Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

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

AN RAF Catalina of No. 202 Squadron returns to Gibraltar after a patrol

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/

Captain Thomas SHERIDAN's grave at Pheasant Wood cemetery

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

WW2 pacific medal set - L-R; Pacific Star, British War Medal 1939-45, Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Memorial to Men of Railway Town

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

The battered hulk of the SMS Emden after it was beached on North Keeling Island

Crimerian Cannons

Informal portrait of 407016 Squadron Leader W. K. Bolitho DFC of Mannum, SA, pilot, of No. 11 (Catalina) Squadron RAAF.

The pilot (on the right) and Flight Engineer of a No. 149 Squadron Vickers Wellington bomber in 1941

"on the road to Jerusalem"

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.

Mericourt-L'Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension

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.

NX3689 Oliver Edward Ward known to his family as "Chubby" or "Uncle Chubb" - photo believed to have been taken in Egypt in 1941

A Matilda Tank several of which payed a crucial role at Slater's Knoll

Kensal Green Cemetery is a remarkable heritage site in which are interred a large range of notable personalities in modern English history.

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.

AE2 in Fittzroy Dock Cockatoo Island Sydney Harbour

Two unidentified gunners sitting beside a 4.5 inch howitzer Mark I in a gun pit of the 102nd Australian Howitzer Battery in northern France. Each man is holding a shell

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

These plaques are placed at the base of elm trees lining Prescott Terrace (N) and Alexandra Ave (W) 87 of them

Private Roy Absolom

1986 Simpson Trophy - Winning Team 10RSAR Team1. L-R Capt Graham"Growler" Growden, Sgt Wayne Birch and Capt Steve Larkins. Dean Range Port Adelaide

9.2 inch Howitzers of the 55th Siege Battery in action near Pozieres, late summer 1916

Arthur Harold Boettcher - Lancaster LM-372

1087 Private Thomas Carrican

George Mitchell shortly before the award of the Military Cross at Dernancourt

The best tunnelling conditions were in the great chalk seams running across northern France. Excavation generally had to be conducted with great care to conceal t he diggings and where in the proximity of enemy miners, to prevent detection by listening devices. Men of the 3rd Australian Company excavating a chamber in the chalk in the Hulluch subway system. The chalk was dug out with miners' picks and filled into bags. These bags were trucked along the gallery to suitable positions, hauled to the surface and emptied at night. In places where the chalk crumbled, the walls had to be revetted, as is seen on the left. Identified left to right: Captain R. J. Langton MC, Officer Commanding, No. 1 Section (holding bag); 1194 Sapper (Spr) D. C. Vecchia; 6772 Spr C. A. L. Robinson, all members of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company.

One of the ship’s assault landing craft, viewed from the aft gun platform of the landing ship infantry Westralia, as it swung aboard during the movement of the 2/24 Infantry Battalion troops, Morotai, 18 April 1945.

A picture of Geroge Harriot that appears to show his rank as Lieutenant and thus taken some time before April 1917 when he was promoted Captain.

A de Havilland Mosquito FB1 of No. 464 Squadron RAAF