A 384 page

An interesting 40 page book telling the story in poetry of the 2/2nd Australian Independent Company from training in Australian to active service in Timor. Soft Cover without Dust Jacket – 40 pagesww2, commando, east timor, 2/2/nd independent company

Brian Walpole, the author, was a Australian Commando and special operations operative behind enemy lines in New Guinea and Borneo during WW2. Brian was a commando with the Australian 2/3 Independent Company. He went to New Guinea in January 1943 and remained until the fall of the Japanese base at Salamaua in September. He fought on the Bobdubi Ridge. His commanding officer was the well-regarded George Warfe, whose portrait was sketched by war artist Ivor Hele. Brian blazed a trail through the New Guinea jungle which appears on some maps as Walpole’s Track, discovering and naming the ambush site Goodview Junction. Soon afterwards (July 1943) Goodview Junction was the scene of a key campaign victory which contributed to George Warfe being awarded the Military Cross.Brian’s Special Operations training mostly took place at Careening Bay (Western Australia) and Fraser Island (Queensland). He arrived in Borneo at the time of the 9th Division’s landing at Labuan Island, and took part in two SRD operations – Colt and Semut 3. After the surrender, Walpole's work continued as many of the Japanese did not recognise the surrender and continued to fight on. Brian relates how on the 14th of September 1945 while still an operative in SRD he was able to save POWs from certain death and after a firefight arrested 10 Japanese soldiers at Simanggang Borneo. He was alone and had been assisted in the battle by 20 headhunters from the jungles along the Rejang River. One of the people saved was a young nurse in her 20s, Lena Ricketts. ww2, australian special operations, australian commando, new guinea, borneo, world war ii

Francis John Papworth - VX66806 - Studio photograph - portrait style. Shot in March 1943 while on leave after escape from TimorThis photograph displays historic significance from WW2 and Curly Papworth's service in the 2nd/2nd Independent Company. It has strong provenance as part of the Papworth Family donated collectionSepia Studio photographww2, world war two, 2nd/2nd commando, commando, francis john papworth

Francis John Papworth - VX66806 - Studio photograph - portrait style. Shot in March 1943 while on leave after escape from TimorThis photograph displays historic significance from WW2 and Curly Papworth's service in the 2nd/2nd Independent Company. It has strong provenance as part of the Papworth Family donated collectionSepia Studio photographww2, world war two, 2nd/2nd commando, commando, francis john papworth

Francis John Papworth - VX66806 - Studio photograph - portrait style. Shot in March 1943 while on leave after escape from TimorThis photograph displays historic significance from WW2 and Curly Papworth's service in the 2nd/2nd Independent Company. It has strong provenance as part of the Papworth Family donated collectionFrancis John Papworth VX66806 - Studio photographOn leave - 1943ww2, world war two, 2nd/2nd commando, commando, francis john papworth

Drawing done on location by Francis John " Curly" Papworth in Timor on the second day of his deployment with 2/2 Independent Company.This work of soldiers is significant as a work produced by a serving soldier on location during WWII and is a unique example of an artistic work showing the men and their surroundings at the time. Pencil drawing on white paper in landscape Diary entry of the second day on Timor with drawing of cooking with local huts in backgroundww2, world war 2, independent company, 2/2 commando squadron, francis john papworth, timor, 2/2 independent company.

Francis John Papworth - VX66806 - Studio photograph - portrait style. Shot in March 1943 while on leave after escape from TimorThis photograph displays historic significance from WW2 and Curly Papworth's service in the 2nd/2nd Independent Company. It has strong provenance as part of the Papworth Family donated collectionSepia Studio photographww2, world war two, 2nd/2nd commando, commando, francis john papworth

Awarded to William Donald Alsop - 2/10 Commando Squadron during WW2These medals has historic significance as it was issued to William Alsop a Commando in 2/10 Commando Squadron for his service during World War II and has strong provenance as it was donated with a Deed of Gift.The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy. The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Pacific Star’ and War Medal 1939-45.SX33860 William Alsopww2, world war 2, australian commando, independent company

Set of 4 sepia studio photographed portraits of Francis John Papworth VX66806 Shot in March 1943 while on leave after escape from Timor Items 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 & 4.4 referThese photographs display historic significance from WW2 and Curly Papworth's service in the 2nd/2nd Independent Company. It has strong provenance as part of the Papworth Family donated collectionSeries of sepia studio portraits of 'Curly' Papworth - Francis John Papworth VX66806ww2, world war two, 2nd/2nd commando, commando, francis john papworth

Medals issued to Norman Ernest Baxter VX63211. A reinforcement to 2nd Independent Company. ww2, independent company, australian commando, timor, australian special forces, australian special operations, world war ii

Colour patch and sweetheart badge mounted on foam core board.

The print depicts the evolution from WW2 Commandos to present-day post-WW2 Commandos, to 2005. The print celebrates the formation of the post-WW2 Commandos and their 50th anniversary in 2005.Framed print, showing WW2 and post-WW2 Commandos and the original post-WW2 'Strike Swiftly' beret badge. Limited edition print 12/100.2 commando company- 1st commando regiment- golden jubilee- 50th anniversary- commemorative print- post-ww2 commandos

The WW2 Commando memorial cairn was unveiled at Tidal River on 15 November 1964 by the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring. Former WW2 Commandos march under their Association banner to the cairn for the dedication ceremony.This was the first dedication of a significant WW2 Commando memorial. The Victorian Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring, unveiled the Commemorative Cairn that has become the de facto national Commando memorial.Rectangular colour glossy print photograph of former WW2 Commandos marching at Tidal River.From Don Bergmanww2, world war ii, australian commandos, independent companies, australian commando association, tidal river, wilsons promontory national park

The pamphlet gives the order of proceedings for a service held on 17 February 2010, at the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 'Rip incident' involving 75 Commandos with three deaths and a number of injuries.The service was a mark of respect to the lost men and their families; it was a tragic, but significant, event in the history of the relatively new Commando unit, remembered by former serving members.A4 sheet folded to four page A5 pamphlet, pastel paper, showing logo of 1st Commando Regiment Association (Victoria).Shrine of Remembrance Melbourne logo on back cover.shrine of remembrance-melbourne-50th anniversary-rip incident- commando tragedy-2 commando company-queenscliff

The booklet is a reprint of Brigadier WH 'Mac' Grant's history of WW2 Special Forces, written originally in 1995, and was presented to attendees at the 45th anniversary celebrationsThe reprint marked the 45th anniversary of 2 Commando Company, the first (along with 1 Commando Company) post-WW2 SF unit, and explained the origins of its WW2 predecessors. brigadier wh mac grant- history of ww2 special forces-2 commando company-1 commando company-post ww2 sf units

non-fiction Dick Horton, as a Lieutenant RNVR. was a member of the Special Forces with which this book is concerned and was awarded the DSC and the American Silver Star for his services. He writes from first-hand knowledge and pays fitting tribute to his brothers-in-arms. He describes the magnificent series of operations of the Independent Companies against the crack 5th and 48th Divisions of the Japanese Army on Timor and the achievements of HMAS KRAIT a converted Japanese fishing boat. He goes on to describe the revolt of the population in Borneo which was engineered by a handful of men. mostly Australians from Z Special Unit, and which materially assisted the Allied Forces when they invaded and re-took it. Apart from its unquestionable value to students of military history, "Ring of Fire" is an exciting account of a variety of imaginative

gray plasticnon-fictionThe history of the New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company. This reprinted version contains a map of the dispositions of Spotting Stations August 1943, additional MID awards listed and some additions to the nominal roll. The New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company was formed in Port Moresby in late January 1942 and was granted “Separate Independent Establishment” status in October 1943. The company’s “founding father” was Major Don Small, who had witnessed Japanese air raids on Rabaul and realised that having lacked an effective early-warning system around New Britain meant that the defenders were taken by surprise. At the time, gaps had also appeared in the coast-watching communications network because the territory administration ordered the withdrawal of civilian wireless operators when Japan entered the war. The first influx of men into the company consisted largely of volunteers from the 39th Infantry Battalion, which was stationed at Port Moresby. Initial training was rudimentary, hasty, and was sometimes even carried out on en route to a new station. The first party of company personnel, or “spotters”, left Port Moresby as early as 1 February 1942, bound for the strategically important Samarai area, at the tip of Papua. In the first month of the company’s existence 16 spotter stations were established on the coast of Papua and in the mountains around Port Moresby. At the end of 1942 there were 61 operational stations being run by 180 men. The company’s high-water mark was in late 1944, by which time over 150 stations had been set up in Papua and New Guinea behind enemy lines. On 3 February 1942 the company issued its first air warning in Papua, when spotters at Tufi saw Japanese aircraft about to attack Port Moresby for the first time. The following month the company was responsible for the first Japanese killed in action in Papua by Australian ground forces, when spotters from Gona engaged the crew of a downed Japanese bomber. And in July 1942 the station at Buna signalled Port Moresby with news of the Japanese landings in Papua, marking the beginning of the Kokoda campaign. The dangers involved in the company’s work had also been made clear by this time. In July 1942 a party of spotters attempting to set up a station at Misima Island, off Milne Bay, was intercepted by a Japanese destroyer, resulting in the company’s first operational losses. Anticipating the direction of the campaign as a whole, the company’s focus moved north and north-west over the three years of its existence. In May 1942 a network was set up in the Wau area in association with the activities of Kanga Force. As part of the Wau network, spotter Ross Kirkwood audaciously constructed an observation post overlooking the Japanese airstrip at Salamaua. Kirkwood’s position was photographed by Damian Parer on the understanding that the pictures would not be published. They nevertheless appeared in a Sydney newspaper. The day after the publication of the photographs the observation post was attacked by the Japanese and Kirkwood was lucky to escape. In June 1944 the company’s headquarters were moved to Nadzab. By that time, spotter stations existed behind Japanese lines, as far north as Hollandia, and the company began to train Americans to perform similar work in the Philippines. In early 1945 the company moved to Balcombe, Victoria, where its members were posted to other units of the Australian Corps of Signals.world war ii, special operations, new guinea, new guinea air warning wireless company

Hard Cover without Dust Jacket – 242 pagesnon-fiction

non-fictionThe detailed history of the No.8 Independent Commando Company during World War II. Plastic protective cover over the book. The 2/8th Independent Company was formed at Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, in July 1942 and travelled to Yandina, in Queensland, in September. While the other seven independent companies saw action in the islands off Australian and in New Guinea, the 2/8th spent most of the next two years based at Adelaide River, in the Northern Territory. While it was in the Territory, the independent companies underwent a series of reorganisations and the name of the 2/8th was changed from the 2/8th Independent Company to the 2/8th Cavalry (Commando) Squadron. This name was later simplified to just commando squadron. In July 1944, after years of waiting, the squadron left the Territory and sailed from Townsville to Lae, via Milne Bay. While at Lae, the squadron received an intake of 70 men from the 2/8th from the 2/3rd, 2/5th and 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Squadrons, many of whom were veterans of the earlier New Guinea campaigns. Their experience was no doubt a useful reserve that would have been called upon during the 2/8th’s subsequent campaign in Bougainville. Others though, were able to implement some of their commando training when a small group from the 2/8th they made a secret landing on New Britain. Towards the end of the 1944 the 5th Division was preparing to make a landing at Jacquinot Bay in New Britain. Part of these preparations included landing a small group of officers from the division at Jacquinot Bay to make a secret reconnaissance of the potential landing site. As Jacquinot Bay was still in Japanese controlled territory, ‘C’ Troop from the 2/8th provided the protection for the reconnaissance party by establishing a position on the beach and by patrolling the surrounding country. Everything went well and the 5th Division later landed at Jacquinot Bay in November. The squadron too was on the move, and in October it sailed to Torokina, the main Australian base on Bougainville, where it joined the II Australian Corps. The campaign on Bougainville was dived into three areas, the Central, Northern and Southern Sectors. The 2/8th served in the latter two areas. The 2/8th made the first move of the Australian campaign in the Northern Sector, by patrolling from Torokina to Kuraio Mission and Amun once a week. The squadron did this from the second week of November unit the second week of December. The 2/8th was then transferred to the Southern Sector. The main battle for Bougainville was fought in the Southern Sector, as the 3rd Division advanced towards Buin – the main Japanese base on the island. As the division’s infantry brigades advanced along the coast, the 2/8th’s task was to protect their flank by conducting forward reconnaissance patrols, harassing the Japanese with raids and ambushes and conducting a form of guerrilla warfare. The squadron had a long campaign. For nine months, from the end of December until August 1945, the troopers were in action the whole time. After securing the Jaba River, they moved inland, first to Sovele Mission, then the villages of Opai, Nihero and Morokaimoro. They had reached Kilipaijino by the end of the war. Each village taken became a patrol base. Patrols were usually limited to two sections, although up to six sections could be operating at a time. Patrols generally lasted four to six days, but nine-day patrols were not unknown. The squadron collected and collated track information, terrain reports and located the enemy. Once patrols had gathered information, they were free to make a ‘strike’ against the Japanese by setting an ambush or taking a prisoner. These raids were very effective, as they forced the Japanese to deploy troops to their rear areas, removing men from the front created by the infantry. Following Japan’s surrender and the end of the war, the ranks of the squadron thinned quickly as men were discharged or were transferred to other units. For those who were left, the squadron returned to Australia at the end of December. In mid January 1946, at Liverpool, the 2/8th Commando Squadron was disbanded.

non-fiction