Mr Maxwell Pemberton was born in Goulburn, NSW in 1923 and moved to Beechworth as a child just before the Great Depression. Mr Pemberton's father was a baker who opened a grocery store in Beechworth to support his seven children. The store, which competed with eight other grocery traders in Beechworth for finite local business, delivered goods by horse and cart to customers all over the district, including the hamlet of Stanley. Mr Pemberton's oral history testifies to the sorts of economic struggles faced by the majority of Beechworth's residents during the depression years. Mr Pemberton worked in many different industries in and around Beechworth, including in his father's grocery store, which he later took over with his brother; the Zwar Tannery, where he served as a union representative; and at the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged, formally the Ovens Benovolent Asylum, established in 1862 for care of the district's destitute, disabled and aged people from Euroa to the Murray, among them, homeless people Mr Pemberton referred to as 'river-bankers'. The hospital's founding in the 1860s was driven by a committee headed by the notable figure, G.B Kerford. Beechworth's institutions were a major source of local employment in the twentieth century. Mr Pemberton joined the Australian Navy during WWII and served at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. During his period of service, he received an honorary award from the Royal Humane Society of Australia for aiding and saving a drowning civilian at risk to his own life. Mr Pemberton's oral history also touches on the complex relationship between Australian forces and local Papuan people during the war. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Mr Maxwell Pemberton's oral history recalls many aspects of life in Beechworth and the Oven's district during the twentieth century and enriches our understanding of the effects of the periods of socio-economic decline and renewal that unfolded as the century progressed. His singular account of his various jobs and colourful memories of life as a youth and young man in Beechworth, and abroad as a serviceman, contributes to our understanding of society's attitudes and expectations regarding ideals of masculinity and Australian national identity. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which would have been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr Max Pemberton /twentieth century beechworth, benevolent asylums, wwii, beechworth's institutions, local employment, government institutions, listen to what they say, oral history, burke museum, maxwell pemberton, ovens and murray hospital for the aged, zwar tannery, beechworth grocers, australian navy, port morseby, papua new guinea, trade unions, welfare services, homelessness, 'river bankers', aged care, g.b kerford, ovens benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home

This pamphlet was produced by Victorian Railways. In 1976 the name Victorian Railways was replaced by Vicrail.Railways have played a key role in Victorian transport especially in linking regional towns to the cities. The railways have provided jobs for many Orbost people. This item is associated with the history of the Orbost-Bairnsdale railway line and therefore reflects the role that the rail line played in the social and economic history of Orbost.A pamphlet produced for Victorian Railways. On the front is a coloured photograph of a train. It contains photographs and an article about Orbost as "Timber Country" and a detailed article titled, " Cutting Sleepers is a Family Business" which tells about the Donchi family.pamphlet-victorian-railways sleeper-cutting donchi

Top of wedding cake for Hilda Temple and Dr James Kerr on 10th November, 1893.Dr James Kerr visited Orbost on a government vaccinating job and settled there the next year. He married Hilda Temple in 1893. He was Orbost's first resident doctor. Glass and wood display case containing a floral arrangement from the top of a wedding cake .Arrangement is handmade.ornament dr-james-kerr handcraft

This compressor was part of the E.G. Ward Collection. It is connected to the diving suit and boots also in our collection. Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company that developed diving equipment and breathing equipment and worked on commercial diving and marine salvage projects. The company advertised itself as 'Submarine Engineers'. It was founded by Augustus Siebe, a German-born British engineer chiefly known for his contributions to diving equipment. Siebe Gorman traded as an engineering firm for over 180 years from 1819 to 1999. The early success of the business was due to its founder, the Prussian immigrant Christian 'Augustus' Siebe (1788-1872). For business reasons, he applied for and was granted British citizenship in 1856. He was a gifted engineer who was able to translate theoretical problems into practical, working products. During the industrial Victorian period, the business traded as 'A. Siebe' at 145 High Street Holborn London, but in 1828 new premises were acquired at 5 Denmark Street, Soho. The family firm produced a wide range of manufactured goods including paper-making machinery, measuring machinery, water-pumps, refrigeration equipment and diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe specialised in submarine engineering early on and the company gained a reputation for the manufacture of safe, reliable diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe is best remembered for the development and manufacture of the ‘closed’ Diving Dress based on the ideas of Charles and John Deane, George Edwards and Charles Pasley. Apart from some small modifications to valves and diver communications, the basic 12 bolt ‘closed’ diving dress remained relatively unchanged after the 1870s. Later company successes were also based on innovation, with new products that could be successfully developed and manufactured to high standards. This was largely attributed to the inventive nature, foresight, engineering and entrepreneurial skills of Robert Henry Davis (1870-1965). In 1882, RH Davis joined the company of 'Siebe & Gorman' as a young 11-year-old office boy and he was to remain with the company until he died in 1965. Augustus Siebe retired in 1869 and handed over the company to a new partnership of Henry H. Siebe (1830-1885) and William A. O'Gorman (1834-1904). The new firm traded as 'Siebe & Gorman' (1870-1879) from premises in and around Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London. The two partners soon recognised the potential of R.H. Davis and in 1894, aged 24, he became General Manager of Siebe & Gorman. Davis increasingly ran the company until the surviving partner (W.A. Gorman) died in 1904. The firm was disposed of to the Vickers (armaments) family and a new company 'Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd.' (1905-1998) was formed. Under the chairmanship of Albert Vickers, R.H. Davis was kept on as Managing Director, and the company forged ahead. However, after WW1, the Great Depression caused manufacturing output and share prices to slump. In 1924 Robert Davis made a deal with the Vickers Board and acquired control of the company through majority shares. Under his leadership, the Siebe Gorman Company flourished and within time, four of his sons also joined the firm. The company gained a worldwide reputation for the manufacture of diving apparatus, decompression and observation chambers, and safety breathing apparatus of all types for use on the land, in the air and under the sea (including mine rescue, tunneling, aircraft, diving, submarine escape and in other hazardous environments). Close research and development links with the MOD (especially the Admiralty), also provided a lucrative outlet for the company products. In 1932, Robert Davis was knighted by King George V, principally for his invention of the ‘Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus’ (D.S.E.A.). Siebe Gorman essentially remained a family firm from the beginning (under A Siebe) until it became a public company for the first time in 1952. However, following WW2, British manufacturing stagnated through stifled investment and post-war austerity, and there was little innovation. Siebe Gorman fortunes began to decline as an ageing Sir Robert Davis failed to invest, or change the company business and management practices. In 1959, Siebe Gorman was acquired by the “Fairy Group” and the ailing Sir Robert was made Life President. Consequently, nothing changed and the slow decline continued until Sir Robert's death in March 1965. Around 1960, Siebe Gorman acquired the diving apparatus manufacturer C E Heinke, and for a brief period, it manufactured some diving equipment under the combined name of Siebe Heinke. Around 1964, Mr. E. 'Barry' Stephens was appointed as the new Managing Director to modernise Siebe Gorman. Changes were made, including a move to a new factory in Wales in 1975. The new company concentrated on fire fighting breathing apparatus and escape equipment, and the move coincided with the loss of many of the older, traditional craft skills. Between 1985 and 1998, Siebe expanded through acquisitions, and several other companies were acquired. The Siebe Gorman (diving apparatus) company has therefore traded as A. Siebe (1819-1870); Siebe & Gorman (1870-1879); Siebe Gorman & Co (1880-1904); Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd (1905-1998).The compressor is a very significant item as it gives a snapshot into marine history and the development of diving equipment generally especially that used for salvage operations before and during WW2. Siebe & Gorman the company that made the equipment was a leading inventor, developer and innovator of marine equipment with its early helmets and other items eagerly sought after today for collections around the world. The items in the Flagstaff Hill collection give us an insight as to how divers operated and the dangers they faced doing a very necessary and dangerous job during the early days of marine exploration.A single cylinder divers' pump by Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd, London, eccentric hand cranked in brass mounted mahogany case with instructions to the underside of the lid, brass covered pressure gauge and air outlet, brass makers plaque to the front, water inlet and outlet to the rear, green painted lifting rings. Machinery has some blue painted areas on the metal.Plate on the back 'WATER SUPPLY" "WATER OVERFLOW" "WATER DRAIN-IN" Pressure gauge dial "BOURDON'S PRESSURE GAUGE" STEBE GORMAN & CO. LONDON", "LBS PRESSURE" "FEET OF SALT WATER" Plate on the front " PATENT, Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd Submarine Engineers" below emblem (Lion, Crown, Horse)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, maritime-museum, diving compressor, london, siebe gorman & co ltd, marine technology, life saving, deep sea diving, maritime museum, maritime village, manine history

This diving suit with helmet, boots and weight is part of the E.G.Ward collection, along with the diving compressor and a photograph of a diver in this equipment. Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company that developed diving equipment and breathing equipment and worked on commercial diving and marine salvage projects. The company advertised itself as 'Submarine Engineers'. It was founded by Augustus Siebe, a German-born British engineer chiefly known for his contributions to diving equipment. Siebe Gorman traded as an engineering firm for over 180 years from 1819 to 1999. The early success of the business was due to its founder, the Prussian immigrant Christian 'Augustus' Siebe (1788-1872). For business reasons, he applied for and was granted British citizenship in 1856. He was a gifted engineer who was able to translate theoretical problems into practical, working products. During the industrial Victorian period, the business traded as 'A. Siebe' at 145 High Street Holborn London, but in 1828 new premises were acquired at 5 Denmark Street, Soho. The family firm produced a wide range of manufactured goods including paper-making machinery, measuring machinery, water pumps, refrigeration equipment and diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe specialised in submarine engineering early on and the company gained a reputation for the manufacture of safe, reliable diving apparatus. Augustus Siebe is best remembered for the development and manufacture of the ‘closed’ Diving Dress based on the ideas of Charles and John Deane, George Edwards and Charles Pasley. Apart from some small modifications to valves and diver communications, the basic 12-bolt ‘closed’ diving dress remained relatively unchanged after the 1870s. Later company successes were also based on innovation, with new products that could be successfully developed and manufactured to high standards. This was largely attributed to the inventive nature, foresight, engineering and entrepreneurial skills of Robert Henry Davis (1870-1965). In 1882, RH Davis joined the company of 'Siebe & Gorman' as a young 11-year-old office boy and he was to remain with the company until he died in 1965. Augustus Siebe retired in 1869 and handed over the company to a new partnership of Henry H. Siebe (1830-1885) and William A. O'Gorman (1834-1904). The new firm traded as 'Siebe & Gorman' (1870-1879) from premises in and around Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, London. The two partners soon recognised the potential of R.H. Davis and in 1894, aged 24, he became General Manager of Siebe & Gorman. Davis increasingly ran the company until the surviving partner (W.A. Gorman) died in 1904. The firm was disposed of to the Vickers (armaments) family and a new company 'Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd.' (1905-1998) was formed. Under the chairmanship of Albert Vickers, R.H. Davis was kept on as Managing Director, and the company forged ahead. However, after WW1, the Great Depression caused manufacturing output and share prices to slump. In 1924 Robert Davis made a deal with the Vickers Board and acquired control of the company through majority shares. Under his leadership, the Siebe Gorman Company flourished and within time, four of his sons also joined the firm. The company gained a worldwide reputation for the manufacture of diving apparatus, decompression and observation chambers, and safety breathing apparatus of all types for use on the land, in the air and under the sea (including mine rescue, tunnelling, aircraft, diving, submarine escape and in other hazardous environments). Close research and development links with the MOD (especially the Admiralty), also provided a lucrative outlet for the company products. In 1932, Robert Davis was knighted by King George V, principally for his invention of the ‘Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus’ (D.S.E.A.). Siebe Gorman essentially remained a family firm from the beginning (under A.Siebe) until it became a public company for the first time in 1952. However, following WW2, British manufacturing stagnated through stifled investment and post-war austerity, and there was little innovation. Siebe Gorman fortunes began to decline as an ageing Sir Robert Davis failed to invest, or change the company business and management practices. In 1959, Siebe Gorman was acquired by the “Fairy Group” and the ailing Sir Robert was made Life President. Consequently, nothing changed and the slow decline continued until Sir Robert's death in March 1965. Around 1960, Siebe Gorman acquired the diving apparatus manufacturer C E Heinke, and for a brief period, it manufactured some diving equipment under the combined name of Siebe Heinke. Around 1964, Mr E. 'Barry' Stephens was appointed as the new Managing Director to modernise Siebe Gorman. Changes were made, including a move to a new factory in Wales in 1975. The new company concentrated on fire-fighting breathing apparatus and escape equipment, and the move coincided with the loss of many of the older, traditional craft skills. Between 1985 and 1998, Siebe expanded through acquisitions, and several other companies were acquired. The Siebe Gorman (diving apparatus) company has therefore traded as A. Siebe (1819-1870); Siebe & Gorman (1870-1879); Siebe Gorman & Co (1880-1904); Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd (1905-1998).The items are very significant as a snapshot into marine history and the development of diving equipment generally especially that used for salvage operations before and during WW2. The company that made the equipment was a leading inventor,developer and innovator of marine equipment with its early helmets and other items eagerly sought after today for collections around the world. The items in the Flagstaff Hill collection give us an insight as to how divers operated and the dangers they faced doing a very necessary and dangerous job.Diving suit including helmet, boots and a weight. Diving suit is made of canvas with knitted cuffs. The helmet is metal. The boots have a thick sole and thick leather upper that is held on with leather straps and buckles. The toe of the boot is heavy metal. The weight is worn next to the trunk of the diver and it has an inscription to mark the front. It is worn with straps and buckles holding it in place. Royal Navy Admiralty Pattern 6 bolt No 3 light Siebe Gorman light diving helmet circa 1960 used by the Royal Navy before and after World War 2"Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd Marine Engineers London. Patent" with "E G Ward" on front and back plate. On weight "FRONT"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, diving suit, siebe gorman and co ltd., siebe gorman and co ltd marine engineers london, marine engineers, diving helmet, diving boots, diving weight, marine diving, maritimemuseum, maritime village, maritime history, marine technology, life saving, deep sea diving

Newspaper clipping

This is a field wallet that belonged to Rolf Crawley. He was an engineer, surveyor and architect in private practice in Warrnambool and also the engineer for the Shire of Warrnambool from 1935 to 1968. His grandfather, father and uncle were also engineers, working in that capacity or as the Shire Secretary for the Shire of Warrnambool, with the Crawley family recording a total of 132 years service to the Shire. The Shire of Warrnambool existed from 1863 to 1994. The wallet came into the possession of Michael Hand who took over the private surveying business of Rolf Crawley in Warrnambool. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society acquired the wallet, along with several ledgers and other Crawley memorabilia from the estate of Michael Hand. This wallet is of interest as it was owned and used by Rolf Crawley when he was doing field work in connection with his surveying and engineering jobs either in private practice or as the Shire of Warrnambool engineer in the 20th century. This is a brown leather wallet in two sections that fold over and close with a flap or tongue that inserts into a strip of leather stitched into the cover. The two sections have extra pieces of leather that are stitched on to make compartments. These contain three pieces of thick card folded over. These cards have rough notes and figures handwritten on them. Inside the wallet is a hand-printed name. The wallet is much scuffed and stained. ‘Rolf L. Crawley L. S. Shire Hall Warrnambool’rolf crawley, warrnambool, shire of warrnambool

Article about members from Eltham Little Athletics and United Hockey clubs working to restore an old house in Susan Street owned by Eltham Council which overlooks the clubs' grounds and to be converted into a club-house.Digital file only scanned by EDHS from item on loancr. don neil, daureen arnold, eltham little athletics club, eltham shire council, houses, ron stranks, susan street, united hockey club

Awarded to Alan Bowers (A236814) who was a R.A.A.F. dental mechanic who serverd during WWII including service in Darwin, and then continued in the R.A.A.F. for some years after the end of WWII The Royal Australian Air Force (and all Commonwealth Air Forces) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal: Awarded to NCOs and ORs of the RAAF (RAF, RCAF etc) for 15 years service. A cupro-nickel plated medal, the obverse features the sovereign's head, the reverse features the crown and eagle emblem of the RAAF (and RAF). Officers are eligible for the award provided they have served a minimum 12 years in the ranks. The riband is dark blue and maroon with white edges. This medal ceased to be awarded in Australia in 1975 when it was replaced by the National Medal (and sbsequently the DFSM and DLSM) in the Australian system of honours and awards. http://www.heritagemedals.com.au/medals-1/service-long-service/air-force-long-service-and-good-conduct-medal.html History of the RAAF Dental Branch It took six years following the formation of the RAAF in 1921 for the first Dental Clinic to be established at Point Cook, Victoria. On 10th June 1927 Flying Officer James Carl Rosenbrock commenced work as an RAAF Dental Officer for the FlyingTraining School at Point Cook. As personnel numbers were still relatively small, Rosenbrock was also responsible for the dental care of all Victorian RAAF units, which involved treating members at 1AD Laverton, as well as Air Force Headquarters at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne. As Army Dental Officers were currently caring for RAAF personnel at Richmond, NSW, the Senior Dental Officer of the 3rd Military District in Victoria (SDO 3MD) requested through the military board that a similar arrangement be established, where that the newly appointed RAAF Dentist provide part time dental services to the Army units stationed at Queenscliff. This was seen as an effective reciprocal arrangement, with both units having a Dental Officer in attendance for, in total, around 3-4 weeks a year. Rosenbrock continued to serve as the sole RAAF Dental Officer until the middle of 1933, when the Air Board asked for his service to be terminated following ‘behaviour unbecoming of a RAAF officer'. He had borrowed several sums of money, of around 40 Pounds or so, from junior ranks on base (as well as from the Regimental Sergeant Major) and had failed to pay the money back. He was replaced by a fellow Victorian, FLGOFF Norman Henry Andrews, on the 18th Sep 1933, who went on to become our first Director of Dental Services, and was instrumental in establishing the organisations and conditions of the Branch that are still present today. Through a fair amount of persistence and hard work on the part of Norman Andrews, the RAAF Dental Branch began to expand from 1937, with the introduction of 2 additional positions, at RAAF station Richmond, and at the FlyingTraining School at Point Cook. This gave the RAAF 3 uniformed Dental Officers, which was expanded to 5 in the months leading up to WW2. 4 of these Dental Officers were based in Victoria and 1 at Richmond, with the other two RAAF units being cared for by the Army (as in the case of Pearce in WA) or by civilians (as in Darwin). With the sudden increase in RAAF personnel required at the outbreak of WW2, the number of RAAF Dental Officers increased dramatically, from 5 in 1939, 28 in 1940, 64 in 1941, 147 in 1942, 193 in 1943, 219 in 1944, and peaking at 227 in 1945. RAAF Dental Officers were required to work in a variety of locations, both in and out of Australia. Between 1940 and 1942 a massive construction programme occurred, with new dental clinics being established around Australia. Priority was given to aircrew training units in order to get these personnel dentally fit for operational deployment, but Dental Officers could equally find themselves posted to recruit depots, fixed stations, medical clearance stations, mobile dental sections, and RAAF and civilian hospitals. RAAF Dental Officers were posted to the large dental centres at Ascot Vale (Vic) and Bradfield Park (NSW) when first appointed, where they received military and clinical training, before being deployed to their needed location. Mobile Dental Units When Japan entered the war in 1941, the rapid deployment of troops to northern operational areas with less than ideal dental fitness was extremely high. As a result, the RAAF deployed a range of mobile dental units, either alone or with medical sections, to support the increasing number of isolated deployed personnel within Australia and overseas. There were three types of mobile unit used: a. Mobile Dental Unit – relied on using either a semi-trailer to get around or by building a surgery directly on to the truck chassis, and installing hydraulic chairs, units, x-rays, and laboratory equipment. They were able to move around between small units, such as RAAF radar stations, where they could plug into the local power supply and work immediately. b. Transportable Dental Units – used for stops of longer duration, where field equipment was carried in panniers from one unit to another by road or rail and housed in whatever accommodation was available at the destination. They were often carried within Australia on Tiger Moths and Dakota aircraft. c. Itinerant Dental Units – in some areas, the dental equipment was installed at the RAAF unit and the Dental Officer and their staff would travel from unit to unit, using the equipment available at each location. RAAF Dental BadgeAs the war developed in Europe, it soon became obvious that the RAF Dental support was not capable of supporting the increasing numbers of RAAF aircrew that were being sent for service with the RAF, with only enough Dental Officers available to provide one to every 2000 men ( instead of the preferred 1 to 600). As a result, the RAAF provided a mobile dental unit, fitted out in a caravan and pulled by a Ford V8 Coupe, to travel around England in support of RAAF personnel at various squadrons. Some degree of tact was needed to ensure that the RAF did not take this as a comment on the treatment they were providing, but it proved successful in maintaining a satisfactory state of dental fitness in RAAF personnel, and a second mobile unit was soon dispatched. They were also set up with a laboratory on board as well as the surgery, which was a major difference between the RAF and RAAF, as the RAF did not provide dentures for their troops (the RAAF would, providing they had served for 6 years). In 1943 the RAF was no longer able to provide Dental support to Australian troops in the Middle East, which resulted in the need for a transportable dental unit to be deployed from Australia. It functioned in a similar manner to the RAF, by moving from one squadron to another. It served in the Middle East and Africa, from Cairo across North Africa, to Italy, and eventually back to England to treat returned prisoners of war. GPCAPT Norman Andrews The growth and development of the RAAF Dental Branch owes a debt to one man in particular, GPCAPT Norman Andrews. As the second RAAF Dental Officer to enlist on 18 Sep 1933, Andrews became the principal architect of the structure and organisation of the RAAF Dental Branch leading up to and during WW2. Until early 1940, the RAAF Dental Branch was administered by the Director of Medical Services (Air), which placed it under the control of the Army Medical staff. The Army would provide their Inspector of Dental Services for advice whenever needed. In April 1940, the RAAF Medical service separated from the Army, resulting in the control of the RAAF Dental Branch shifting back to the RAAF. Andrews became the first Director of Dental Services, when the position was created in 1943 as recognition of the higher profile the Dental Branch was now playing in the RAAF Medical service. Until this time, Andrews's title had been as the Dental Staff Officer to the RAAF Medical Service. Andrews was responsible for the establishment of the war-time structure of the Dental service, establishing new dental centres at all major bases, creating mobile and transportable dental units, ensuring the continual growth of the Branch, maintaining professional development of staff through the establishment of a professional journal, and by organising renowned lecturers to speak at RAAF bases. He also believed in visiting as many dental units as possible to see for himself what conditions were like and to talk first-hand to staff in remote units. His itinerary during the war years, both in and out of Australia, shows a large number of trips in a variety of modes of transport in order to reach remote areas where units were serving. He was promoted to GPCAPT in July 1944, as the numbers of Dental Officers soon peaked at 227 towards the end of the war (1 GPCAPT, 9 WGCDRs, 60 SQNLDRs, and 157 FLTLTs). After the war, with the reduction in RAAF personnel required in uniform, the Dental Branch also reduced its numbers significantly. By 1947 there were only 18 Dental Officers serving (many part-time), with 1 GPCAPT, 1 WGCDR, 10 SQNLDRs, and 6 FLTLTs, and only 13 by 1950. With the decrease in Branch personnel numbers, the ‘powers to be' saw fit to reduce the Director of Dental Service rank to WGCDR, and as a result Norman Andrews found that in order to continue serving in the RAAF he would have to wear a reduced rank. This appears to have been a contributing factor in his decision to discharge at the relatively early age of 43 and accept an administrative job as Director of the Victorian Government's School Dental Service. Norman Andrews holds the proud honour of being the founder of the RAAF Dental Branch, which during the war was instrumental in educating servicemen of the importance of dental health and maintaining the dental fitness of troops in a variety of areas. Dental Orderlies (Assistants) The dental orderly mustering was first introduced in 1937. Until that time, medical orderlies were assigned to assist the Dental officer with their duties. As early as 1931 it had been noted by both RAAF and Army Dental Officers working in Victoria and Richmond that a lot of the troubles they were having would be solved by appointing a permanent Dental Orderly. Often they would find that the medical orderly they were assigned was a different one each day, and as a result the administration and work in general was very inefficient. By 1937, with the increase in Dental Officers to 3, it was realised that a Dental Orderly mustering needed to be created. Dental Mechanics/Technicians Before WW2, dental laboratory work was provided by civilian laboratories, as most RAAF units were stationed around metropolitan areas. At this time, service personnel were still required to pay for their own dentures, unless they had served for six years or had their dentures damaged during performance of their duties. In July 1940, mainly in response to the development of more remote RAAF dental units and the increasing demand for dental prostheses, the Dental Mechanic mustering was established. Unfortunately there was a very limited pool of civilian dental mechanics to recruit from, and as a result the RAAF set up a training school at Laverton (which was later moved to Ascot Vale) in June 1941 which conducted an intensive 6 month course in Dental mechanics. Dental mechanics were quickly in demand. In all fixed and mobile dental units at least 1 Mechanic was supplied for each Dental Officer, and indeed the RAAF supplied Dental Mechanics throughout all its deployments, something the RAF were unwilling, or unable, to do. Two grades of dental mechanic existed: the Senior Mechanic (with the rank of NCO), who was competent in all phases of laboratory work; and the Junior Mechanic, who could only handle routine work and not more advanced denture work. The progression to Senior required a further trade test in techniques including setting up, clasp-forming, casting and backing teeth. During the course of the War, two special courses were held for Mechanics. The first, directed at senior mechanics so that they could instruct others, was in 1942 when Acrylic Resin was first introduced as a denture base material, as an alternative to the current option of vulcanite. Later, towards the end of the War, a ‘refresher' course was provided for those that had served for the greatest period of time in order to allow them retraining in techniques that they had not practised during their service and which were common in civilian life. This included cast base dentures, crowns and bridges, partial dentures, and retainers. Towards the end of the War, a course was held with WAAAF trainees to train them as Mechanics. However, as the War was soon to end they never had the opportunity to progress within the mustering to become Senior Mechanics. The RAAF Dental Branch has survived 75 years of turbulence, with reviews of its viability occurring regularly every few years from as early as 1937. The Branch continues to provide excellent service to the ADF community and, despite reduced manpower, will continue to play an important role in Air Force Health operations. http://www.defence.gov.au/health/about/docs/RAAFDental.pdf40cm cupro-nickel plated medal, the obverse features the sovereign's head, the reverse features the crown and eagle emblem of the RAAF (and RAF). A23814 BOWERS.A. A. F.r.a.a.f long service medal, r.a.a.f good conduct, r.a.a.f. dental service medal

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engine shoulder-winged multi-role combat aircraft. The crew of two, pilot and navigator, sat side by side. It served during and after the Second World War. It was one of few operational front-line aircraft of the era whose frame was constructed almost entirely of wood and was nicknamed The Wooden Wonder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_MosquitoIt is one of the paradoxes of aircraft development that some of the world's greatest aeroplanes have achieved their fame doing jobs other than the one they were originally designed for. No better example of this could be found than the Mosquito, which, conceived as a bomber, became one of the war's most potent fighters. More than this, indeed, it was probably the most successfully versatile of any twin-engined type built between 1939 and 1945. It excelled in all the widely varied roles. Its duties included the duties of low-level and high-attack day and night bomber, long-range photo-reconnaissance, mine layer, pathfinder, high-speed military transport, long-range day and night fighter, and fighter-bomber. It served in Europe, the Middle and Far East and on the Russian front. In fact, the ubiquitous Mosquito reigned supreme among General Purpose types. Of the grand total of 7,781 Mosquitos built, 6,710 were delivered during the war years. www.aviation-history.com/dehavilland/mosquito.html Rectangular shaped picture frame showing Mosquito fighter plane.fighter planes, ww2, british aircraft, mosquito fighter planes, lara r.s.l.