The Bofors gun (which fired this round) was designed in the 1930s by AB Bofors, a Swedish arms manufacturer. It proved to be one of the most successful light anti-aircraft guns used during World War II. Apart from being used by most of the Allied forces, captured guns were used by the Germans and Japanese. The Bofors had a rate of fire between 80 - 100 rounds per minute when hand-loaded via 4-round clips. Effective maximum range was approx. 3,800m. On land, the guns were mounted singly on numerous types of chassis whilst Naval guns were either single or dual mountings. A few countries still use the Bofors Gun to this day.Brass case with iron/steel projectile

3rd Australian Machine Gun Squadron, camped at Mazar, Joe at left, after 28 hour ride.Digital copy of black and white photograph"Camped at Mazar, Joe on left hand side, previously we had been 28 hours in the saddle"charles marshall, world war 1

The photo shows two men holding guns, standing on a rocky peak looking out over a valley. two dogs are standing near the men and a boy is sitting on a rock in the foreground."GrampianScene " (sic) hand written on top of mount board. "Schroder " inscribed on upper, left of mount board.scenery, grampians ranges, recreation, hunting

The photo shows two men, a boy and a dog on top of a rocky area. One man is seated and is holding a gun."Scene in the Grampians" hand written on top of mount board. "Schroder" inscribed in purple on upper, left of mount board. "Photo, Murtoa"(?) inscribed in purple on lower left of mount board.scenery, grampians ranges, recreation, hunting

Sepia photograph of Joyce McMahon and 'Tiny' Carroll at the War Memorial Tower, Kangaroo Ground c.1934. The guns were installed in 1934 and removed in 1942. Taken in the early 1930s, the photograph ... shows the Kangaroo Ground Tower of Remembance with Joyce McMahon, daughter-in-law of Mr. P. J.McMahon, the then Shire of Eltham Secretary, her horse and a very tall person patting the horse. He is ex-serviceman W. "Tiny" Caroll who was the council's caretaker of the surrounding War Memorial Park. He lived in the stone cottage which still stands in the park. "Tiny" is seen as the fictional character "Tiny Bourke" who, in author Alan Marshall's book "This is the Grass", "was a giant of a man, well over six feet high, with huge hands that completely encircled the cup of tea". The bronze casting, which shows the 79 names of those who paid the "supremen sacrifice" in World War 1 (1914-1918), was erecfed above the entrance to the Tower in September, 1930. The Monterey cypress trees which now form the windbreak around the park's fenceline, were just knee high in this photograph. They were planted in August 1926, with all the plantings paid for, and done, by the public as the Tower was being erected. The two field guns have been identified as of German origin, Krupp 77 mm calibre captured on October 4, 1918 at Geneve, France. They were removed in 1943/44 as a wartime requirement of the Australian Govenment. A public notice dated October 16, 1926 by Cr. H Rutter, Chairman of the Eltham Soldiers War Memorial League stated: "On the summit of that central and conspicuous landmark, Garden Hill, there is being erected a massive memorial tower which will, for all time, remind every passerby of the part played by the men of the Shire of Eltham in the Great War. The work has been undertaken by the people of the Shire a a tribute of love and admiration for those who were known and dear to use in the days of their youth and early manhood, who went out from amongst us, never to return, and whose self-sacrifice has made us, each and all, thier ever-lasting debtors" Harry Gilham, Eltham District Historical Society Kangaroo Ground Tower of Remembrance, A Journey in Time: a column about Nillumbik's history, Nillumbik Mail, 9th August, 2000 Since that research the following has been sourced from Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate, April 8, 1921, p. 3 Retrieved April 25, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57639687 Eltham Shire Council From Town Clerk, Melbourne, stating that a light machine-gun captured by the 22nd battalion, A.I.F. at La Motte Farm, near Beaurvoir, on Oct. 3rd, 1918, during the operations which won the Beauvoir line and completed the smashing of the great Hindenburg defence-system, has been alloted to the Shire of Eltham. - On the motion of Crs Hubbard and Smedley, it was decided to have the gun placed in the Memorial Park. Sepia Photographgarden hill, gun, joyce mcmahon, kangaroo ground, memorial tower, shire of eltham war memorial tower, tiny carroll, war memorials, war trophy, william carroll

Photograph measures 4.5 x 6.5 cmsHand-printed annotation on reverse side reads: "A party of sailors from the Cruiser Canopus broke the Dest. Louis in halves with a charge of gun cotton. The after part sank and the for'ard portion (see here) was towed into deep water and sunk also."snape collection

Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick had a questionable character even before being posted to Greta Police Station in 1878. He made an attempt to arrest Dan Kelly but did not follow correct procedure. He went by himself and had also been drinking beforehand. While Fitzpatrick stated that he was assaulted and suffered a minor gun show wound at the hands of "Ned" Kelly and other family members, his claims were disputed by them. The Kellys "went bush" after this incident and two police parties - one led by Michael Kennedy - were sent in pursuit of them.Sepia toned photograph on cardboard showing Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick holding a riding crop with left elbow resting on a pillar."J.E. Bray, Photo Beecworth" (underneath photograph). "Portrait & Landscape Photographer J.E. Bray Beecworth, Victoria. Negatives kept, copies 1/. each, may be had by forwarding name and address accompanied with remittance to the amount of the order. Photographs coloured in water colours" (on reverse of carte de visite)alexander fitzpatrick, edward kelly, ned kelly, kelly gang, arrest, greta police station, 1878, bushrangers, carte de visite, bray, beechworth

These whale harpoons belonged to Arthur Ashby. The longer one was his personal hand-forged harpoon. Arthur Ashby was a harpoonist written about in the book, "Killers of Eden". They were handed down to his son, Norman Ashby who gave them to the donor's father for safe-keeping as he did not have a permanent residence. Two harpoons. .1 is a hand held iron harpoon. It is very long with an open neck at one end and a large blade at the other. .2 is smaller and was used in harpoon guns. It is made of brass with a pointed end.whaling harpoons ashby-arthur maritime-technology

The ship HMAS Cerberus was Built at Jarrow, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1870, specifically for the colony of Victoria (Australia) and originally named HMVS Cerberus. It had a displacement of 3480 tons and could travel at the speed of 10 knots. The ship carried 4x 10 inch M.L.R. guns. The ship was renamed HMAS Cerberus in 1911 when the navy became the Royal Australian Navy. The photograph was mounted by members of HMAS Cerberus at Crib Point, Western Port Bay, Victoria in 1986. It was presented to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the HMAS Cerberus Museum in 1986 to commemorate the ship's 75 years of service for the Royal Australian Navy. The photograph is significant for its connection with the colony of Victoria before Federation. It is also significant for its connection with the Royal Australian Navy and its service and training of Australian defence forces. Photograph behind glass, in timber frame. Black and white photograph of vessel HMAS Cerberus anchored , with city in the background. Frame is painted white. Photograph was taken to commemorate 75 years of the ship's service in the Royal Australian Navy. It was framed and presented to Flagstaff Hill by the HMAS Cerberus Museum on 19 March 1986. Details are hand written below the photograph.Original script writing in centre "H.M.A.S. Cerberus. 4-10 M.L.R. Guns / Built at Jarrow 1870 / Displ 3480 tons. Speed 10 knots. More recent text "75 years / 1986" "Presented by / HMAS Cerberus / Museum/ 19 March 1986"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, hmas cerberus, 75 year commemoration, 1876, 1911, royal australian navy, navy training base, point crib, ran, cerberus, commemorative photograph, western port bay, hmvs cerberus

A hand lance with a long iron shaft and a small oval or leaf-shaped tip was also known as a killing iron. It was designed to dispatch a whale quickly and efficiently, once the mammal came to the water surface for the last time. The hand lance was stabbed repeatedly into a whale’s thick neck arteries. The sharp leaf-shaped tip allowed easy removal for another thrust. Cutting these arteries prevented the whale from deep dives and hastened its bleeding to death. Normally, multiple hand lances were carried aboard a whaleboat, so that if one was lost it could be easily replaced without returning to the mother ship for a spare one. By the late 19th century, guns had replaced most hand-thrown harpoons and lances. They were more efficient, more accurate, and safer, for a whaler could shoot a dart at a greater distance from the dangerous whale than a harpoon could be thrown.An item that gives an insight into 19th century whaling practices that were carried out all along the southern coasts of Australia.Hand Lance or Killing Iron Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whaling equipment, whaling, killing lance, whaling lance, harpoon

1916 William Henry Thomas of Keys Road , South Brighton (now Moorabbin ) in WW 1 1914 -1918 1st AIF uniform. William was born in 1894 , Christened at the Wesleyan Church. (Methodist), Wickham Road, South Brighton and attended Moorabbin State School. . Private Thomas was a market gardener in Moorabbin prior to his enlistment in the Australian Imperial Force on 19 July 1915. Both his parents wrote separate letters giving their consent for their son to serve overseas due to " the pressing request of my son William Henry, also the urgent need of recruits do give my consent that he shall go to the front." September 29th 1915 he left Australia with the 5th Reinforcements of the 24th Battalion for Egypt. March 1916 he was hospitalised with Mumps and shortly after left Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force for France where he transferred to the 6th Australian Machine Gun Company.. Whilst on leave in England he received medical attention before returning to France and 13 November 1918 he spent a week in the care of the 7rh Field Ambulance suffering with influenza . Private Thomas returned to Australia on the hospital transport Castalia 13 April 1919 and his enlistment was terminated 26 September 1919Private William Henry Thomas and his family are examples of the patriotism exhibited by the market gardeners, and indeed throughout Australia, during the World War 1 1914-1918. Photograph is black and white. William Henry Thomas is standing straight and tall in the centre of the photograph, looking directly at the photographer while holding a weapon in his right hand. He is in his military uniform (WW1) .Front of Mount : Ainor Studio Auburn Back of Mount : William Henry Thomas / 1st World War 1916 / Keys Rd., Moorabbin / Born 1894 / Christened at Wesleyan ( Methodist ) Church / Wickham Rd., / South Brighton / now Uniting Church unsigned undatedwilliam henry thomas, 1916, 1894, first ww, world war one, uniform, wickham road, south brighton, moorabbin, world war 1 1914- 1918, thomas street,early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, australian infantry force, soldiers, key's cup, victorian war memorials, cheltenham, mckinnon,, keys road moorabbin, ss castalia, british expeditionary force ww1 1914- 1918, 24th battalion 1st aif, 6th australian machine gun company 1st aif, influenza epidemic 1919, alexandria egypt, methodist church,

The rocket line faking box with lid has a frame inside with a specifically designed perimeter of faking pegs. The rocket shot line has been faked, or skilful wound, around these pegs to prevent it from tangling. The line is stored in the box, ready for attaching to the line throwing rocket. Some line faking boxes have a false base that is removed before firing the line-throwing pistol, leaving the line to feed out from the box when the rocket is fired. After the line is attached to the rocket the box tilted slightly and faced towards the wreck to allow it to be freely dispatched. The equipment often includes more that one faking box to make allowance for possible errors, broken lines or the need for a heavier line. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it. In 1858 the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for lifeboat stations in Victoria, and in 1864 a rocket house was built to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy and traveller block rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. The British Board of Trade published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A tally board was then sent out to the ship with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line, then secure the attached whip block to the mast or other sturdy part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser was then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. This rocket line faking box is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Rocket line faking box with loose fitting lid, painted blue on the outside. Rectangular box has two rope handles within wooden rope holders fixed onto each long side and one at each end. The box has a hook and ring at the base each end for releasing the top from the inserted faking frame. The line faking frame is inside the box. It has seventeen wooden pegs along each long side of the frame and three pegs along each short side. A continuous length of rocket line has been faked around the pegs in a specific pattern.flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, petticoat breeches, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket shed, lifeboat men, rocket equipment, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, beach rescue set, traveller, hawser, faking, faking box, faked line, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, shore to ship, italian hemp, line-throwing pistol, line throwing cartridge, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, tally board, light line, whip line, endless whip, petticoat buoy, traveller chair, traveller block, her majesty’s coast guard, harbour board, line thrower, line throwing, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, hawser cutter, life jacket, faking board, welsh hand barrow, rocket set, rocket line faking box, faking frame

The rocket line faking box has a frame inside with a specifically designed perimeter of faking pegs. The rocket shot line has been faked, or skilful wound, around these pegs to prevent it from tangling. The line is stored in the box, ready for attaching to the line throwing rocket. Some line faking boxes have a false base that is removed before firing the line-throwing pistol, leaving the line to feed out from the box when the rocket is fired. After the line is attached to the rocket the box tilted slightly and faced towards the wreck to allow it to be freely dispatched. The equipment often includes more that one faking box to make allowance for possible errors, broken lines or the need for a heavier line. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it. In 1858 the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for lifeboat stations in Victoria, and in 1864 a rocket house was built to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy and traveller block rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. The British Board of Trade published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A tally board was then sent out to the ship with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line, then secure the attached whip block to the mast or other sturdy part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser was then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. This rocket line faking box is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Rocket line faking box with loose fitting lid, painted black on the outside. Rectangular box has two rope handles within wooden rope holders fixed onto each long side and one at each end. The box has a hook and ring at the base each end for releasing the top from the inserted faking frame. The line faking frame is inside the box. It has seventeen wooden pegs along each long side of the frame and three pegs along each short side. A continuous length of rocket line has been faked around the pegs in a specific pattern.flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, petticoat breeches, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket shed, lifeboat men, rocket equipment, rocket machine, rocket head, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, line-firing pistol, line throwing gun, beach rescue set, traveller, hawser, faking, faking box, faked line, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, lifeboat warrnambool, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, shore to ship, italian hemp, line-throwing pistol, line throwing cartridge, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, tally board, light line, whip line, endless whip, petticoat buoy, traveller chair, traveller block, her majesty’s coast guard, harbour board, line thrower, line throwing, beach cart, hand barrow, sand anchor, hawser cutter, life jacket, faking board, welsh hand barrow, rocket set, rocket line faking box, faking frame

This notebook (author undetermined), records much information concerning maritime and naval activities and history. A notebook, black cover with red canvas spine, originally with blank pages. There is a white sticker on the outside cover with the writing 'Sailing Ships in larger writing, and ''Dictionary & Info' in smaller writing underneath. On the outside back cover is a small white sticker with the number 59 on it. The notebook contains writing in a small and very neat hand with the following headings: General Index Glossary - Sailing Ship Terms Flags - for Naval Vessels Glossary - Ship Terms Watches (aboard ship) Wind Scale -Beaufort Ship Model Societies Rigging Info Books Guns Modelling Info Modelling Tools Working Model Sailing Ships Sails Historical Info Rates in Naval Bases R.N. Naval Bases (UK etc.)There is a white sticker on the outside cover with the writing 'Sailing Ships in larger writing, and ''Dictionary & Info' in smaller writing underneath. On the outside back cover is a small white sticker with the number 59 on it.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, royal navy, naval terms, ship modelling, wind scales, notebook, sailing ships, dictionary

Eighteen photocopy photographic images of Princess Theatre exterior and interior. 1. Royal Princess Bendigo main auditorium, 2. Royal Princess Bendigo Auditorium dome and chandelier, 3. Royal Princess Bendigo main auditorium views from upstairs circle, 4. Royal Princess Bendigo. Downstairs front stalls, 5. Royal Princess Bendigo View Street closed Saturday 4th May 1963 last Movie 'Guns of Navarone' became amaco service station designers Cowper and Murphy State Library of Victoria, 6. Royal Princess Bendigo Downstairs foyer, 7. Princess main entrance, 8. Princess circle entrance, 9. Princess Theatre was built behind the Albion Chambers, 10. Royal Princess Bendigo 1875 2000 seats 1800seats later, 11. Royal Princess front stalls and stage, 12.. Advertisement Bendigo Advertiser Tuesday December 22 1908 top right hand corner, 13. Advertisement Bendigo Advertiser Thursday march 10 1910, 14 Advertisement Bendigo Advertiser Tuesday July 26 1910, 15 Advertisement Bendigo Advertiser Thursday July 28 1910.bendigo, buildings, princess theatre

A cream coloured manual with black writing. There are three punch holes down the left hand side of the manual. There is a heading "Department of the Army Technical Manual at the top of the manual. the manual is stored in a plastic folder.military weapons, submachine guns

A blie coloured cover with the number 13 written on a white label and stuck on the top left hand side. There are two punch holes down the left hand side. The is a hand written number 3 on the bottom right had side.australia - armed forces - service manuals, m 60 machine gun 7.62

A blue coloured cover with a metal slide clasp down the left hand side. At the top right hand corner reads 7610-66-104-8351. At the bottom reads RESTRICTEDaustralia - armed forces - service manuals, m 60 machine gun 7.62

Index, bibliography, ill (col), p.172.non-fictionOn 7 June 1917, the British Second Army launched its attack on Messines Ridge, detonating 19 giant mines beneath the German front-line positions. By the end of the day, one of the strongest positions on the Western Front had fallen, a place of such importance that the Germans had pledged to hold it at any cost. It was the greatest British victory in three years of war. The first two years of the First World War had represented an almost unending catalogue of disaster for the Australians. Messines was not only their first real victory, it was also the first test in senior command for Major General John Monash who commanded the newly formed 3rd Division and would later be hailed as Australia's greatest soldier. Messines was a baptism of fire for the 3rd Division which came into the line alongside the battle-scarred 4th Australian Division, badly mauled at Bullecourt just six weeks earlier in one of the worst defeats of the war. The fighting at Messines would descend into unimaginable savagery, a lethal and sometimes hand-to-hand affair of bayonets, clubs, bombs and incessant machine-gun fire, described by one Australian as '72 hours of Hell'. After their string of bloody defeats over 1915 and 1916, Messines would be the ultimate test for the Australians. Collapse summary world war 1914-1918- campaigns - western front, battles of messines - australian participation - 1917

Cordite Wagon - 18½-inch (460mm) gauge wagons came from the Commonwealth Explosives factory at Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Both have gun-metal wheels, as avoiding sparks was understandably a priority in an explosives factory. Both wagons also have water tanks to drip water on the wheels as an added precaution. Cordite, an explosive used in artillery, was manufactured and pressed into thin sheets, which still contained a quantity of acetone solvent from the manufacturing process. The sheets of cordite were laid in racks of perforated trays in the cordite wagons, which were hand-pushed to the cordite drying-house where the trucks were coupled together in rakes and warm air was blown through them. The acetone, being very volatile, was evaporated out of the cordite and recovered to be re-used in the manufacturing process. Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Commonwealth Explosives factory, Maribyrnong, Victoria, AustraliaCordite Wagon - Rectangular yellow wagon made of wood and brass with aluminium traysThe number 77 is on the endspuffing billy, wooden wagon, 18½-inch gauge, explosives, maribyrnong cordite factory, maribyrnong explosives factory, puffing billy museum, industrial narrow gauge railway

Karl Streker cut out the map of Australia using a razor blade with Private Tony Connor and Private Alf Gillespie on garrison duty.Cut out plywood subjects - two of our Garrison guards with guns, standing on cut out map of Australia. Borders and capital cities are marked. Guard tower and barracks are in the background. State borders and capital cities are marked on map.internee hand craft, karl streker, private tony connor, private alf gillespie

Story of the internees and pow's behind the barbed wire veil that was drawn around people deemed threats to Australia's security. Soft covered book. Front cover has 6 photos of internees with their id numbers. In middle is title. Authors name at bottom. Spine is brown coloured with title, author and photo of internee. Back cover has two photos, Group of adults and children and a soldier with gun and five men with hands in air. 266 pagesCaptured Lives Australia's Wartime Internment Campsaustralian internment camps, australian pow's, peter monteath, loveday internment camp

Original Military Medal awarded to Harold Pearson PREST Lance Corporal 1334 - 37th Australian Infantry Battalion On the 4th October 1917 East of Ypres, Belgium for conspicuous gallantry in action - After locating an enemy machine gun which was holding up the left flank, he single handed rushed the position from a flank and bombed and killed the crew of two men and captured the gun. His promptness and courage not only saved many casualties but enabled the advance to continue.The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award was established in 1916, with retrospective application to 1914, and was awarded to other ranks for "acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire"Blue velvet case with satin lining containing round metal medal with attached blue red and white striped ribbon and gold coloured plastic plaquePlaque -Military Medal awarded to 1334 Lance Corporal H P Prest 37/AUST INF For Bravery in the Fieldh p prest, ww1, mm, 37th infantry battalion

Pulpwood was often split by hand or with black powder splitting guns into more manageable sizes and cut into 8 foot lengths (or billets). Billets were first stacked endwise to drain the sap and lighten the load before they were loaded by hand onto flat bed trucks for transport to the mills. This long length metal hook was used to pull and manoeuvre the pulpwood billets onto the truck. The advent of excavators in logging operations in the 1970s led to the loading and carting pulpwood in long tree lengths.Long steel tool with handle on one end and hook on the other.

Letter to the Editor of the Courier, Ballarat, Monday, 26/2/1996 written by Frank Puls (a BTM member) of Humffray St. Ballarat about the tram debate and that people should wait for the outcome of the Ballarat Tramway feasibility study before getting "hysterical", "but until then, the protesters appear to be jumping the gun." Has paper and details glued to right hand top edge of cutting. Collected by Frank Puls on behalf of the Museum.trams, tramways, feasibility study, letter to the editor, ballarat city tramway, ballarat revival

Letters hand written by Jack, concerning primarily his observations of steam locomotives and trains in the Ballarat area, with some references to his health, trams, replacement of steam locomotives by diesels (which he did not like). John Southern lived in NSW and was a well known collector of information and photographer on Australian steam locomotives; wrote articles for the ARHS Bulletin and other publications. On first letter, Wal notes he was involved in an industrial accident at the Ballarat Gun Cotton factory in 1943 which severely affected his health. Photocopied from original letters held by Dave Macartney.Has a strong association with Wal Jack and yields information about steam locomotives and trains in the Ballarat district and VR during the 1950's.Set of 36 pages - stapled in top left hand corner, photocopies of letters from Wal Jack to John Southern from 7-2-1950 to 6-5-1961. trams, tramways, wal jack, letters, ballarat, steam locomotive, gun cotton, accidents