Item/s in collection re B. J. Ruler VX40780 refer Cat. No 5790 for his service details. Handwritten letters home to Australia from overseas on active duty. Envelopes have green printed service notes and censor notes. Small handwritten note from censor included in envelope/letterEnvelope addressed to “Mrs B. J. Ruler” various addresses in Victoria.letters, ww2

Item/s in this collection re B. J. Ruler VX40780 refer Cat. No. 5790 for his service details.Air mail letters and letter cards. Letter card single sheet of paper folded is 4 pages and forms an envelope. Letter writes about places, activities and people home ( Australia) and overseas.Handwritten envelopes addressed “Mrs. B. J. Ruler” various addresses in Victoria.letters, ww2

Framed 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Embroidered "for Australia" cloth & Metal Scroll, Death Brooch. L/Cpl Chester George Mather 22 Btn KIAmedals, ww1, army

Officers Mess had regular formal dinners. Formal Dinner programme outlining wines and options on food menu's. Date suggests occasion relates to Anniversary of D. Day landings in Europe on 6th June 1944.Fold out cardboard programme for formal dinner at Officer's Mess on 20th Anniv. of D. Day WW2. Yellow paper with emblem of Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC). Folded once.Emblem of RAASC on front then following " 3 DIV COLUMN RAASC" - "OFFICERS MESS", "Formal Dinner" on Saturday 6th June 1944. Inside is a menu for night and pages 2 & 3.d. day, officers mess, passchendaele barracks trust

Part of the Reverend Chaplain Major Thomas Bruce Williams , No 556101, Collection.Two gold coloured metal shoulder insignia with the word 'AUSTRALIA' on a curved metal bar. Each has two pins soldered on the back with brass press clips attached for fastening to a shoulder board.army chaplain, insignia, major thomas b. williams

Part of the Reverend Chaplain Major Thomas Bruce Williams, No 556101, Collection.Australian Army felt slouch hat with seven fold khaki puggaree. A brass clip is on the left side to allow for the brim to be pinned up. No chin strap. Brown leather sweat band on the inside.Stamped on the leather sweat band in gold lettering: 'Bardsley hats, 1991 (upwards arrow), FURFELT, 57'slouch hat, headwear, major thomas b. williams

49.1 Names & images of 18 Returned Servicemen from W W 2. of the Lara District 49.2 Names & images of 18 Returned Servicemen from W W 2. of the Lara District presented to J & J McIntyre and Miss F McIntyre with compliments of the Lara Reception CommitteeLocal to Lara district , a visual record of persons in their home environment again . Also second photo 49.2 under glass 49.1 Oblong/Landscape....Black&White photograph on aged white cardboard....WELCOME HOME banner....Australian & British Flags prominent. 49.2 Photo mounted behind glass presented to the McIntyre FamilyFlashlight photograph September 10 1947. second world war servicemen lara mcintyre 1947 rsl j branch mcclelland

A brief history of the effort made to return Air Force Personnel to their home lands.WW2 article voyage home of service personnel.Pamphlet - Homeward Bound - Souvenir of the voyage of H.M.T. 'Andes' Oct 45 Cover has green printing of title, ship, U.K. image and a dotted line showing journey to Australia - New Zealand.In the middle of the Booklet is an autographs section. Autographs are from fellow ship board travelers.

Soldier is George Bailey Jackson No 2172Refer Cat No 3446P for his service details.Black & white photo of a man & woman. The lady on L is wearing a light shaded blouse & a medallion or pendant brooch. The gentleman on R is Australian, his slouch hat is resting on a bannister between them.On back: “(Bailey) George & Louise Jane (Hobbs) Jackson. First (? illegible) in England. Dear Rays mum & dad”photography-photographs, military history - souvenirs, bailey

Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Essendon, Victoria for volunteering service to King & country with the forces of the Commonwealth of Australia. In black print on white background. Black, wooden frame, glass front & cardboard backing.Presented to: “Peter Nelson Gath on 16.9.1941” Signed by: “Mayor & Town Clerk”certificate, essendon, municipality, enlistment

Item re "Alan Walter Mason" VX42855 140967. Refer cat No 3979.2 for his service details.Australian Military Forces Driving Licence A.A.F.G 11 No 122812, canvas covered, brown folding 3 ways with details re the driver, type of licence held, signed and stamped by relevant authority.V245099, Spr Mason Alan, 17 Aust Mot Regt.military, licence, driving, alan walter mason

It is not ascertained if this relates to the First or Second World War.Banner, rectangular shape, white background, decorative green edging, top L H corner is an Australian Red Ensign, top R H corner is the Union Jack, central is main lettering.In red and blue printed, “WELCOME HOME”.banners, welcome home

Forage cap, khaki wool, green piping around the middle of sides. Green section inside the top fold, 2 Australian brass buttons at front. Internal lining is green cotton drill.headwear, forage

Softcover, cardboard, pale green print and photo on white background. 34 pages with black and white photos. Biography of Major-General George James Rankin on the Australian Light Horse 1887-1957.Handwritten in black on title page "With the compliments of the Bendigo Historical Society, Jim Evans, President." RSL stamp on front end paper.books, military

the story of an Australian Soldier who survived Auschwitz - Birkenau." Author Donald Watt Soft cover mid green colour Photo of the POW camp and photo of Donald Watt Large print editionbook, military

365 page, cut edged softcover book illustrated with B&W photos. Front cover has image of mounted Australian Light Horsemen in front of the Sphinx and a pyramid. Title is embossed in gold."Donated by T Pearson"books, military history

Belonged to Capt Warick Rosenthal No TX6321 AAMC. Refer 622.3, 775..1) Rising Sun Lapel badges, pressed brass, gold colouring. Rising sun crown in centre, scroll with "Australian Military forces." 2 Lugs & pin on rear. .2) same as .1)numismatics, badges, military, lapel

Item in the collection re Victor Henry Evans No 418655 RAAF. Refer Cat No 1760.4.Brass "Victory 1945 medallion". Depicts man with sword over a map of Australia on one side, reverse has image of continents with a whale and sailing ship. Small ring at top for chain or lanyard.medallions, victory 1945, memorabillia

Belonged to Capt Warick Rosenthal No TX6321 AAMC. Refer 622.3, 775..1) Badge, Rising Sun Lapel, pressed blackened brass with crown in the centre, scrolled along bottom "Australian Commonwealth Military Forces" Each has two lugs on the Back. .2) As abovebadges, uniform, lapel

A Christmas postcard which was sent to an Australian family during World War I. The postcard is intricately and colourfully embroidered on silk framed with a cardboard backing. The design is of several allied flags and Christmas decorations.The reverse side of the postcard has the followinh handwritten note: "Merry Xmas to all from Dad"

Royal Australian Navy standard issue ratings cap worn by able seamen when in uniform, this white cap has a tally band and chinstrap in black material with the embroidered name "H.M.A.S. SYDNEY".embroidered with the inscription : "H.M.A.S. SYDNEY" and the name "P. J. ADAMS" written inside

An embroidered postcard which was sent to an Australian family during World War I. The postcard is intricately and colourfully embroidered on silk framed with a cardboard backing. The design is of flowers and foliage with the words "for you alone". The reverse side of the postcard has the following handwritten note: "With Love From Billie Wishing you a Happy New Year xxxxxx"

Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historic Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. Historical Records of Australia Series 3 Vol 2 Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States Tasmania: July 1812 - December 1819 Publisher: Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament Date: 1921Pastedown front endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Librarywarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, historical records of australia series 3 vol 2, historical records of australia, library committee of the commonwealth parliament

This series of photographs captures life at sea and the conditions on the ship M/S "Mongabarra" Goteborg in 1950. This photograph is part of the Allan Quinn collection, which is a pictorial autobiography, and it represents one of many moments of his time abroad as a seafarer.Black and white photograph of Nilsson and Peter Stone on the M/S "Mongabarra" Goteborg from the U.S. to Australia in December 1950. The two men are undertaking ships duties pulling ropes on the deck of the ship.On the back of the photograph is the text "Nilsson & Peter 4/12/49" in blue pen and what looks like "K 9 B" in pencil upside-down.1950, ship, pulley, deck, rope, mongabarra, allan quinn collection, allan quinn, nillson stone, peter stone, railing