Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Six Snug Signallers" a group of 29th Battery signallers - Front row Bombadier Frank Ball and Allan McPherson

Ian Henry Denver (enlisted as I.H. Deramore-Denver), DFC

Ian Denver meets Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in 2012.

No. 625 Squadron, RAF based in Yorkshire. Flying Officer Ian Denver, DFC, RAAF, front row, fourth from left. He is wearing the distinctive darker blue uniform of the RAAF in WW2. Denver and his crew flew 16 missions before being transferred to No. 156 (Pathfinder) Squadron, where they flew a further 32 together.

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

Gunner George Edwin BAGGOTT

9708 Boothey Stanley Field RH#9

179 Sgt (later Lieutenant) William John Shaughnessy RH#14

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

Captain Graham Growden, 10th Battalion RSAR 1986, at the Dean Rifle Range, Osborne

The Vickers Armstrong QF 2 pounder Anti Tank Gun which equipped Australian Anti Tank / Tank Attack units. Although outclassed by the armoured protection of modern tanks such as the German Pzkw III and later so was hard pressed in the Middle East in WW2, it was more than adequate to deal with Japanese tanks encountered in the SW Pacific exemplified in the ambushes conducted in the Malaya campaign.

An Australian patrol in part of the anti-tank ditch. Compared to another photo purporting to be in an anti tank ditch, which is not much more than a shallow depression, this image gives avery graphic impression of the nature of the obstacle. The aim is to ground a tank in the bottom of the ditch at an angle that prevents self-recovery.

A dugout in the Tobruk area with ships ventilators or 'punkas' erected by the Australian Engineers in occupation

Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. Many forward posts like this are isolated during the daylight hours (Original caption). This photograph was reproduced in the unit history 'Purple and blue: the history of the 2/10th Battalion' published in 1958. The men were identified in the unit history as, front to rear: VX35964 Private (Pte) William John Goodgame', VX36671 Pte Gordon James Watkins and SX1412 Pte Charles George Stening'. All three were promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal during their service. Lance Corporals Goodgame and Watkins were killed in action at Buna, Papua, on 24 December 1942. This image gives a clear impression a clear impression of the exposed nature of their position and the cramped conditions under which they operated. Charlie Stenning was a well known identity in the 2nd/10th Battalion Association after the War, Bill Goodgame in the foreground is clearly not planning to withdraw; he has no boots on! He is armed with a Thompson sub machine gun.

Major Graham Growden

NX207799 Private John Ernest PARRY

Livingstone, NT. 20 January 1943. Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) R. (Dick) Cresswell, Commanding Officer of No. 77 Squadron RAAF, standing beside his Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft, serial no. A29-113, on which are painted as `nose art' the US, Australian, and RAAF flags. In this aircraft Sqn Ldr Cresswell shot down a Japanese Mitisubishi G4M medium bomber aircraft, code-name Betty, on 23 November 1942.

FSgt George Hale, 77 Squadron, and his aircraft "Halestorm", one of very few Meteor pilots to get the better of the Mig 15s over Korea. The effect of the muzzle blast from the two 20mm cannon mounted either side of the nose is clearly evident.

S/N 1 Lt Edward Addy pth Australian Infantry Battalion is remembered on the Catfield War Memorial, the village of his birth.

S/N 1 LT Edward Addy, 9th Australian Infantry Battalion Pieta Cemetery Malta

Manly War Memorial being unveiled in 1916. Courtesy Manly Library.

Pte V. Armstrong

Vincent Armstrong's grave at West Terrace AIF Cemetery

Ronald (Ron) Henry Parsloe 24 Squadron Gunner/Navigator

The front cover of Alex Kerr's wartime experience as a bomber pilot member of the 'Catepillar Club' and PoW

Group portrait of RAAF members of No 1 Course, Empire Air Training Scheme in Ottawa, Canada. Of 38 trainees, 17 were KIA (of those 9 in 1941 alone) and a further 8 were PoW, a graphic illustration of the harrowing odds for bomber crews. These were the first Australian trainee pilots sent on the scheme. After each trainee's name is noted his rank, awards and fate, obviously at a date subsequent to this photograph. Identified are: 407071 Richard Lyndon Barrett (Sergeant, killed 30 June 1941 on operations over Germany); 407072 John Miller Bishop (Flying Officer); 400024 Thomas Raymond Breheny (Flying Officer); 408000 George Maxwell Briggs (Pilot Officer, killed 10 May 1942 on operations over Malta); 400025 Robert Balmain Campbell (Flying Officer, killed 23 July 1941 on operations over the North Sea); 406004 Selwyn McKenzie Clark (Flight Lieutenant, DFC); 407041 Montague Charles Carrington Cotton (Squadron Leader, DFC); 400051 Ronald Gustave Damman (Sergeant, Prisoner of War (POW)); 407018 Robert Lindsay Davies (Pilot Officer); 402000 Frederick Agnew Vance Drummond (Sergeant, died 8 May 1941 in an accident in Scotland); 400054 Patrick Field (Sergeant, killed on operations over the Middle East); 402002 Clive Mayor Hall (Flight Lieutenant, POW); 408012 Philip Francis Grant Harbottle (Flying Officer, died 12 July 1942 in an accident in Queensland); 406027 Kenneth Marshall Hicks (Pilot Officer, killed 17 August 1941 on operations over France); 406012 Alexander McBride Kerr (Sergeant, POW); 407077 John Kinnane (Flying Officer killed 1 July 1941 on operations over Denmark, Mentioned in Despatches); 402048 George Lloyd (Flight Sergeant); 408001 Michael Mayne Maxwell (Flying Officer); 402004 Joseph Michael McCullough (Sergeant, killed 18 August 1941 on operations over the Middle East); 400044 John Philip McKechnie (Flight Lieutenant, POW, DFC); 404007 Eric William McLeod (Pilot Officer, died 25 March 1941 in an accident off Scotland); 402005 Allan Frank McSweyn (Flight Lieutenant, POW, MC); 407078 Ian Arthur Lace Milne (Sergeant, POW); 400045 David Knaggs Oak-Rhind (Pilot Officer, killed 21 May 1941 on operations over the English Channel); 400030 Eugene Hugh O'Neill (Squadron Leader, DSC, DFC); 400029 Laurance David Orbuck (Sergeant, killed 10 April 1942 on operations over Germany); 407079 William Ronald Phillips (Pilot Officer, killed 28 May 1941 on operations over United Kingdom); 402007 Alexander Cyffin Roberts (Flight Lieutenant, escaped POW, Mentioned in Despatches); 400031 Keith Edward Robinson (Flight Lieutenant, DFC, AFC, Polish Flying Badge); Ross (Sergeant, killed on operations over north west Europe); 407019 Maxwell Robert 402008 Arthur George Schwager (Flight Sergeant, killed on operations over the Middle East); 402041 Thomas William Scott (Flight Lieutenant); 407021 Frank Gemmel Sheppard (Flight Lieutenant); 400032 William John Shirtcliffe (Pilot Officer, died 25 February 1941 in an accident in United Kingdom); 402009 Eric Blair Tainton (Flight Lieutenant); 402011 Robert James Uhrig (Sergeant, died 10 April 1941 in an accident in United Kingdom); 400033 Ernest Valentine Walliker (Flight Lieutenant); 400048 Peter Frank Wilson (Flight Lieutenant); 407023 Francis Ainslie Wood (Flying Officer); 408003 Jack Steven Richards Woolnough (Flight Sergeant, died 17 January 1942 in an accident in United Kingdom).

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

A colourised version of a photograph taken in the same sequence as. It shows two key colour schemes applied to RAAF Hudsons immediately prior to and during the early stages of WW2. A16-3 is painted matt black underneath, the others a sky blue. A16-38 is painted foliage green on the upper surfaces, the other two have a disruptive pattern with dark earth applied.

A colourised version of AC0066, a photograph taken in the same sequence as AC0068, although the aircraft appear in different orde . It shows two key colour schemes applied to RAAF Hudsons immediately prior to and during the early stages of WW2. A16-3 is painted matt black underneath, the others a sky blue. A16-47 is painted foliage green on the upper surfaces, the other two have a disruptive pattern with dark earth applied. A16-38 farthest from the camera, later served with No. 32 Squadron and was heavily damaged in March 1942 by enemy action in New Guinea. After repair it was issued to 1 OTU but was lost in an accident due to structural failure.

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).

A flight of three Lockheed Hudson aircraft from No. 23 Squadron RAAF based at Amberley in 1941. Nearest camera is A16-3 flown by 22 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Phillip Walter Howson, OBE. In the centre is A16-38, flown by 251607 Flying Officer (FO) Edward Andrew Dorward, and at rear, A16-47, flown by 260518 FO Oscar George Diethelm. A16-38, was later issued to No. 32 Squadron. Flown by Wing Commander Deryck Kingwell, it was badly shot up in New Guinea on 31 March 1942. After repair it was issued to No. 1 Operational Training Unit (1 OTU), Bairnsdale, Vic, when it was flown during a press demonstration at Bairnsdale, on 27 October 1942 by Flt Lt Frank Tampion, lost its starboard mainplane and crashed and burned 'in shot' of Fox Movietone and Cinesound Newsreel cameraman Geoff Thompson. The film was impounded and used in the subsequent enquiry, which eliminated the rumour that undetected corrosion caused by an undetected Japanese bullet hole was responsible; the cause was determined to be a poorly repaired mainplane. In the interim, however, eighteen 1 OTU Hudsons were withdrawn during November 1942 for mainplane replacement. All four Lockheed Hudson photographs (AC0058, AC0066 AC0067 and AC0068) were taken by Flt Lt John Harrison from Wirraway A20-115, flown by Commanding Officer of 23 Squadron, regular officer 80 Squadron RAAF Leader Dixie Robison Chapman. Of note is the unusual, small RAAF serial applied to the tailplanes of A16-3. A16-3 was on strength with 1 OTU when the unit was called on at short notice to provide aircraft for the air supplying of allied troops at Buna. A group of twelve Hudsons was formed, known as 1 OTU Detached Flight, including A16-3, flown from Bairnsdale to Ward's Drome at Port Moresby, and began operations on 14 December 1942, flying over the Owen Stanley Mountain Range to drop supplies at Soputa and, later, landing at Dobodura. Flown by Flt Lt Neville Hemsworth, with Sergeant Bert Rodd and Flight Sergeants Robert Bamber and Henry Stephens as crew, A16-3, taking off from Dobodura with four wounded infantry aboard at 11.00 am on 26 December, was attacked by several Ki-43 Oscars from the 11th Sentai and chased south to Hariko. An incendiary bullet started a fire and Hemsworth ditched the Hudson into Oro Bay near Hariko, resulting in the drowning of the two stretcher bound wounded. A US Navy PT Boat picked up the survivors, but Stephens died of burns the next day, while Hemsworth was badly burned about the face and arms and Bamber wounded by gunfire. The ditching was witnessed and sketched by Official War Artist Roy Hodgkinson (who comments that the Hudson made 'a perfect belly landing on the sea') and appears in the Memorial's collection as ART21695. A16-47 was attached to the RAAF's Survey Flight in early 1944, then based at Lowood, Queensland. On 23 July 1945, A16-47, crewed by Flt Lt Lance Clarke, FO Thomas Steel and Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Frank Chiverton, and carrying as passengers the Flight's new Commander, Squadron Leader Nigel Pilcher plus unit members Corporal Bill Gaze and LAC Walter Nielson and Squadron Leader Cuthbert Griffin, departed for Bowen to visit the Flight's Anson detachment. They never arrived and despite a week long search, were never located.

LONDON, ENGLAND. 1944-02-01. 400297 SQUADRON LEADER E. C. SMITH DFC, HORSHAM, VIC (LEFT) AND 402071 FLIGHT LIEUTENANT F. B. GASCOIGNE DFC, EAST MALVERN, VIC, WHILE SERVING WITH NO. 461 (SUNDERLAND) SQUADRON RAAF, OUTSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE AFTER AN INVESTITURE. THEY HAVE FLOWN TOGETHER AS CAPTAIN AND NAVIGATOR RESPECTIVELY ON MANY OPERATIONS

36211 Gunner Ralph French, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade

Crews and Hampden aircraft of No 50 Squadron at Waddington after the raid on shipping off Bergen, 9 April 1940.

An Avro Lancaster Mk III of No. 50 Squadron late in the war - Squadron codes 'VN' clearly visible

Photographed during WW2 service

2015 photograph

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.

6393 Sapper John Frederick BOARDMAN

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

An informal squadron briefing at 24 Squadron - A72-80 in shot at rear of he group of men walking towards the camera.

PRIVATE: Albert Ernest WORRALL; 1906-42, at Age: 36yrs. Military: 2nd Australian Imperial Force - Australian Army - WWII - 2nd/29th Australian Infantry Battalion. Origin of Portrait: (AWM) Australian War Memorial; Accession No: P02784.025.

Flying Officer Vic Hodgkinson

HMAS Westralia (1) configured as an Armed Merchant Cruiser

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.

Amos Austin BALDWIN

WW1 (post Dec 15) and WW2 Home service - British War Medal, Victory Medal, British War Medal WW2, Australian Service Medal 39-45

The Fromelles Memorial Park was opened on the 4th July 1998. The centrepiece is a bronze statue depicting Sgt Simon Frazer, a 40 year old farmer from Victoria, of the 57th Battalion AIF. Whilst he was recovering wounded on the battlefield after the battle, Fraser heard a wounded man shout out “Don't forget me, cobber.” Fraser was later commissioned in the field as an officer. He was killed at Bullecourt the following year and has no known grave. His name is on the wall at Villers Brettoneaux.

Opening of the Villers Bretonneux Memorial and adjacent cemetery 1938. Two years later it was overrun by another invadng German Army