Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

FLGOFF Robert Wentworth BYRNES 463 Squadron

The RAAFA Stained Glass Window in the First Floor foyer

The Vickers Wellington, the type that formed the mainstay of Bomber COmmand until the arrival of the four engine 'heavies'. Later used as a training platform. http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/blogs/44822/attachments/183979d1321936604-vickers-wellington-458-squadron-1942-1943-wellington_0.jpg

No. 19 Course at ATS Somers Victoria 27 Aug 1941. Reg Bain circled in red.

Official caption reads; "The graves of 13 Australian soldiers from the 10th Battalion who, unless stated otherwise, were killed in action on 19 May 1915. From left to right, the graves are those of 1398 Private (Pte) Charles Olsen; 1037 Pte William Cocks, killed in action on 23 May 1915; 894 Pte Albert Henry Davey; 1751 Pte Joseph Gurry; 984 Pte Charles Henry Allen; 1558 Pte Albert Beswick (actually Baswick); 101 Pte Walter Batley Seaman; 801 Private Arthur Sydney Johnson; 1357 Pte Sydney Brooke Holt, killed on 29 May 1915; 299 Pte Thomas Arthur Atwill; 1184 Pte Benjamin Thomas Thorpe; 1163 Pte John George Murphy; 1452 Pte William Altree, killed on 29 May. Post war investigation revealed that Pte Albert Baswick, coach trimmer, enlisted at Oaklands, South Australia and embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Runic on 27 November 1914; Albert Baswick was an alias of John Routledge, son of Thomas and L Caroline Routledge, of 4 Holt Terrace, Shell Street, Stanley Grove, Manchester, England" This group correlates closely with the CO's account of the battle (see Lock p46) plus three other men PTEs Cocks Holt and Altree who died in the days following the major counter attack. The CO's account indated that 11 men were killed. Ten are thus accounted for in this photograph with the eleventh perhaps succumbing to wounds in the evacuation chain. This group is now all interred in the Shrapnel Gully Cemetery. AWM Image http://www.awm.gov.au/view/collection/item/C02199/

The Farina War memorial

Troops preparing to board trains outside Mitcham Camp, 1915.

Military Medal, G.V.R. (3958 Pte. G. H. Trew. 2Aust: Inf:); British War Medal 1914-20 (3958 Pte. G. H. Trew. 2Bn. A.I.F.) ‘3’ officially corrected; War Medal 1939-45 (N65913 G. H. Trew); Australia Service Medal (N65913 G. H. Trew), Second War Medals officially impressed, mounted for display

Group portrait of instructors and pupils of the 1st flying training course in front of a B.E.2a aircraft in a hangar. Back row: R Williams; T W White. Front row: George Pinnock Merz of Ballarat, Vic; H A Petre; E Harrison; D T Manwell. WIlliams went on to become 'The Father of hte RAAF'. White served in the Middle East and was captured and imprisoned by the Turks for 2 1/2 years before an epic escape. Merz was the first Australian Military aviator killed in action, in Mesopotamia.

1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory medal with the oak leaf clasp denoting Mentioned in Despatches.

ALexander McBride Kerr's Funeral Medal set. flying helmet and Photo

The cover of Arthur Hoyle's biography of Highie Edwards featuring the STella Bown portrait.

Gilbert Pate's grave in Lezennes Communal Cemetery near Lille - "He fought and died a hero in the battle of the skies".

Part of a Lancaster Crew of No. 156 Squadron L-R 21442 Pilot Officer Robert Ernest INGLIS (rear gunner) KIA 2 Dec 43 411685 Flight Sergean John Neville EDMONDS (wireless operator) KIA 2 Dec 43 J22068 Flying Officer JV Scrivener RCAF subs bomb aimer subsequently PoW 31 Mar 44 409356 Warrant Officer Reginald Ronald WICKS (pilot) KIA 2 Dec 43 420351 Flight Sergeant Norman McDonald (navigator) PoW 2 Dec 43

PTE B.M. HARKIN, MEDICAL ORDERLY, 106 CASUALTY CLEARING STATION (1), DRESSING THE WOUND OF PTE A.J. BASSETT, 8 INFANTRY BATTALION (2).

A crashed Beaufort A9-467 lies in a field 15 miles west of Bundaberg, following a mid air collision with Beaufort A9-436. The aircraft were from No. 32 Squadron. Both crews, a total of eight men, died in the accident. This image is from the collection of 23650 Sergeant Clifford Vernon James Potter RAAF, who served as a photographer with 8 Service Flying Training School, Bundaberg, Queensland.

A Consolidated Catalina aircraft (right), with the serial number A24-100 and code number RK-L of 42 Squadron, RAAF, piloted by 401846 Pilot Officer (PO) (later Flying Officer (FO)) Clifford Dent Hull of Hawthorn, Vic. After completing a successful mine laying operation off Macassar (Celebes) Harbour on the night of 23 & 24 October 1944, the starboard engine of this aircraft was damaged by Japanese anti aircraft (AA) fire. Unable to maintain height on his return and with the second engine failing, PO Hull made a forced landing in the open sea south of the South Western Celebes Peninsula. He and his crew spent the next twelve hours on the water uncomfortably close to four Japanese airfields based in Southern Celebes, before a second Catalina (left), OX-U of 43 Squadron, RAAF, arrived to rescue PO Hull and his crew. A rubber dingy is visible transferring the downed crew to the rescue aircraft. A United States B24 Liberator bomber located the downed Catalina and guided the rescue Catalina in. The B24 continued to circle overhead providing protection. After the disabled Catalina had been sunk by machine gun fire, the rescue Catalina took off and returned safely to Darwin. This operation was one of the epic sea rescues of the Second World War, entailing a round trip of 1800 miles mainly through Japanese held territory. The rescue crew were: 415632 FO (later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt, DFC)), Armand Andre Etienne (Captain), of West Perth, WA; 408409 FO (later Flt Lt), Ian McCallister Robson of Sandy Bay, Tas; 428809 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) (later Warrant Officer (WO)), John Joseph Sweeney (Navigator), of Newcastle, NSW, (visible standing on the wing of the rescue aircraft); 428832 Flt Sgt (later WO), Raymond Victor Tumeth of Haberfield, NSW; 428360 Flt Sgt (later WO), Derek Fanshawe Robertson of Camberwell, Vic; 12912 Sergeant (Sgt) (later PO), Robert Richard Tingman of Brighton, Vic; 12223 Sgt (later Flt Sgt), Albert Leslie Warton of Sydney, NSW; A2398 Sgt, Thomas Roy Elphick of Bondi, NSW; 33642 Corporal, James Francis Burgess Oliver of Glen Innes of NSW.

Ground crew arming a 42 Squadron 'Cat' with mines, PBY-5A Catalina A24-101/RK-G at Lleyte June 1945. Note the USN Martin Mariner in the background.

Flying from Mareeba Qld 18 March 1944 CAC Boomerang of No. 5 Squadron RAAF in "Finger Four" formation

c. 1943. Studio portrait of 411768 Sergeant J. S. Freeth who flew with 455 Squadron. He was credited with sinking a submarine with depth charges in April 1943. He was killed in a flying accident on 24 May 1943. This hand coloured photograph is set in a gold brooch (REL25225) that is inscribed on the back with "To dear John Freeth's mother with regard from his friends at Angus and Coote 1944". Mrs Freeth had refused to give up hope that her son had survived, and it was hoped that by giving her this brooch that she would come to accept his death. (Donor D. Freeth).

PBY Catalinas on the hardstanding at No. 1 FBRD at Lake Boga in Victoria

Back row L-R Malcolm McGhie 10Rft/15th Bn later 4MGCoy and 47th Bn, Jack Judd 12Rft 15th Bn, then 47th Bn and 59th Bn, Gregory Gibson 12Rft 15th Bn then 47Bn, killed at Dernancourt 28/3/18 and buried at Doullens, John Watson 11Rft 15th Bn KIA Bullecourt 11/4/17. Middle Albert Morgan 10Rft 15th Bn, then 47th Bn and Australian Flying Corp, Ernest Corbett, later 46th Bn, Walter Fish, Edmund Hurd 11Rft later 47th Bn and 45th Bns. Front Lennard Wadsley 13Rft 15th Bn then 52nd Bn KIA 10/9/16 Mouquet Farm, Robert Luxton 13Rft KIA 11/4/17 Bullecourt.

6393 Sapper John Frederick BOARDMAN

Common Grave 294 - Lancaster ME -755 'AR-Z'

British War Medal WW1, Victory Medal, War Medal WW2, Australian Service Medal WW2

This is the ex-passenger liner, HMAT (A11) Ascanius which is the ship that William left on. He was probably on the ship when this photo was taken. People are throwing streamers that are connecting them to the ship.

British gunnes try to drag an 18 pounder gun out of the mud. This photo was taken in August 1917, before winter rains set in and made the task of deploying artillery almost impossible.

George Arthur Debnam, Phoebe Debnam and their son, George Parkman Debnam. This is a compsite image. George Parkman DOW Gallipoli September 1915, before his father enlisted, aged 50, in February 1917. He survived the War

39-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal (UK service), 39-45 British War Medal, 39-45 Australian War Medal

4501 BALLARD, PTE H.E.32nd and 50th Battalions