and Dutch East Indies, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Melbourne, Australia, 1924-1942: family; education; visits to farms; discussion of Australian spirit; relationship with Britain including geography of Australia and details of farm owned after war; memories of childhood friends; importance of news from Britain; service of father during First World War; awareness of events in Europe and Asia, 1930s.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction to outbreak of war and events during 1940; Australian and own attitude to Second World War; background to joining air force; service of brother-in-law and friends; details of Returned and Services League of Australia membership; process of joining air force. Aspects of period as aircraftman with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1942-1943: pattern of training at Laverton and technical college; posting to base at Rathmines; training received; posting to embarkation depot; selection for training; settling into military life; weapons training; flying in Douglas DC-3s. Aspects of operations as NCO with Royal Australian Air Force in Dutch New Guinea, 1943-1945: description of base in Merauke; rations; water supply and purification; medical facilities.
REEL 3 Continues: story of visit to dentist; rations including priority in air drops; sounds in jungle; stories of problems from wildlife; relationship with civilians in different areas; daily duties including aircraft present; situation in New Guinea; movement between units; duties with communications; changes in equipment; opinion of aircraft used in New Guinea; Japanese landing in Australia; opinion of chances against a Japanese invasion of Australia; Japanese attacks on Australia; concerns about possible Japanese invasion of Australia; situation in New Guinea; role and details of Consolidated PBY Catalina; role in crew.
REEL 4 Continues: flying of Consolidated PBY Catalina; details of advanced radio station; role of Consolidated PBY Catalinas and Douglas DC-3s; details of communications equipment used; story of brother's leave from New Guinea; contact with family; morale; description and ration of jungle juice; American leisure facilities; relationship with American troops; contact with civilians including cooking of meals; details of advanced radio station; entertainments; concerns at night; contact with officers and navy; movement of frontline and base; knowledge of war elsewhere on New Guinea; accommodation; luxury ration; uniform worn; washing facilities.
REEL 5 Continues: washing of uniform; clothing worn when flying. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1945-1946: activities on return to Australia including joining of Returned and Services League of Australia; posting to Point Cook; details of radio research undertaken; offer to stay on in air force. Aspects of period as civilian in Australia and GB from 1946: further education; VE and VP Day celebrations; story of later VP Day parade; atmosphere in Australia before and during war; relationship with Britain during and after war including migrant influx in early 1950s; relationship with America and changes to car industry; British background of Hill and wife; story of meeting wife; story of holiday in London; gaining of civilian work and family home; details of civilian work in GB.
REEL 6 Continues: family and desire to return to Australia including family homes in Cobham and reflections on Second World War; attitude to Japanese.