The Orbost Rifle Club existed in the early 20th century. (There are records from 1900). It folded in the late 1970's.Target shooting is one of the oldest organised sports in Australia. Records date back to the British Marines at Sydney Cove in 1788. The Victorian Rifle Association (VRA) was formed in 1860. One of the most important adjuncts to the militia system from 1903 to the re-organisation of 1912 was the role played by the Rifle Club movement in Australia. At the time, these clubs were seen as the reservoir of manpower for a potential guerrilla force should any invasion occur. For Australia, the invasion fear was uppermost in the minds of the population. So important were the rifle clubs for the defence of Australia that the Commonwealth provided the training staff, rifles and ammunition so the clubs could function. Members were drilled, wore uniforms and practised all the basic skills of soldiering as well as target shooting. The Orbost Rifle Club was active during this period.A small blue folder with a metal grip. It contains assorted documents concerning the Orbost Rifle Club.orbost-rifel-club documents

The Orbost Rifle Club existed in the early 20th century. (There are records from 1900). It folded in the late 1970's.Target shooting is one of the oldest organised sports in Australia. Records date back to the British Marines at Sydney Cove in 1788. The Victorian Rifle Association (VRA) was formed in 1860. One of the most important adjuncts to the militia system from 1903 to the re-organisation of 1912 was the role played by the Rifle Club movement in Australia. At the time, these clubs were seen as the reservoir of manpower for a potential guerrilla force should any invasion occur. For Australia, the invasion fear was uppermost in the minds of the population. So important were the rifle clubs for the defence of Australia that the Commonwealth provided the training staff, rifles and ammunition so the clubs could function. Members were drilled, wore uniforms and practised all the basic skills of soldiering as well as target shooting. The Orbost Rifle Club was active during this period.A small thick light blue cocered book with whit print on front - "Tudor Cash Receipt Book No. 61". Eleven pages have been used.Inside T of Tudor is written - "Rifle Club".orbost-rifle-club accounts-receipts

Hard cover book. Cover - cardboard, with adhered paper cover, white print on front and spine. Front Illustrated in colour silhouette of a soldier sitting atop a black hawk helicopter. 152 pages, cut, plain, white paper. Illustrated in colour, photographs, illustrations and posters.books, australian army

This ledger contains entries which relate to waterworks and associated expenses: construction, pumping schemes, water from stand pipes, meter rent arrears, interest payments, pumping scheme. Early residents in Warrnambool relied on tanks and wells for their water supply and in 1880 the first water supply scheme was implemented from a well on Cannon Hill. Using a windmill the water was pumped up and stored in a small reservoir nearby then piped to the corner of Timor and Liebig Streets where a stand pipe allowed the filling of water carts. Similar supplies were also installed at Albert Park, the Botanic Gardens and the Cattle markets and from 1893 to 1939 water was drawn from the Merri River. Drainage works commenced with the building of the Japan Street tunnel in 1856. The Warrnambool Waterworks Trust was the body responsible for administering these works.The supply and storage of fresh water and drainage of the area was an important factor in the development and sustainability of the town. This ledger provides an insight into the daily operations of this organisation. Large suede covered journal. Tan in colour with pink, green and white on edge of pages. Faded black stylised border around front cover. Inside front covers are patterned in green and tan. Printed sheet with Warrnambool waterworks Trust is pasted inside front cover. Warrnambool Waterworks Trust stamp on sheet inside front cover.warrnambool water works, warrnambool water supply 1900, warrnambool water works ledger 1900, warrnambool waterworks trust

In 1869, the Warrnambool Meat Preserving Company commenced their business on the site, where it operated until 1875 when it was sold to the directors of the Warrnambool Woolen Mill Company. After being destroyed by fire in 1882 it wasn’t until 1910 that the Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce was approached by Marcus Saltau and Peter McGennan to invest in a new mill. The original directors were James Dickson, P J McGennan, Robert Swinton, M Saltau, and J W Younger. In 1955 the Warrnambool Woollen Mill formed a partnership with the Wangaratta Woollen Mills. Dunlop bought the mill in 1968. From that time until its closure in 2000 it had a number of different owners, the last being the Smith Family Industries. This report contains the financial reports for the three years from 1951-1953.This report shows records of the Woollen Mill which was one of the most important industries in Warrnambool for nearly 100 years. As such it has links to many local families and organisations.Light brown paper cover with black text underlined in red. Bound in black tape. Accountants’ name along bottom of cover in black.warrnambool, warrnambool woollen mill, warrnambool woolen mill,

This book is a report on the development of the city of Warrnambool in 1960. The seven sections it covers are, 1 Town Planning and beautification 2 Culture and Education 3 Town promotion and tourism 4 Recreation and youth work 5 Industrial development 6 Town Development 7 Community organization. There is a very comprehensive study on each of the sections. The population at this time was 15697. This report has social, historical and research significance. It is a comprehensive study of the city as it was in 1960, listing clubs, organisations schools and sporting clubs. It provides information on any development such as the Olympic pool and St Pius X1 school in West Warrnambool and the building of the Pontings store on the Lava St corner. It relates facets of our history which have changed dramatically in the last 60 years with the report on Peter Hand’s tobacconist having 3 vehicles covering the district travelling 4700 miles a month selling cigarettes. It provides statistical evidence for organisations such as Australia Post, train and freight services and the hospitals.Large yellow soft card cover with spiral binding. Title and city details are printed in blue on cover with city logo towards top of front cover. Pages are not numbered. It is divided into seven sections, each denoted by blue page with section title printed in blue on page.Circular stamp on front cover,” Warrnambool Standard Proprietary Limited.” K L Arnel town clerk. warrnambool 1960, warrnambool directory 1960

Warrnambool Legacy Club was founded in 1947; prior to that it was part of Geelong Legacy Club. It covers an area in South West Victoria bounded by Port Fairy in the west, Mortlake, Derrinallum and Lismore to the north, and Camperdown, Timboon and Port Campbell in the south and east. The Warrnambool Legacy Club has contributed to the welfare of widows and children of past soldiers. In turn it has relied upon the generosity of local organisations and people to maintain their work. The Shire of Warrnambool would have been one of many of these groups who contributed in a generous way.Cream card with gold border. Dark blue printing with Warrnambool Legacy club at the top. Legacy logo printed in gold underneath.Signed by W.G. Sinclair. warrnambool, shire of warrnambool, warrnambool legacy club, legacy club endowment plan, w g sinclair

Alexander Black was a painter and decorator who operated a business in Timor St below Swintons. This ledger has entries which relate to work completed at the time including the Kirkstall school, Miss Murray of Waikato, W Fletcher, tender to Fritz Landman and work on St John’s Presbyterian Church, the Warrnambool Race Club and works for J.J Forrester.This ledger provides a snapshot of daily life in the early 1900’s and documents the type of work completed by tradesman and their associated costs. It lists a number of people and organisations which are of historical interest to Warrnambool and district.Long thin rectangular ledger book. Blue and yellow mottled cardboard cover with black binding. Pink and blue multi-coloured edge of pages. Handwritten entries in front and back pages. Loose envelope addressed to Mr. Alex Black inside front cover. warrnambool,alex black, alexander black , timor st warrnambool, alex black painter and decorator,

Mt Beauty rural fire brigade was established in 1948 by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria as an industry brigade. When Mt Beauty was handed over to the Shire in 1961, the fire brigade became a member of the Country Fire Authority (C.F.A.). Today it is an urban fire brigade. The t-shirt would have been used when members were together during fire drills, competitions, meetings etc. The black shirt was used prior to 1950 and the Red shirt was used after March 1950 The red t-shirt was used in the following yearThe t-shirt was part of the Mt Beauty fire brigade uniform indicating that the fire fighters were part of a team and were able and wanted to be recognised. It also indicates a strong and popular organisation. Black thick cotton t-shirt with collar and short sleeves. A zip is at the top front. Sleeves have yellow strip near their opening. "Mount Beauty F B" has been zig zagged stitched onto the front, also in yellow. Red thick cotton t-shirt with collar and short sleeves. 2 buttons at the top front. Sleeves have a yellow strip near their opening."Mount / Beauty" has been zig zagged stitched onto the front, also in yellow.Tag inside back under collar - "Sportswear / Simpson / of Melbourne / Mr - then P.A.B. handwritten in space provided. also '36' and 'All cotton' tags attached. Tag inside back under the collar - "Haworth Knit / Glen Iris, Melb./ 100% Cotton"mt beauty; fire brigade; clothing; state electricity commission of victoria

The Dederang Race Club is a thoroughbred Race Club that manages a country racing venue in North East Victoria at the Dederang Recreation Reserve on the Kiewa Valley Highway. These races have been held annually since the mid 1850’s. The Dederang Picnic Race Club holds its one race meeting a year with the Dederang Cup in January. Thousands of dollars have been raised in that time for charity and the community through the effort of volunteers. The race club is made up of 100% volunteers and whilst not only organising the race meeting they voluntarily maintain the racecourse and facilities to a standard that allows local trainers to use the course throughout the year. Dederang Race Club celebrated its 150 year anniversary in January 2015 with spectators dressed in period race attire and the launch of a book commemorating the organisation "Rank Outsider-A non racegoers glance at 150 years of the Dederang Race Club2 Documents regarding Dederang Racing Club meetings 1. Original printed flyer for Dederang Race Club Annual meeting Jan 29, 1938. On buff paper 2. Official programme for Dederang Racing Club Annual meeting. February 6, 1924. Buff cardboard printed programme dederang racing club; programme; dederang cup; kiewa valley

Photograph of early switchboard used in Mt Beauty. It is a record of old communication methods used in the area.Provides a look into the history of communications in Mt Beauty. Mr Bill Sutton is a past employee of SECV and an active member of various community organisations within the Kiewa Valley.Colour photograph of Mr Bill Sutton and unidentified man taken at Mt Beauty switchboardHandwritten on back of photograph: Pics 5 85%mt beauty switchboard, secv, communications, switchboard

Kergunyah is a small town in the Kiewa Valley in north east Victoria. It is 10km south of Kiewa (town) and 23 km north of Dederang (town). it is farming country commencing in 1838, developing into a small community in 1974 with a School, Church, Post Office, Football Club, Young Farmer Club C.W.A. Netball Club, Card Club and Fire Brigade.Kergunyah is in the Kiewa Valley. Its history is important in the valley as it developed from a large pastoral run in 1838 into a small community supporting the local farming industry with essential organisations eg. school, fire brigade and social organisations eg. sporting teams, C.W.A.. Its history is significant as this leaflet has details of the organisations up to 1974 and this detail can be compared to organisations at Kergunyah today and can be compared to the history of other small rural communities. White stiff paper, folded to A4 size, with black and white photos on each of the 4 pages. Each page has detailed information under headings of community buildings and clubs in the small town. kergunyah; kiewa valley; small community; rural town;

Mt Beauty Drama groupMt Beauty formed a drama group to entertain the community as they lived in a small remote town. Collection consists of: 1. Six typed A4 sheets - 'Out in the Cold Cold Snow' 2. Blue booklet A5 94 pages 'Sailor, Beware' and 3 copies of the handout to the audience including the cast 3. Orange booklet A5 8 pages 'Red Hot Cinders' and a copy without the orange cover. 4. Foolscap size with yellow pages at the front followed by 42 white pages 'Babes in the Wood' 5. A white card listing the cast for 'The Importance of Being Earnest' 6. Colored pages of handout for 'Cinderella' including the cast and dated 1959 7. 3 newspaper cuttings 8. 4 photos - Sailor Beware Photos are labelledmt beauty, drama group, entertainment, organisation, the arts

An Air Observers Hut was used by volunteers 24 / 7 at Bogong to monitor the skies for enemy aircraft during WWII. Bogong was built by the SECV during the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. See also KVHS 0937 (photo), KVHS 0938 (certificate), KVHS 1259 (book)This book informed the volunteers of First Aid posts, ambulances, rescue teams etc.Cream coloured book with black print on cover. 31 pages printed on both sides and with some black & white photos. Bound by 2 staples.air raid, wwii, bogong air observers hut, khes

The Country Women's Association of Victoria aimed to improve the health, welfare and education for women and children in the country. Many groups in country Victoria existed including one at Allan's Flat in the north east.The ladies of the Tawonga CWA branch supported the Allan's Flat branch as this book was amongst a Tawonga member's belongings. The visiting and communication between other branches supported the aims of the CWA organisation.White book with 36 pages held together with 2 rusting staples. In dark blue the title, CWA logo and Allan's Flat / Victoria are written. The recipes are typed in blue.cwa. recipes. allan's flat. cooking.

'Operation Key Hold' was set up in June 1994 to establish a security network whereby (with written permission) members of the public could leave their house key at the Hospital in a safely, locked cupboard to be assessed by approved authority in case of emergency. This is similar to the emergency button (hung around the neck) which sounds an alarm at a central location and alerts appointed acquaintances for assistance - used currently (2015) Operation Key Hold was initiated in Mt Beauty for people at risk of being unable to call for assistance. The letters and notices are examples of setting up a community organisation which began in 1994 locally and became State wide later in the form of a distress alarm which worked by radio contact to a central location. Typed and hand written papers including letters and notices of varying sizes referring to the setting up of 'security network' whereby a house key is left (with written permission) at the Hospital in a safely locked cupboard. This would enable appropriate authorities to render assistance if required.operation-key-hold. community assistance. jan burnett.mt beauty.

These are three posters from the Warrnambool and District Pipes and Drums Inc. giving details on workshops held by that Club in 2014 and 2005.The Warrnambool Pipe Band was established in 1906 and was in recess during World War One and the following years. It was reformed in 1937 . Today it is called Warrnambool and District Pipes and Drums. It is active in the local community. These items are retained for their association with an important organisation in the Warrnambool community..1 One A 4 sheet of paper with black printing and a green, yellow, blue and black image of a Scottish dancer. .2 One A 4 Sheet of paper with black, yellow and blue printing, the logo of the Warrnambool and District Pipes and Drums on a blue banner and four images with a Scottish theme. .3 An A 4 sheet of paper with a photograph of a young Scottish piper and two other coloured photos and the logo of Warrnambool and District Pipes and Drums and the Logo of the R.S.L.and printing warrnambool & district pipes and drums, wadpadi, south coast piper drummer, ceilidh

This minute book documents activities, meetings and finances of the Childers Cove Progress Association between 1932 and 1938. Meetings were held in various location including the Criterion Hotel, Mepunga School, Cove School and the homes of various members.This minute book is of social and historic significance naming many district families associated with this community organisation in the period 1932-1938Red ink stamp Childers Cove Progress Associationchilders cove progress association, minute book, drake, laidlaw, mcgennan, abraham, murnane, mcdowall, keogh, boyle, bonnett, criterion hotel, mepunga school, cove school

136 page softcover book. Front cover has the Title: "Yalla-Y-Poora On The Fiery Creek when the cannon's roar was stilled" printed over a coloured print of Eugene von Guerard's painting of Yalla-y-Poora; Back cover: Three colour photographs soldier settlement farming family descendants, soldier settler house and tractor. Yalla-Y-Poora On The Fiery Creek printed on spine.non-fictionNumber Six in James Affleck's series of book on Soldier Settlements in Western Victoria. An edited compilation of settler families' own stories, combined with a reincorporation of a previously published history of the area, profiles of local people and organisations illustrated with maps, photographs and poetrysoldier settlement, yalla-y-poora

The old Echuca Post Office was built circa 1877, a two-storey stucco building with a clock tower over the entrance, on the north east corner of Hare and Anstruther streets. In the front of the building is a small cream brick kiosk used as a bus stop and as a stall for charity group's to sell produce. On the far northern corner the spire of St.Mary's church can be seen above the roof of the Post Office.The old Echuca Post office is at the northern end of the shopping precinct in Hare street Echuca. The building is a beautiful grand building of the late 1870's which was built as a post office on the ground floor and a residence above. The small kiosk building in front of the post office was used by volunteer organisations to raise money selling cakes etc. at various times of the year.Colour photograph (post card size) of Echuca Post Office looking north. The post office was built circa 1877, a two storey building with a clock tower over the entrance door. In front of the building is a small cream brick kiosk and bus shelter.Printed on the reverse "this paper manufactured by Kodak"echuca post office, echuca-historical buildings

139 pagesnon-fictionDirectory which contains more than 600 organisations and individulas throughout Australia which have collections of pictorial material of Australian subjects. From fine art modes such as paintings or prints to photographic forms ranging from early glass negatives to video formats.directories, photographic collections

anti ring road organisation (arro), dr paul mees, greg johnson, kennett government, liberal government, melbourne, metropolitan orbital transport corridor, metropolitan ring road, vicroads, victoria, wayne phillips m.p., map

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