Black and white photo of Italian prisoners of war.On back: 21 Italian prisoners awaiting transport to the internment camp in their own lorries. Publicity section Cairo.wwi, pow, italian

Photos taken by John Weppner, April 2001.Italian Osario internal photositalian osario, italian internees, italian prisoners of war, photograph, people

Part of a collection of POW items by VX 8007 A.J. Roddy, AMMO Coy, A.A.S.C., 6 Division. POW in Greece CampaignLow Grade paper with printed information, camp commanders signature. For use in in Italian Prisoner of War Camp No 106Campo P.G. No106. PM 3100. No 2696. Buono per L. Una. Il Comandante. Vale solo presso lo spaccio del campocamp, ww11, pow, italian, money

This table was made by Italian POW's at the Land HQ Cartographic Company for the Officers Mess, Fortuna, Bendigo in 1943-44.Coffee table made from timber & masonite, has bottom shelf, all sections held together by wedge & groove, timber section has been varnished.Plaque etched & attached to table: This Table Was Hand Made By The Italian Prisoners Of War Attached To The Land Headquarters Cartographic Company For The Officers Mess 1943 - 1944army survey regiment, royal australian survey corps, rasvy, army svy regt, fortuna, asr

Items from Italian Prisoners of War held in Camp 13, MurchisonSteel spoon with steel fork attached with a rivetitalian pow's, camp 13 murchison, domestic utensils, camp cutlery

The ribbons were handed over by Italian Prisoner of war. Item possibly related to 2716, 2717P.Service ribbons, Italian, 5 rows with total of 16 ribbons all attached on a piece of cloth.awards, ribbons, italian, passchendaele barracks trust

Camp 13, Murchison. Property owned by Jim Finnegan. German, Italian, Japanese prisoners of war held between 1941 - 1946. Shows the remains of what is left of the goal used by Camp 13 Murchison during WW2.Camp 13, Camp Road, Murchison. Camp 13 goal. Solid brick building showing individual cells, roofless, tree right mid-distrance. murchison victoria, goal, prison cells, pow, camp internees, jim finnegan

This is Issue No. 5 of "The Curlip". The magazine is a compilation of research from a trip by the Orbost & District Historical Society to Bete Bolong. The Bete Bolong Prisoner of War Camp was located on the south side of the Buchan - Orbost Rd. From November 1943 to November 1945, Italian prisoners of war were based at Bete Bolong, cultivating maize, peas, beans and other vegetables on local farms. Unlike other 'farming' prisoners of war, those at Bete Bolong did not live with the farming families, but at a Prisoner of War Control Centre on Crown land overlooking the Snowy River Flats. About fifty Italian prisoners lived at the centre, along with an Australian Military Force staff of approximately seven people. The prisoners were driven to and from the farms each day. Three of them apparently simply swam across the river to work. They worked a six day week, with Sundays off. Although they were provided with rations, both prisoners and staff maintained vegetable and flower gardens. They were also skilled at cooking 'anything' they could catch, and at making illegal "grappa". Very few of the Italians were experienced farm workers. Some of them used their skills to make things for the families they worked for; a cabinet-maker made furniture , a cobbler made shoes, etc. They interacted with the local community and, although they were not supposed to go within one kilometre of town, some were found at local dances on Saturday nights. As recreation the prisoners were allowed to walk along the road to the west of the camp. Local people from both sides of the river could hear them sing as they walked. The prisoners also helped to construct an 'ant bed' tennis court on a property adjacent to the centre. Although now overgrown, the site of the tennis court can still be discerned as a flat area above the site of the centre. (ref./vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au)This item is a useful reference tool on the history of the Prisoner of War Camp at Bete Bolong, Orbost.A spiral bound book with a clear plastic cover. On the front is a coloured photograph of a view from the site of the P.O.W. camp at the intersection of Bete Bolong and Buchan Roads at Bete Bolong. Above is the title "Prisoner of War Camp Bete Bolong, Vic. 1943-1946" in black print on a white background. p.o.w.-camp-orbost ww11 bete-bolong

This item was used on P.C. Toby Nixon and Grace Nixon's farm, "Rolling Downs" at Bete Bolong. During WW11 the farm grew carrots, red beet, cabbages, beans and maize. Because of labour shortages the government built a Prisoner of War Camp on Russell's Hill. The manager, Dick Northrope, used three Italian prisoners to frill ring small trees and shrubs between crop harvesting. The introduction of ‘frill ringing’ and poisoning with arsenical tree killers in the 1940's and 1950's helped reduce the amount of labour required and trees on more country were treated. This enabled the hill country at Bete Bolong to become more productive. The dead trees and shrubs were later cleared by Erle Broome's D7 caterpillar bulldozer. This was the first big area of 230 acres to be cleared in the Orbost district. Soon after entering World War 11 Australia was asked by Britain to accept and guard large numbers of 'enemy aliens' and prisoners of war. The British government felt that it could not afford to feed large numbers of prisoners and it was believed that once in Australia the internees would have no chance of escape. Eager to show solidarity with Britain's cause, Australia readily agreed and decided to place the prisoners in a number of different camps scattered around the country and guard them with reservists and soldiers too unfit to serve overseas. There was an internment camp at Bete Bolong, Orbost. This item is an example of an item used by the Italian P.O.W.'s residing there. It is also an example of an agricultural tool not commonly used today.A galvanized iron watering can which has been used to hold poison for ring barking trees (possibly arsenic). It has a narrow spout. There is a handle at the back and a folding handle on the top. The top is conical with an opening for a cork. agriculture prisoner-of-war-camp tree-removal land-clearing

This book was compiled after an Orbost Historical Society bus trip to the site of the Prisoner of War Camp at Bete Bolong.This is a locally produced history book which is a useful reference for research into the history of Orbost.A 26 pp spiral bound book with a pale grey cover titled THE CURLIP NO 5, PRISONER OF WAR CAMP, Bete Bolong, Vic. 1943-1946. On the front cover in the top right hand corner is black sketch of a large paddle wheel with the P.S. Curlip in front of it. There is a coloured photograph of the view from the site of the P.O.W. Camp at the intersection of Bete Bolong and Buchan Roads.orbost-history bete-bolong ww11 prisoner-of-war-camp italian-prisoners

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

German Luftwaffe (Land Forces) minefield warning flag from WWII.originally intended to be gas markers, rather than mines, but as it turned out, the use changed .they were mounted on a red metal pole & there were 12 to a set in a leather pack. This Flag was presented to the Treasurer of Waverley RSL. It is a souvenir from Bardia in Libya The Battle of Bardia was fought over three days between 3 and 5 January 1941, as part of Operation Compass, the first military operation of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It was the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part, the first to be commanded by an Australian general and the first to be planned by an Australian staff. Major General Iven Mackay's 6th Division assaulted the strongly held Italian fortress of Bardia, Libya, assisted by air support and naval gunfire, and under the cover of an artillery barrage. The 16th Infantry Brigade attacked at dawn from the west, where the defences were known to be weak. Sappers blew gaps in the barbed wire with Bangalore torpedoes and filled in and broke down the sides of the anti-tank ditch with picks and shovels. This allowed the infantry and 23 Matilda II tanks of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment to enter the fortress and capture all their objectives, along with 8,000 prisoners. In the second phase of the operation, the 17th Infantry Brigade exploited the breach made in the perimeter, and pressed south as far as a secondary line of defences known as the Switch Line. On the second day, the 16th Infantry Brigade captured the township of Bardia, cutting the fortress in two. Thousands of prisoners were taken, and the Italian garrison now held out only in the northern and southernmost parts of the fortress. On the third day, the 19th Infantry Brigade advanced south from Bardia, supported by artillery and the Matilda tanks, now reduced in number to just six. Its advance allowed the 17th Infantry Brigade to make progress as well, and the two brigades reduced the southern sector of the fortress. Meanwhile, the Italian garrisons in the north surrendered to the 16th Infantry Brigade and the Support Group of the British 7th Armoured Division outside the fortress. In all, some 36,000 Italian prisoners were taken. The victory at Bardia enabled the Allied forces to continue the advance into Libya and ultimately capture almost all of Cyrenaica. In turn this would lead to German intervention in the fighting in North Africa, changing the nature of the war in that theatre. Bardia boosted the competence and reputation of the Australian Army. Perhaps most important of all, it raised confidence in the possibility of an ultimate Allied victory around the world, which would lead to the Lend-Lease Act being passed in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_BardiaCloth Flag bearing a skull and cross Bones on a metal spike mounted on a square varnished wooden basebardia, land mine, marker flag, minefield, mustard gas

3 letters from Luio Zenere to his father Attillo Zenere after his capture by partisans, handed to American forces and subesquently to British and his incarceration in a P.O.W. camp in Naples 16/3/1944One letter in english partially readable 2 in Italian faded and difficult to read but letter in English gives insight into the life of one P.O.W.3 letter cards from Italian POW Luio ZenterePrisoner of War Post Service des prisoners de Guerre Kriegsfrngennenpostletter postcard pow

A continuation and conclusion of the story of Australian airmen who served in or beside the RAAF in the struggle against Germany and Italy. In general it covers a period when both in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe Air superiority, the vital pre-requisite of successful air assault, had already been gained over the enemy. The emphasis is largely engagements or in the strategic bombing campaigns to the total achievement of allied air power in land and sea campaigns.Historical record of the Air power over Europe 1944-1945Australia in the War of 1939-1945 - Air Power Over Europe 1944-1945. AIR Maps, Illustrations, charts, photographsAustralian War Memorialinvasion of italy, long range missiles, oil, normandy, coastal command, ardennes offensive, battle of the bulge, evaders, prisoners, rhine, air force 1944-1945, wwii, 453 squadron, 646 squadron, spitfire, ground crew, no.3 squadron, 461 squadron, 466 squadron, 455 squadron

This tin is Part of the collection for A.J. Roddy VX8007Small tin for carrying tobacco, belonging to A.J. Roddy. Inside Lid: Every tin of Genuine/State Express/ ready rubbed/ Emblem/ Ardith Fine Cut/has the name ARDITH/ printed on the paper lining./ Outside of tin has a list attached to it: Melbourne; Colombo /Elquatara,Palestine/ Egypt. North Africa / Greece. Yogoslavia / Austria. Italy / Emgland. Panama / Honolulu. New Zealand / Sydney. 1940-45.of, australia, ww11, war, middle, east, prisoner, roddy, vx8007, tobacco, europe, a j blue

Item from an Italian POW held in Camp 13, 1942 to 1946A profile of a monkey sitting with its knees bent and arms resting on the knees Hand painted in brown with ochre face, red lips, ears and fingernails. Inscriptions in White 28-4-42 in front and PARINELLO N. on one side and PRISONER.OF.WAR on the other28-4-42, PARINELLO N., PRISONER OF WARitalian pow's, camp 13 murchison, hand made objects

Newspaper article of 7 photographs with captions entitled A Prisoner of War Camp. 1 page of a 4 page spread from The Leader newspaper on September 29 1943 with 5 photographs of Italian POW's and 2 photographs of Army administration staff. Also 4 copies of some of those photographs on coreflue and 2 not on coreflue.italian pow's, murchison camp, camp 13, italian internees, the leader, army administration staff, carpenters shop in murchison camp, blacksmith shop in murchison camp

A story written by Ivy Williams, nee Gorman, now Botheras, in 1994. It tells of 6 prisoners of war, who were sent to help her and her husband Fred, harvest their crop of peaches in 1941. Three of them were Ezio Neri, Hans Holsbauer and Osker Fleischer.HistoricOne piece of A4 paper with a typed story and poem. Has been laminatedivy williams, fred williams, ezio neri, hans holsbauer, osker fleischer, fruit pickers, italian pow's

Item made by an Italian POW held in Camp 13Sandstone hand-carved monkey and ashtray. Monkey has decorative markings. Ashtray has a diamond shaped recess carved into the top and decorated with two brown and black painted snakes and green and white leavesAshtray: Prisoner of War on top Monkey: Ricordo on side and Ricordo POW on bottomcamp 13, murchison, pow, italian, monkey

Mauve and Pink cover with a painting of a large brown lace up boot. The book title is depicted on a wrought iron sign. non-fictionBerlin, 2010: A deathbed promise launches Kathy Giuliano on a quest for the truth about her family during World War II. Alone, she travels to Berlin in search of an enigmatic octogenarian who holds the keys to the past. The only clues to his identity and whereabouts and are a black-and-white photograph and an outdated address in Reinickendorf. England, 1938: After fleeing Nazi Germany for the safety of England, a teenage boy is captured when Churchill gives the order to 'collar the lot'. One of 2,000 prisoners on the hell-ship Dunera, he is sent to Australia. At the 'family camp', he makes footwear and forms life-long friendships. Eight years later, what does he find when he returns to Berlin? Victoria, 1943: With the Japanese at Australia's doorstep, a mother and daughter are arrested at their cane farm in far north Queensland and sent 'down south'. Their crime? Teaching the Italian language to school-children. The internment camp at Tatura changes everything. The secrets they share must be kept for the rest of their lives.ww2 italians, internment, tatura, queensland, debbie terranova, berlin

Uniform cloth badge of the 63A Infantry Division "Cirene" of the Italian Army. The 63rd Infantry Division Cirene was an auto-transportable infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Cirene Division was formed 1 October 1937 and destroyed 5 January 1941 in Bardia. The Australians captured Bardia on 5 January, 1941, taking 45,000 prisoners and 462 guns for a loss of 130 dead and 326 wounded of their own.The 63rd Infantry Division Cirene was an auto-transportable infantry division of the Italian Army during World War II. The Cirene Division was formed 1 October 1937 and destroyed 5 January 1941 in Bardia. small red cloth with gold thread insigniaDivisione 63A "Cirene"battle of bardia, ww2, italian army