At the outbreak of war in 1939 Perth was serving in the West Indies. She served with distinction at Cape Matapan against Italy. Perth suffered damage from an air attack while berthed in Malta. Perth evacuated troops from Greece to Crete when Crete was invaded by the Germans When Japan entered the war in December 1941 Perth was sent to Java in the Dutch East Indies - now Indonesia. Perth's total complement was 681, of these 353 including Captain Hector Waller D.S.O were lost in action, 4 died ashore and 324 fell into Japanese hands. Of these 106 ratings died while prisoners of war, 53 dying while working on the Burma - Thailand railway.Framed Information sheet with description of specifications - crew numbers and service record of H.M.A.S Perth.H.M.A.S Perth (ex H.M.S Amphion). A Light Cruiser Leander Class 1941 of 7600 tons. Under full power speed trials reached 31.7 knots. Perth was commissioned as H.M.S Amphion on 15th June 1936 and was renamed H.M.A.S Perth by H.R.H Duchess of Kent on 10th July 1939.

Lionel was captured and became a prisoner of war in Italy. When Italy withdrew from the war they opened the gates of the P.O.W. camps. Lionel and a friend were working for Padroni who helped them with food and civilian clothing. They walked to the Switzerland border and with the help of Partisan who got them to Smugglers gap in the alps and then to Switzerland.Black & white photo of Lionel Jones in civvies after his escape as a P.O.W. See also ND4877 and Historyjones lionel, prisoners of war, world war 1939- 1945

Self published by Tom Fielder ex RAAF. Baled out from a Wellington Bomber over Italy and spent the rest of the War as a prisoner of the Germans. Hard Carboard outer, Paper, Text and Pictures. 393 pages. Tom Fielder CollectionEx P.O.W 270030. Stalag IVB, Germany, Muhlberg.

Ill, p.87non-fictionHere in brief compass is the thrilling tale of air crew adventure told by its navigator, who was one of three Australian in a crew of six manning a Marauder aircraft operating from Africa over the Mediterranean. The aircraft becomes involved in combat, in which two enemy fighters are drive off, one emitting clouds of smoke; but the Marauder, too, is crippled, and comes down in the Mediterranean near the Italian Island of Ustica. Rescue from the sea is followed by the rigours of captivity in Fascist barracks and compounds, of travel through Italy, of sharing British air raids with their captors, assuming careless ease while their musical comedy soldier captors cannot conceal their unease. An ingeniously planned escape is successful; five prisoners break from the compound, and this party, with intrepidity and endurance, gain a liberty which is also a life of great hardship. Italian peasant life provides great interest, and friendly folk protect the adventurous band from the Fascists, while they meet at the coast a mysterious English Captain, who later proves to be a Commando officer on a mission; when this mission is accomplished, and not before, he helps the several groups of escapees to liberty. A motor torpedo boat calls at midnight and, within six months, home in Australiaworld war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - australia, world war 1939-1945 - prisoners of war

Cased items 10 German, 4 RAAF and 5 Prisoner of War. plus a cigarette case made from Italian Dixie by a Russian prisoner. Tom Fiedler collectionMemories of traumatic period as a POW 7th Jan. 1944 to 28th May 1945. by a RAAF Air Gunner. Tom Fiedler Collection