Framed coloured photograph of serveral soldiers in a jungle campphotograph, jungle camp

Information regarding the circumstances of the eleven men of the Shire of Eltham who died serving their country in the Second World War and for whom the Eltham War Memorial was dedicated. Their names are listed on the Eltham Roll of Honour in order of rank. The image portrayed shows the eleven men (left to right, top to bottom) by date of fatality: CASTLEDINE, George Ernest, Spr., VX10044 (KIA 18 Apr 1941, Greece) GAHAN, Studley Manston, Capt., VX48379 (KIA 17 May 1941, Tobruk, Libya) RUTTER, David, Flying Off., 833 (400833) (KIA 9 Dec 1941, Bir El Gubbi, Libya) CLERKE, Alfred Charles, Cpl., VX23112 (KIA 2 Feb 1942, Laha, Ambon Island) DUNLOP, Cuthbert Douglas, Sgt., VX15252 (KIA 22 Nov 1942, Gona, New Guinea) INGRAM, Lester Neil, Flt. Sgt., 410236 (DOD 22 Apr 1943, Longworth, England) McLEAN, Stanley, Flt. Sgt., 419844 (KIA 7 Oct 1944, Emmerich, Germany) FELDBAUER, Theodore, Sgt., VX51733 (DOD 27 Mar 1945, Borneo) RUTTER, Donald Hemphill, Flt. Lt., 410262 (KIA 5 Apr 1945, Varrelbusch, Germany) FIELD, Kevin Francis, Pte., VX144763 (KIA 28 Jun 1945, Bougainville, PNG) BUTHERWAY, Jack Herbert, Pte, VX37645 (DOD 8 Jul 1945, Borneo)eltham war memorial, roll of honour, second world war, eltham, eltham roll of honour, shire of eltham, 2/4 field workshop, 22 independent brigade group ordnance workshop, a.i.f., australian army ordnance corps, australian corps of electrical and mechanical engineers, changi, falkiner street, florence mary butherway, jack herbert butherway, prisoner of war (pow), ranau number 1 jungle camp, sandakan death march, singapore, thomas james butherway, vx37645, 2/2 field company, 6th division, abington, annie castledine, arthur frederick castledine, george ernest castledine, greece, jean simonson, lower plenty, old eltham road, royal australian engineers, vx10044 sapper g. e. castledine, 2/23 bn, derril, gahan house, main road, rats of tobruk, studley manston gahan, tobruk, vx48379, 3 squadron r.a.a.f., aboukir, alamein memorial, beulah alice (simpson) rutter, bir el gubbi, broken hill aero club, david rutter, egypt, hubert rutter, libya, yarra braes, 2/21 bn, 23rd australian infrantry brigade, 8th division, alfred charles clerke, ambon island, battle of ambon, bidgeland park estate, inga caroline (nicholls) clerke, inga mary nicholls, laha airfield, nora ann clerke, rose matilda clerke, vx23112, william charles clerke, 2/14 bn, 2/16 bn, 21st brigade, 7th division, cuthbert douglas dunlop, gona, gona war cemetery, henry street, janet dunlop, kokoda track, new guinea, palestine, papua new guinea, port moresby (bomana) war cemetery, reuben cuthbert dunlop, syria, vx15252, 10 operational training unit, 410236, ada (key) ingram, berkshire, bomber command, england, group no. 91, john ingram, lester neil ingram, longworth, n.1374, r.a.a.f., r.a.f., r.a.f. abington, research (vic.), whitley v bomber, 419844, 514 bomber squadron, emmerich, germany, gordon stanley mclean, ji-g2, kleve, lancaster lm735, lucy mclean, mount pleasant road, r.a.f. waterbeach, reichswald forest war cemetery, stanley mclean, 2/10 ordnance workshops, albert feldbauer, eltham cricket association, eltham girls club, frank street, henry feldbauer, jessie margarette feldbauer, june feldbauer, ken ingram, margaret (feldbauer) ingram, montmorency imperials, research cricket club, research state school, sandakan number 1 camp, sandakan number 2 camp, theodore albert feldbauer, valerie (feldbauer) waller, violet amelda (teagle) feldbauer, vx51733, 247 ‘china-british’ squadron, caithness, cloppenburg, donlad hemphill rutter, essen, gloucester, hanover war cemetery, hanover-limmer british military cemetery, holten-lochem, oldenburg, r.a.f. castletown, r.a.f. station lealing, stoppenburg, typhoon ib jp443, typhoon ib sw526, 15th australian infantry brigade, 1940 cup, 3rd division, 57th/60th bn, best and fairest, bougainville island, buin road, mary field, mayona road, mivo river, mobiai river, montmorency, vx144763, william field

Small waterproof map of the location of the Australian jungle Training Camp at Canungra, Qld.Grid lines and map reference numbers.passchendaele barracks trust, waterproof map

(.1) The men are from C Coy 1 RAR firing SLR rifles at the Battalions jungle training area KOTA TINGI in south Malaya. (.2) Pte John GILES at LASAH north Malaya, operational camp for A Coy 1 RAR. (.3) Pte Victor ALLEN A Coy 1 RAR in north Malaya base camp with “FEARLESS” a 3 month old mascot who wandered into the camp and stayed. While ever music was on FEARLESS would listen. (.4) The soldier in forefront is Max (Dad) KELLY. Served 2nd AIF, BCOF, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam. The photos relate to the collection of William Francis (Dinky DEAN BEM, VX93960 2nd AIF, 3742 1 RAR 1943 - 1975. Refer Cat No 124.2 for his service details. All photos are B & W. (.1) Five men on a range shot, four men shooting, a typed sheet attached with details. (2) A soldier kneeling aiming an SLR, a typed sheet attached with details. (.3) Soldier and small dog listening to a radio, atypical sheet attached with details. (.4) Two soldiers patrolling with rifles. (.5) Soldier splashing water over himself. (.6) Soldiers on parade right dressing. (.7) Two soldiers patrolling walking on a log. (.8) Two soldiers reading a book on Malaya. (.9) Two soldiers adjusting slings on their SLR’s. (.10) Two Officers seated having a cup of tea. (.11) Soldier kneeling aiming a shotgun. (.12) Soldier drinking from a water bottle. (.13) Soldier kneeling with a small black dog. (.14) Soldier holding an SLR rifle. (.15) Two soldiers leaning out of an aircraft. (.16) Soldier playing a guitar. (.17) Two soldiers kneeling holding a tin of food. All photos are stamped on the rear in purple. “Public Relations Australian Army Force, GHQ FARELF” (then either) “ELL & a number” or GUN & a Number MC”photography, military, malaya

Peter Ball (born Cohuna, enlisted Bendigo) was conscripted for two years National Service beginning on 23.4.1969 Regt No 3796117. Postings, Recruit Training Puckapunyal Vic, Infantry Corp Training Singleton NSW, Infantry Corp Reinforcement Wing Ingleburn NSW, Jungle Training Centre Canungra QLD 3 weeks, ankle injury 5.9.69, return to Ingleburn, Basic Signals Course Ingleburn 5.11.69 - 10.12.69, Volunteered for service Vietnam, passed medically fit, fly out 3.3.1970 for Saigon, posted to Reinforcement Wing Nui Dat for 3 weeks acclimatisation training, posted to 6 Pl B Coy 8 RAR 25.3.70, embark HMAS Sydney for Australia 1.11.70, disembark Brisbane 12.11.70, posted to Enogerra Barracks Brisbane, posted to Vic Barracks Melbourne 5.3.1971 for discharge, posted to Sale 2 weeks with CMF fortnight Camp, discharged from the Army 23.4.1971 with the rank of PTE. Enlist in the CMF Geraldton WA in A Coy 16 RWAR on 24.6.1978 same Regt No, discharged re interstate transfer on 18.2.1981, rank L/Cpl.Pay Book No C 23443, brown covers with green tape on binding, print in black on front, hand written in black texta, white label on with hand writing in blue pen, 40 pages with entries in blue & red hand writing, large purple “DISCHARGED” stamp on many pages, rear page has a yellow envelope taped on with 3 X “Pay Book variation Authority” slips in, off white, layout in green, typing in black with red hand written items on, rear page cover has photo of a soldier with name, rank and date onFront cover in texta, “3796117 BALL PETER CHARLES”, date stamp on page 1 “23 APR 1969”, rear page photo date has ,”26.4.69”. Pay book Variations Authorities dated, “14.12.70, 14.12.70, 15.12.70” pay books, administrative record, soldiers

Richard Alexander Hanson initially enlisted in the CMF No V85605, transfers to the AIF No VX111070 on 18.6.1940 age 29 years. posted to New Guinea as CO of a heavy Artillery installation team. Later posted as CO of a Japanese POW Camp New Guinea. Discharged on 7.6.1946 with the rank of Capt in Port Phillip Coastal Battery..1) Photo B & W showing a group of 20 soldiers including one native al in different stances in a jungle clearing. .2) Photo B & W of a truck/trailer with some sort of lifting device over. .3) Photo B & W of a New Guinea Native girl in a white dress..1) Paper stuck on rear basically says, "Capt R.A. Hanson is in front and to the right of the Digger in black shorts and hat back row". .3) On rear, "KOWI (?) May 1941 Port Moresby, Alec".photographs, artillery, new guinea

From the title page: "THE/ PRIVATE WAR/ OF THE / SPOTTERS/ A HISTORY OF THE/ NEW GUINEA AIR WARNING WIRELESS COMPANY/ February 1942-April 1945"Hard cover book with dust cover. Hard cover - cardboard, with green colour buckram, gold colour print on spine. Dustcover - paper. black, orange and white print on green colour background. Illustrated - front, copy of an artwork depicting a soldier within jungle foliage holding binoculars, aircraft and camp structures in the background. Flaps with printed information. 296 pages, cut, plain, off white paper. Illustrated black and white photography, drawings and maps - including front and back end papers. Inscription noted on front end paper. Handwritten details - blue ink pen. "Len Burke" publications, books, ww2, new guinea, military history, aif

The stories in 'Victory Roll' tell of some of the deeds performed in the final and victorious year of WWII. They add to a long tradition of gallant service and sacrifice and will serve as an eternal inspiration in the task of building a new world in which the spirit of the Four Freedoms must predominate. In making final victory possible, we lost many comrades, to w home this book, together with those which preceded it, becomes a permanent memorial.Green hardcover and spine with black text - 'Victory Roll The RAAF at war' on front cover and spine. The inside front and back covers have silhouette, green sepia pictures of a variety of aeroplane. Illustrations, photographs and cartoonsMessage from the Chief of Air Staff.... Air Vice Marshal, Chief of Ai Staff C.Joneswwii, raaf, end of conflict, test pilot, wewak, the sisters fly on, battle of borneo, the biscuit bombers, anzacs on bougainville, raaf pacific, return to timor, pacific landing, long range from darwin, air victory over burma, lifeline to china, photo recce, first over malaya, jungle dawn, the victory in europe, story of a prison camp, night flight over hamburg, youth's prayer at a war memorial, victory at the alps, waaf's good service

Ill, maps, p.223.non-fictionWith sixteen other POWs, author Charles McCormac broke out from his POW camp in Japanese-occupied Singapore and began a two-thousand-mile escape from Singapore, through the jungles of Indonesia to Australia. The POWs' escape took a staggering five months and only two out of the original seventeen men survived. This is McCormac's compelling true account of one of the most horrifying and amazing escapes in World War Two. It is a story of courage, endurance and compassion, and makes for a very gripping read.world war 1939 – 1945 - prisons and prisoners – japanese, prisoner of war escapes - singapore

Index, ill, bib, p.559.non-fictionFor months during 1943 there was no night in Hellfire Pass. By the light of flares, carbide lamps and bamboo fires, men near-naked and skeletal cut a passage through stone to make way for a railway. Among these men were some of the 22,000 Australian soldiers taken prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. In camps across Asia and the Pacific, they struggled, died, and survived with a little help from their mates. 'Hellfire' was researched in Australia, Japan and across South-East Asia. It draws on 50 first-person interviews, ranging from former prisoners to an old Mon villager deep in the Burmese jungle, and from Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew to veterans of the Imperial Japanese Army. The result is a tour de force, a powerful and searing history of the prisoners of the Japanese. world war 1939-1945 - prisoners and prisons - japan, burma - siam railway

Index, ill, ,maps, p.380.non-fictionIn the Second World War, thousands of Australian boys lied about their age and volunteered for a war the scale of which they could never have imagined. Like many of their fathers in the Great War, they went with their eyes wide shut: under-trained, under-equipped and under-age. Some were as young as thirteen - too young even to shave. Many did not grow old; others came back broken. A handful are still alive to tell their tales. This extraordinary book captures the bold and untold stories of forty Australian children who fought in the deadliest war in history. Follow these boys through Libya and Palestine, Greece and Crete, to the jungles of Malaya, Papua New Guinea and Borneo, fighting for their lives, their country, their mates. Many of the photographs have never been seen. Haunting images of youths in training camps and behind the lines stand beside moving portraits of old men who have not forgotten.world war 1939-1945 - australia - under age soldiers, world war 1939-1945 - personal narratives - australia

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.358.non-fictionIn the line of fire' explores the nature of combat from the perspective of the men doing the actual fighting. From the heights of Gallipoli to the trenches of the Western Front, from the deserts of North Africa to the jungle POW camps of the Thai-Burma Railway, from the savage cold of a Korean winter to the steamy heat of Vietnam this book details what it's really like to be in the line of fire. Also it reveals the experiences of Australian women at war and the combat photographers.military participation - australia, sustralia - history - military

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, p.688.non-fictionThe untold story of the Sandakan death marches of World War II. After the fall of Singapore, in February 1942, the Japanese conquerors rounded up tens of thousands of British and Australian soldiers and shipped them to prison camps scattered throughout Hirohito's newly won Empire. The fall of Britain's 'impregnable fortress' was the greatest humiliation in British military history, for which Churchill never forgave the Japanese. But nothing would surpass the wretched fate of some 2,700 British and Australian prisoners who were shipped to British North Borneo later that year. They landed in Sandakan, on the east coast of the island, after a 10-day voyage on a Japanese 'hell' ship, and were herded into a jungle camp some eight miles inland. Thus began the three-year ordeal of the Sandakan prisoners of war - a barely known story of unimaginable horror.world war 1939-1945 - prisoners of war - sandakan, japan - prisons and prisoners of war

Letter written from (unknown) POW imprisioned by the Japanese on Morotai Island from 1942 - 1945 to (unknown) friend. Descriptive of life and treatment in POW camp. The island was captured by the Japanese in early 1942. Morotai's southern plain was taken by American forces in September 1944 during the Battle of Morotai, and used as a staging point for the Allied invasion of the Philippines in early 1945, and of Borneo in May and June of that year. Japanese soldier Teruo Nakamura was discovered in the Morotai jungle in 1974, as one of the WWII Japanese soldiers who held out subsequent to the Japanese military's surrender.Photocopy of letter, 4 pages, originally written in ink on (unofficial) Australian Red Cross form.Added to head of letter at a later date is inscription ' First letter written home for 3 1/2 years'.Top left hand- FOR SAFETY/ IN YOUR LETTERS DO NOT REFER TO:-/ The name of your ship or other ships in the convoy, or its escorts./The date of sailing, ports of call, or probable destination./ The description of troops, their loca-/tion or any other information/ which, if intercepted, would be of/ value to the enemy. In your Top right hand- Australian Red Cross Society/ (UNOFFICIAL)/ 25-8-45/ (added at later date 'Morotri Island')/ Alex, Have witten this especially/ as i don't wish our women folk to know the tougher side of life./Well Alex for the first/ 2 1/2 years as POWs we lived reasonably/ well, but the last 15 months was like /hell. Heres the worst lot of b-s/ you could find on earth, they worked /us from 7AM till 6 PM, & fed/ us on muck you wouldn't feed to/ Pigs. I'm nothing at all they would 2, pow, morotri island, morotai island, world war, prisoner of war, australian red cross society

Paperback book with a white cover and the title printed in red. The cover shows three Australian nurses standing together.non-fictionWhen Singapore fell dramatically to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, hundreds of people scrambled to leave. Amongst the evacuees were 65 Australian nurses. They boarded a coastal freighter named the Vyner Brooke, which was sunk by the Japanese. Miraculously, there was one survivor, Vivian Bullwinkel who, in spite of a bullet wound, endured 13 days in the jungle before surrendering to another Japanese patrol. On 12 February 1942, Singapore was just days away from its fall to the Japanese. As the city burned, hundreds of desperate people scrambled to the docks to flee. Amongst them were 65 Australian Army nurses, who boarded a coastal freighter, the Vyner Brooke. But theirs was a doomed voyage. Japanese bombers attacked and sank the vessel off Sumatra. Those who survived drifted for up to three days before making landfall on one of the many beaches on Banka Island. A group of survivors, including 22 nurses, gathered at Radji Beach. They voted to surrender, but the Japanese patrol that found them divided them into three groups and the executions began. In the last group were the Australian nurses, who died in a hail of bullets as they walked, abreast, into the sea. Miraculously, there was one survivor, Vivian Bullwinkel, who in spite of a bullet wound endured 13 days in the jungle before surrendering to another Japanese patrol. She was reunited with the other surviving Vyner Brooke nurses in a makeshift camp on the island. Three-and-a-half years later, only 24 made it home. Meticulously researched from the diaries and papers of some of the nurses who survived, this is a moving account of the fate of every nurse who boarded the Vyner Brooke that day. [From Trove]australian nurses, singapore, prisoners of war, world war two, wwii, world war 2, vivian bullwinkel

Bronze coloured hardcover book with gold writing on the cover depicting title and auther's name. The book is covered with a brown and red dust jacket with an image on the cover of a framed oil painting of Vivian Bullwinkel wearing her nurses' uniform.non-fiction The true story of Vivian Bullwinkel, a young army nursing sister who was sole survivor of WW2 massacre by the Japanese, the book details her ordeal in the Sumatran jungle POW camps. Her determination to survive is the basis of this factual biography. The story of Sister Vivian Bullwinkel and the wartime massacre of 21 Australian Army Nursing Service sisters. As the sole survivor of that massacre and a captive of the Japanese, she survived starvation, torture and lack of medicine by luck and sheer determination to live. [From Trove] vivian bullwinkel, royal australian army nursing corps, prisoners of war, ww2, wwii, world war two, world war 2

Bronze coloured hardcover book with gold writing on the cover depicting title and auther's name. The book is covered with a brown and red dust jacket with an image on the cover of a framed oil painting of Vivian Bullwinkel wearing her nurses' uniform.non-fiction The true story of Vivian Bullwinkel, a young army nursing sister who was sole survivor of WW2 massacre by the Japanese, the book details her ordeal in the Sumatran jungle POW camps. Her determination to survive is the basis of this factual biography. The story of Sister Vivian Bullwinkel and the wartime massacre of 21 Australian Army Nursing Service sisters. As the sole survivor of that massacre and a captive of the Japanese, she survived starvation, torture and lack of medicine by luck and sheer determination to live. [From Trove] vivian bullwinkel, royal australian army nursing corps, prisoners of war, ww2, wwii, world war two, world war 2

Was part of the Sunshine Technical School CollectionThe Stabbing by Tracey Mills|Ghost Town by Marion Walker|PEPE The Pigeon Who Ruled Sunshine by Anthony Micallef|The Phone Call by Kaelene Knott|Calder Park Finals Drag Racing March 1986 by Michelle Chatzidimitriou|My Dog Corky by Nicolle Meyers|The Day We Went Motor Bike Riding by Shane Hynds|The Mystery by Donna Tatlow|Annual Camp by David Shilling|Forces Vengeance by Jeff Ward|Sunshine Tech Bombed by Claudia Rundel|Mystery 2 by Donna Tatlow|Amazon Jungle by Barry Howard|An Experience Of My Own by Rodger Greaves|Best Friends by Vicki Psomiadis|The Book And Me by Amanda Alldis|Deadley Mistake by Corey Havarc|The Gate Of Imagination by Rachel Masuglia|The Picnic by Dion Beasley|The Magic Seeds by Tracey McDonagh|The Drowing by Mark Herrick|The Day I Wagged School by Michael Sammut|The Magic Seeds by Tracey McDonagh|The Ghost That Never Spooked by Chris MacDonald|Amusement Park By Tracey McDonagh|Lost Treasure by Allen Carrick|Ghost Train by Nikkie Pottersunshine technical school, technical school

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A coloured photograph of a fortified base camp alongside an Australian Fire Support Base, houses engineers involved in the construction of 'fire trails' which were cut through dense jungle of known infiltration, to cut NVA/VietCong lines of communications and supply (circa April 1969)photograph, fire support base, gibbons collection catalogue, nva/vc, fire trails, jungle, nva viet cong, denis gibbons

These are the stories Vietnam vets tell over beers at Legion halls and VFW posts - stories of young men tangled up in the chaos of landing zones and nameless jungle hill, in the boredom of base camps, in the confusion of a controversial war.vietnam war, 1961 - 1975, personal narratives, american, soldiers - united states - biography - ancedotes

Captain John E D White, Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV) took over command of 11 Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) Company in Da Nang, Vietnam, in February 1968. He was 26 years old. The 2 NVA Division was moving from Laos into South Vietnam and his mission was to establish contact with the division and trace its movements south. In mid-March the company was air lifted to the Special Forces camp of Kham Duc, near the Laotian border. They used an old French Foreign Legion fort as a temporary base from which patrols could be sent out. White called it Ngok Tavak after a nearby mountain. Initially, patrols failed to find the enemy, but in late April a patrol clashed with the enemy. At the same time, White received intelligence that the NVA division was closing in. At night they could hear explosions in the distance heading toward them. White decided their best chance was to leave the fort and take to the jungle to adopt guerrilla tactics. However, in the meantime a platoon of United States Marine Corps artillery arrived bringing with them two howitzers and a stockpile of ammunition. To abandon the fort was to abandon the guns. White contacted Da Nang, explaining the predicament, and was ordered to remain where he was. A Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) platoon was sent to reinforce his numbers. This was a para military force comprised mainly of indigenous highlanders, trained by United States Special Forces. They also brought with them two mortars and their crews. At 3.15am on 10 May 1968 some members of the CIDG chose to assist the NVA to attack the fort instead of supporting Mike Force, and close hand to hand fighting followed, along with grenade attacks and heavy machine gun fire. Air support offered a brief respite from the NVA attack, and some NVA forces were pushed back outside the perimeter by counter attacks, but at 9am White contacted Da Nang to advise that his position was untenable. A second attack was imminent and they could not withstand it, so they would have to withdraw. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter (under orders from Major Mai, the NVA had not attacked the previous medical helicopters that collected the wounded under the cover of air strikes) and at 1pm the rest of the force evacuated east, into the jungle. The NVA did not notice their withdrawal, and continued mortar attacks on the fort for another ninety minutes. Seven kilometres from the fort White called for a helicopter withdrawal of his forces. The force was successfully lifted to Kham Duc and then Da Nang. (Credit AWM)Black framed glass covered flag. Red material with gold fringe, gold writing with Blackbird in the centre with parachute holding 2 white swords standing on a gold star. 11Co. in gold underneath. Gold plaque mounted under the flag.GUIDON OF 11 COY (NUNG) MOBILE STRIKE FORCE (MIKE FORCE) /5th SF GROUP, 1 CORPS, SVN/ A Significant number of AATTV personnel served with this Nung Company based in Da Nang./ At the end of the Vietnam War, this flag was taken by a former US SF officer and held until/ when it was given to former Captain John "Jed" White (AATTV), CO 11 Coy (Nung), who led/ the MIKE Forces at the Battle of Ngok Tavak on 10 May 1968.battle of ngok tavak, mobile strike force, nung, john white

Captain John E D White, Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV) took over command of 11 Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) Company in Da Nang, Vietnam, in February 1968. He was 26 years old. The 2 NVA Division was moving from Laos into South Vietnam and his mission was to establish contact with the division and trace its movements south. In mid-March the company was air lifted to the Special Forces camp of Kham Duc, near the Laotian border. They used an old French Foreign Legion fort as a temporary base from which patrols could be sent out. White called it Ngok Tavak after a nearby mountain. Initially, patrols failed to find the enemy, but in late April a patrol clashed with the enemy. At the same time, White received intelligence that the NVA division was closing in. At night they could hear explosions in the distance heading toward them. White decided their best chance was to leave the fort and take to the jungle to adopt guerrilla tactics. However, in the meantime a platoon of United States Marine Corps artillery arrived bringing with them two howitzers and a stockpile of ammunition. To abandon the fort was to abandon the guns. White contacted Da Nang, explaining the predicament, and was ordered to remain where he was. A Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) platoon was sent to reinforce his numbers. This was a para military force comprised mainly of indigenous highlanders, trained by United States Special Forces. They also brought with them two mortars and their crews. At 3.15am on 10 May 1968 some members of the CIDG chose to assist the NVA to attack the fort instead of supporting Mike Force, and close hand to hand fighting followed, along with grenade attacks and heavy machine gun fire. Air support offered a brief respite from the NVA attack, and some NVA forces were pushed back outside the perimeter by counter attacks, but at 9am White contacted Da Nang to advise that his position was untenable. A second attack was imminent and they could not withstand it, so they would have to withdraw. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter (under orders from Major Mai, the NVA had not attacked the previous medical helicopters that collected the wounded under the cover of air strikes) and at 1pm the rest of the force evacuated east, into the jungle. The NVA did not notice their withdrawal, and continued mortar attacks on the fort for another ninety minutes. Seven kilometres from the fort White called for a helicopter withdrawal of his forces. The force was successfully lifted to Kham Duc and then Da Nang. (Credit AWM)A wooden shield painted grey/black celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Ngok Tavak. There are three messages from mates written in black on the back. The shield was presented to Capt John (Jed) White.Presented to Captain John White, AATTV from the men of the Mobile Strike Force, Danang, Vietnam, 1968.mobile strike force, capt john (jed) white, shield, battle of ngok tavak

Captain John E D White, Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV) took over command of 11 Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) Company in Da Nang, Vietnam, in February 1968. He was 26 years old. The 2 NVA Division was moving from Laos into South Vietnam and his mission was to establish contact with the division and trace its movements south. In mid-March the company was air lifted to the Special Forces camp of Kham Duc, near the Laotian border. They used an old French Foreign Legion fort as a temporary base from which patrols could be sent out. White called it Ngok Tavak after a nearby mountain. Initially, patrols failed to find the enemy, but in late April a patrol clashed with the enemy. At the same time, White received intelligence that the NVA division was closing in. At night they could hear explosions in the distance heading toward them. White decided their best chance was to leave the fort and take to the jungle to adopt guerrilla tactics. However, in the meantime a platoon of United States Marine Corps artillery arrived bringing with them two howitzers and a stockpile of ammunition. To abandon the fort was to abandon the guns. White contacted Da Nang, explaining the predicament, and was ordered to remain where he was. A Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) platoon was sent to reinforce his numbers. This was a para military force comprised mainly of indigenous highlanders, trained by United States Special Forces. They also brought with them two mortars and their crews. At 3.15am on 10 May 1968 some members of the CIDG chose to assist the NVA to attack the fort instead of supporting Mike Force, and close hand to hand fighting followed, along with grenade attacks and heavy machine gun fire. Air support offered a brief respite from the NVA attack, and some NVA forces were pushed back outside the perimeter by counter attacks, but at 9am White contacted Da Nang to advise that his position was untenable. A second attack was imminent and they could not withstand it, so they would have to withdraw. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter (under orders from Major Mai, the NVA had not attacked the previous medical helicopters that collected the wounded under the cover of air strikes) and at 1pm the rest of the force evacuated east, into the jungle. The NVA did not notice their withdrawal, and continued mortar attacks on the fort for another ninety minutes. Seven kilometres from the fort White called for a helicopter withdrawal of his forces. The force was successfully lifted to Kham Duc and then Da Nang. (Credit AWM)Coloured image of John (Jed) White, aged 26 arriving at Tan Son Nhut Airport in full uniform, bag straps over left shoulder. Close- up of chest and head with plane visible in the background.AWM - p 11058,001capt john (jed) white, aattv, battle of ngok tavak

Captain John E D White, Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV) took over command of 11 Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) Company in Da Nang, Vietnam, in February 1968. He was 26 years old. The 2 NVA Division was moving from Laos into South Vietnam and his mission was to establish contact with the division and trace its movements south. In mid-March the company was air lifted to the Special Forces camp of Kham Duc, near the Laotian border. They used an old French Foreign Legion fort as a temporary base from which patrols could be sent out. White called it Ngok Tavak after a nearby mountain. Initially, patrols failed to find the enemy, but in late April a patrol clashed with the enemy. At the same time, White received intelligence that the NVA division was closing in. At night they could hear explosions in the distance heading toward them. White decided their best chance was to leave the fort and take to the jungle to adopt guerrilla tactics. However, in the meantime a platoon of United States Marine Corps artillery arrived bringing with them two howitzers and a stockpile of ammunition. To abandon the fort was to abandon the guns. White contacted Da Nang, explaining the predicament, and was ordered to remain where he was. A Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) platoon was sent to reinforce his numbers. This was a para military force comprised mainly of indigenous highlanders, trained by United States Special Forces. They also brought with them two mortars and their crews. At 3.15am on 10 May 1968 some members of the CIDG chose to assist the NVA to attack the fort instead of supporting Mike Force, and close hand to hand fighting followed, along with grenade attacks and heavy machine gun fire. Air support offered a brief respite from the NVA attack, and some NVA forces were pushed back outside the perimeter by counter attacks, but at 9am White contacted Da Nang to advise that his position was untenable. A second attack was imminent and they could not withstand it, so they would have to withdraw. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter (under orders from Major Mai, the NVA had not attacked the previous medical helicopters that collected the wounded under the cover of air strikes) and at 1pm the rest of the force evacuated east, into the jungle. The NVA did not notice their withdrawal, and continued mortar attacks on the fort for another ninety minutes. Seven kilometres from the fort White called for a helicopter withdrawal of his forces. The force was successfully lifted to Kham Duc and then Da Nang. (Credit AWM)Coloured image of 7 soldiers (5 shirtless) posed on the edge of a foxhole with jungle in background. L-R Willie Swicegood (USA), John White (AATTV-Aus), Ken Benway (USA), Frank Lucas (Aust), Clay Aitkins (USA), Glenn Miller (USA), Don Cameron (Aust)john white, aattv, battle of ngok tavak