Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Recent acquisitions: DMI records

06 June 2008 by Craig Berelle. No comments
New acquisitions, News,

Series AWM347 is a recently acquired collection of historical records of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI). Accumulated from 1927 to 1984, these records afford a detailed and often fascinating look into the thinking that characterised Australian and Allied intelligence doctrine for over half a century.

Monthly Intelligence Report for November 1950. AWM347, [172].Monthly Intelligence Report for November 1950. AWM347, [172].

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Weddings, Bands and Anything!

27 May 2008 by Pen Roberts. 2 Comments
Collection, News,

The Memorial holds a small collection of paper napkin souvenirs from the era of the First World War. Printed on crepe paper from Japan, their fragility defies their survival for over 90 years.

Here is a napkin printed for the wedding of Lieutenant Colonel Athelstan Markham Martyn DSO, RAE (Royal Australian Engineers) to Miss Stella Swifte at St Mary Abbot’s Church in Kensington, London, on 21 October 1916.

Lt Col Markham served at Gallipoli and the Western Front. By the end of the First World War his many awards included a Distinguished Service Order, the French Croix de Guerre, five Mentioned in Despatches and a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George. This napkin was collected by Lt Cyril Lawrence RAE. (Souvenirs collection 23/6/1)Lt Col Markham served at Gallipoli and the Western Front. By the end of the First World War his many awards included a Distinguished Service Order, the French Croix de Guerre, five Mentioned in Despatches and a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George. This napkin was collected by Lt Cyril Lawrence RAE. (Souvenirs collection 23/6/1)

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N’oublions jamais l’Australie - Never Forget Australia

16 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk. 3 Comments
Battlefield Tours, News,

Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt are two towns on the Western Front that continue to have an ongoing connection with Australia. Due to the warmth and hospitality of the locals in receiving us, the battlefield tour will also not easily forget these towns.

The tiny town of Bullecourt includes a pub called Le Canberra and one of the finest private museums in Northern France. The Bullecourt Musée contains a jumble of rare and interesting collection items found in the local fields. It was started by the Mayor of Bullecourt, Jean Letaille in the 1980’s and was greatly expanded following his retirement. The tour joined Jean and some of the locals of Bullecourt for a lunch at the town hall. read on

The sinking of the Centaur

14 May 2008 by Karl James. 5 Comments
News

Today is the 63rd anniversary of the sinking of the 2/3rd Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) Centaur. On 14 May 1943 Centaur was en route from Sydney to Cairns when she was sunk by a Japanese submarine south of Moreton Island, off the Queensland coast. From the 332 people on board, only 64 survived.

SYDNEY, NSW. 1943. PORT SIDE VIEW OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP CENTAUR. NOTE THE PROMINENT RED CROSSES AND GREEN LINES ON HER HULL. RED CROSSES ARE ALSO ATTACHED TO HER FUNNEL AND STERN WITH ANOTHER LYING HORIZONTALLY ON THE AFTER DECKHOUSE. THE CENTAUR WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK WITH HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE BY A JAPANESE SUBMARINE ON 1943-05-14. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION)SYDNEY, NSW. 1943. PORT SIDE VIEW OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP CENTAUR. NOTE THE PROMINENT RED CROSSES AND GREEN LINES ON HER HULL. RED CROSSES ARE ALSO ATTACHED TO HER FUNNEL AND STERN WITH ANOTHER LYING HORIZONTALLY ON THE AFTER DECKHOUSE. THE CENTAUR WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK WITH HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE BY A JAPANESE SUBMARINE ON 1943-05-14. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION) 302796

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Finding a relative on the Western Front

11 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk. 1 Comment
Battlefield Tours, News,

Dawn and Geoff Harwood were surprised to find that they had a relative buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery. They recognised him as family by his home town and his unusual surname. Geoff and I sat together after dinner last night and using the memorial’s website and databases we were able to uncover a little bit more about George Radnell.

Pte. George Duncan Radnell died of wounds 1st June, 1918 and is buried at Vignacourt British CemeteryPte. George Duncan Radnell died of wounds 1st June, 1918 and is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery

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Lochnagar Crater

10 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk. No comments
Battlefield Tours, News,

When walking the battlefields of the Somme it is evident that most of the visible signs of destruction caused by the First World War have disappeared. The enormous Lochnagar Crater is one of the few surviving scars left on the terrain in this region. A monument to the devastation of war, this crater was caused by a 60,000 lbs mine and is 100 metres in diameter and 30 metres deep. It is hard to capture its sheer size in a photograph.

The land containing the crater was purchased privately in 1978 for preservation as a Memorial to those whose lives that were lost in the crater as well as on the Somme.

Lochnagar CraterLochnagar Crater

Touring the Somme 1916

08 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk. 4 Comments
Battlefield Tours, News,

The major battles of 1916 took place on the Somme. The offensive began on the 1st July 1916 and would become one of the most costly episodes of the war. Between July and mid November the losses reached a total of 1,300,000 men.

On the 23 July, not long after the Battle of the Somme commenced, the Australians took over and captured the main German line at Pozieres. The Australian 1st Division Memorial at Pozieres stands over this line. At the cost of 23,000 casualties the Australians captured most of the main ridge. The tour viewed the German blockhouse ‘Gibraltar’ which became one of the only features on the razed landscape of Pozieres. From this point the Anzacs (and the tour) moved towards the windmill site and then advanced to Mouquet Farm.

Australian 1st Division Memorial, Site of the windmill and the new town of PozieresAustralian 1st Division Memorial, Site of the windmill and the new town of Pozieres

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Mother’s day message from a crew member of HMAS Sydney

07 May 2008 by Kathryn Hicks. 4 Comments
From the collection, News, Personal Stories,

Telegram From A.B. R. Cooper to his motherTelegram From A.B. R. Cooper to his mother PR01950

When searching through the Memorial’s Private Records collection this item was found. read on

D Day

06 May 2008 by Robyn Van Dyk. No comments
Battlefield Tours, News,

The battle field tour, following a strategic withdrawal from Gallipoli, is now touring the battlefields of France. Reinforced with fresh recruits from Australia we travelled to Normandy and viewed the Bayeux Tapestry and then on to the site of the Second World War D Day landings.

Scarred terrain at Pointe Du Hoc and cliffsScarred terrain at Pointe Du Hoc and cliffs

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Don’t Forget To Send That Card!

06 May 2008 by Pen Roberts. No comments
News

Around Australia this week people will be rushing to the post office to send off their last minute Mothers Day cards. Back in the Second World War, with no nearby stationers’ shops, what did servicemen and women in the field do? Obviously they could have written a letter, but it just wasn’t the same as sending a dedicated card.

A number of philanthropic organisations printed cards to ensure the forces didn’t forget their mums on their special day. We can look at it as the war effort working in reverse. All those cards sent home from sons and daughter stationed overseas would have boosted their mums’ morale. The Salvation Army distributed this card among Australian troops in the Middle East in 1941.

This card was collected by VX46983 Brigadier Raymond W Tovell who commanded the 26th Brigade at Tobruk in 1941. (Souvenirs 13/7/1)This card was collected by VX46983 Brigadier Raymond W Tovell who commanded the 26th Brigade at Tobruk in 1941. (Souvenirs 13/7/1)

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