On the night of 30-31 January 1942 this small force of 1131 Australian soldiers were stationed at Ambon, an island which formed part of the Netherland East Indies (now Indonesia). An invasion of approximately 20,000 Japanese overwhelmed Gull Force and the majority of the Australian soldiers were taken prisoner. The execution of 229 at Laha, starvation, over work, disease and the absence of medical supplies led to horrific loss. At the cessation of hostilities only 352 of the original 1131 had made it back to Australia. 779 members of Gull Force made the supreme sacrifice and now lie in foreign fields. The Battle of Ambon (30 January – 3 February 1942) occurred on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), during World War II. Japan invaded and conquered the island in a few days, facing Dutch, American and Australian forces. The chaotic and sometimes bloody fighting was followed by a series of major Japanese war crimes. Allied casualties in the battle were relatively light. However, at intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, Japanese personnel chose more than 300 Australian and Dutch prisoners of war at random and summarily executed them, at or near Laha airfield. In part, this was revenge for the sinking of the Japanese minesweeper, as some surviving crew of the minesweeper took part.. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon, 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine. Blood Oath, a 1990 Australian feature film is based on the real-life trial of Japanese soldiers for war crimes committed against Allied prisoners of war on the island of Ambon, in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), such as the Laha massacre of 1942.Brown timber frame with gold coloured inner edge containing badge and tribute on grey backgroundGull Force 2/21 Battalion Ambon Laha In memory of and tribute to the Officers and Men of "Gull Force" comprising of 2/21 Battalion and attached Units.gull force, 2/21 battalion, ambon, ww2

Plaque present to Corporal Sperry BODSWORTH MID who served with the 2/21st Battalion and involved with the Battle of Ambon. On the night of 30-31 January 1942 this small force of 1131 Australian soldiers were stationed at Ambon, an island which formed part of the Netherland East Indies (now Indonesia). An invasion of approximately 20,000 Japanese overwhelmed Gull Force and the majority of the Australian soldiers were taken prisoner. The execution of 229 at Laha, starvation, over work, disease and the absence of medical supplies led to horrific loss. At the cessation of hostilities only 352 of the original 1131 had made it back to Australia. 779 members of Gull Force made the supreme sacrifice and now lie in foreign fields. The Battle of Ambon (30 January – 3 February 1942) occurred on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), during World War II. Japan invaded and conquered the island in a few days, facing Dutch, American and Australian forces. The chaotic and sometimes bloody fighting was followed by a series of major Japanese war crimes. Allied casualties in the battle were relatively light. However, at intervals for a fortnight after the surrender, Japanese personnel chose more than 300 Australian and Dutch prisoners of war at random and summarily executed them, at or near Laha airfield. In part, this was revenge for the sinking of the Japanese minesweeper, as some surviving crew of the minesweeper took part.. Three-quarters of the Australians captured on Ambon died before the war's end. Of the 582 who remained on Ambon, 405 died. They died of overwork, malnutrition, disease and one of the most brutal regimes among camps in which bashings were routine. Blood Oath, a 1990 Australian feature film is based on the real-life trial of Japanese soldiers for war crimes committed against Allied prisoners of war on the island of Ambon, in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia), such as the Laha massacre of 1942.Brown timber in the shape of a shield mounted with a metal a coat of arms depicting white seagull above black and orange diamond within pale blue oval shape.Gull Force 2/21 Battalion Ambon Laha Plaque - Cpl Sperry Bodsworth VX23435 MIDgull force, 2/21 battalion, ambon, ww2

The striking image on the poster shows men crowded on the deck after the successful action against the Italian Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni on 19 July 1940. On 19 November 1941, while returning from convoy duty in Java, HMAS Sydney was engaged by the German armed merchant cruiser Kormoran 130 miles off the West Australian coastline. The faces of many of the 645 servicemen who died in Australia’s greatest naval tragedy feature on this special poster produced to commemorate the anniversary of the loss of the HMAS Sydney. For more than six decades the location of the Sydney had remained a mystery until the wreckages of both HMAS Sydney and the German Armed Merchant Cruiser Kormoran were discovered around 112 nautical miles off Steep Point, Western Australia. The sinking of the Sydney and the loss of all her crew in the Second World War is the single greatest naval tragedy Australia has experienced in Australian waters.Black plastic frame with grey mount containing poster/photograph of Navy crew on ship and in foreground. top left corner - Lest We Forget Bottom of print - HMAS SYDNEY 19 November, 1941 hmas sydney, ww2, 19/11/1941, kormoran, ran

A gift to Ron Cochrane, a member of the Navy commissioning team of HMAS Voyager. The box was handmade by two brothers CLARK/E (?) from Benalla. The signatures done in ball point pen belonged to the crew attached to the portside Forward Mess. They presented the box to Cochrane who was responsible for the Mess as a token of appreciation. Ron Cochrane R46195 served as a Leading Hand with the Royal Australian Navy between 1951 and 1957 and served on numerous ships including HMAS Voyager between 6/2 - 6/10/1957. He was born on 20/3/1933 at Ballarat East. Daring class destroyer, Voyager, was the first ship of her class to enter Australian service, and the first all-welded ship to be built in Australia. During the night of 10 February 1964, Voyager and the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided off Jervis Bay, when the destroyer passed in front of the carrier during post-refit sea trials. Voyager was cut in two by the collision, sinking with the loss of 82 of the 314 people aboard. This was the largest loss of Australian military personnel in peacetime, and the subsequent investigations resulted in the holding of two Royal Commissions—the only time in Australian history this has occurred.Cream painted wooden box with metal hinges. There is an inscription and ship on the lid and autographs written in ink on the underside of the lid. On top of lid - HMAS Voyager 1957 On bottom: Bills, bills and more bills !!!!!! Dotted line R Cochranehmas, voyager

Anieura. Four-masted wooden schooner, 1328 tons. Built California, 1918 as the Oronite. Reg. Melbourne, 1928. Lbd 236.5 x 42 x 29. Last captain, de Carteret. Stripped of anything of value at the Yarra Street Pier, Geelong, in 1932; burnt to recover her copper and brass, and sunk off Avalon Bach, two kilometres east of Point Lillias. She had been seized for debt. @ Her wreckage is scattered and overgrown, covered in light silt in 4 metres. [NWR],[LC],[NSC]A relic from the broken up Barque 'Anieura' in 1932/33: BARQUE ANIEURA. Left to Sink in Mud. GEELONG Monday -The hulk of the barque Anieura, which has been idle in Corio Bay for more than four years, was towed to a spot near Bird Rock on the northern shores of the outer harbour on Monday. The Anieura was built for the timber trade and made a journey to Australia. The owners then decided that the vessel was unsuitable for this trade, and she was sold to an Australian firm. The ship was placed in Corio Bay, and remained at anchorage for about three years before an effort was made to sell her. This being unsuccessful most of the fittings, were disposed of, and the hulk was taken to Fletcher's pier to be out of the way of shipping. The Victorian Salvage Co's offer to the Geelong Harbor Trust to dispose of the hulk was accepted. The 300 tons of road metal ballast was removed, and a quantity of timber taken out. The vessel was towed through the channel this morning and run aground near Bird Rock just outside of the north-east extremity of the bar where it is away from shipping. More timbers will be stripped from the vessel, and it is likely that she will be allowed to sink into the mud. The Argus Tuesday 4 April 1933. A wooden bunk from the 'Anieura', drawers underneath with brass handlesanieura, bunk, port phillip

Schomberg was a large clipper ship built for James Baines' famous Black Ball Line. Schomberg has historical significance as one of the luxurious ships built to bring emigrants to Australia, cashing in on the gold rush era. The clipper is one of only three clipper wrecks in Victorian waters that operated the England to Australia run. While the other two, Empress of the Sea and Lightening, were built by the famous American shipbuilder, Donald MacKay, Schomberg was built in Aberdeen. The Schomberg story was almost the nineteenth century's Titanic; built at great expense, labelled the most perfect clipper ship ever built and designed to be the most comfortable vessel to sail to Melbourne?and sinking on its maiden voyage in 1855.10 horse harness buckles in various condition and completeness. Some encrusted and corroded.cargo, salvage, ship wrecks, shomberg

MagazineThe Australian Experience of War"hmas sydny" the battle to sink the "bartolomeo colleoni"

Book

non-fictionThis book tells the story of Margaret Gee's family, spanning three generations living on the land in picturesque North Eastern Victoria, near Beechworth-Kelly country and steeped in the history of the gold rush and early pioneers. It is the story of her indomitable father, who grew up at Silver Creek, then joined the Australian Navy, became a prisoner of war on the Burma Railway after surviving the sinking of HMAS Perth, of his wife and family.gee family, beechworth, rural families, country life -- victoria

Porcelain saucer issued to commemorate the destruction of the German Light Cruiser Emden by HMAS Sydney .Hmas Sydney destroyed the "Emden" at Keeling Cocos Island Nov 9. 1914

English - Australian 1808 - 1880Colour LithographSigned in stone