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 black and white photograph of an Australina Army Training Team (AATTV) advisor at the Vietnamese Ranger, Parachute Training Establishment, Bear Cat, 3 Corps, watching Vietnamese ranger recruits practice the correct way to roll when landing from a parachute jump.photograph, aattv, vietnamese ranger, parachute training establishment, bear cat, 3 corps, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, australian army training team vietnam (aattv)

This Para Smock was worn by 'Dutchy' Holland (MBE) as a RAAF Warrant Officer PJI during his time at PTS Williamstown. The badges were collected by him from para units and para training units world wide.WW2 Dennison Parachute Smock owned by 'Warrant Officer 'Dutchy' Holland RAAF PJI with numerous parachute qualification and unit badges.Brass plaque on wooden display-hanger reads: RAAF Warrant Officer PDS (Dutchy) Holland, MBE . This Parachute Jump Smock was worn by him as a Parachute Jump Instructor during his time at the RAAF Parachute Training School, Williamtown, NSW. The badges were collected by him from units world wide.parachute training, badges, world war 2, memorabilia

WO2 John Vincent of AATTV trains Montagnard soldiers to parachute. The Montagnard of Mike Force were part of the Special Forces Vietnam.wo 2, photograph, training, aattv

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 black and white photograph - Bearcat South Vietnam, 1970, a member of Australian Army Ttraining Team Vietnam (AATTV) instructs Vietnamese Ranger recruits in the correct way to land during parachute trainingphotograph, bearcat, aattv, arvn soldier, gibbons collection catalogue, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), vietnamese ranger, parachute training, denis gibbons

During the 1980s members of 8/13 VMR were given the opportunity for parachute training.Colour photograph of Lance Corporal Petering wearing parachute and red helmet preparing for a jump..He was a member of Assault Troop 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles.

Item in the collection of Gilbert John Mitchell (Jack) Pre WW2 Jack had service for a brief time in the 38th BN Bendigo No 447203. He enlisted in the RAAF on 31.1.1942 No 410686 age 20 years. Embarked for England on 6.1.1943 for further Training. Posted to 166 Sqd RAF Wellington Bombers then posted Operational to No 466 Sqd RAAF flying Halifax Heavy Bombers. On 18.7.1944 he and his crew in MZ313 were on a mission to attack Railway Sidings at Vaires. This was new Aircraft on 11.6.1944. They were hit by Anti Aircraft shells exploding in the fuselage. The Bomb Aimer Flt/Lt Finley advised the crew to leave by parachute as it was possible the craft could disintegrate. The Pilot Officer R.J. Evans decided to try and get the aircraft back to England, once there they abandoned the craft which was seen to disintegrate in mid air. Both were awarded the DFC. Jack was taken POW and sent to Stalag Luft 1 near Barth on the Baltic Sea for Allied Airmen. The Crew were; Roger John Evans No 410202, enlisted 5.12.1941 age 31 years. Peter Hamiliton Finley No 412294, enlisted 22.6.1941 age 22 years. L.C. Abbott, British/Allied. G.J. Mitchell, POW. Keith Mossman Tranent POW, No 426402, enlisted 20.6.1942 age 19 years 2 months. J.P.T. Finn RAF (Paddy) T.W. Wild British/Allied. On 30.4.1945 The Germans vacated the Camp Jack was in and 2 days later the Russians released them and he was placed in a British Hospital weighing 6 stone. He arrived home in Sept 1945. He stayed in the RAAF No 033130 and served in No 35 Sqd flying VIPs. He was in the Berlin Airlift 1948 - 1949, he also went on exchange with the RAF and flew in No's 24 & 511 Sqd's one a transport the other VIP transport. He was discharged from the RAAF with the rank of Flt/Lt on 6.7.1956 in No 11 Sqd. "Maunder and Sheean". In the article Jacks says that Lofty Maunder always had a joke etc when near the target to settle everyone down. The crew of Halifax LV875 were shot down by a Night Fighter near the target "Terngier" north of Paris 0n 11.4.1944. There was 157 Halifax's on the raid with 10 being lost. The Crew were; John Henry Maunder No 412562, Navigator, enlisted 19.7.1941 age 19 years 10 months. Brian Leo Sheean, No 409855, Wireless Operator, enlisted 1.10.1941 age 18 years. Research shows there were at least 3 more of the Crew KIA. Cecil John Bond No 420433, Pilot, enlisted 8.11.1941 age 19 years 11 months. John Neville Keys No 426112, Bomb Aimer, enlisted 23.5.1942 age 19 years 6 months. Clifford Young Warren No 427047, Rear Gunner, enlisted 26.4.1942 age 19 years 3 months. J.A. White, Flight Engineer, British/Allied. D.K. Messenger, Mid Upper Gunner, British/Allied. Newspaper article Herald Sun 19.4.2002, copy. Article re Jack Mitchell. The article has 6 photo insets 3 of Jack, 2 show Airmen beside an aircraft. The one with 2 Aircrew is "Lofty" Maunder and Jack. The article is mostly about "Maunder and Brian Sheean" mates of Jack. The inset photo of a women in uniform is believed to be "Maunders" English wife who he had married previously. Maunder and Sheean were KIA. "FLY THE FLAG FOR A MATE"newspaper, article, 466 sqd

The program shows training places such as Georges Heights, Holdsworthy, Broken Ridge, RAAF Williamstown. Activities such as Home Trg, Basic Infantry, Parachute Trg, Amphibious Raids, Climbing, Driving, Coxswains.This is a single sheet of cardboard when folded make a pocket size 'Booklet'. The printing is in green ink. the front has the Boomerang & Dagger symbol of Commando's. The C.O. was Major P. T. Johnston. The address of Unit was Georges Heights, Mosman, NSW. The rear page is a basic summary of joining the CMF.cmf, commando trg

An account of the operations of The Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB) better known as ‘Z’ Special Unit. Now a scarce and highly sought after title. The author’s personal experiences with Australian Special Forces (Services Reconnaissance Department) which involved guerrilla soldiering with the head-hunters of Japanese held Borneo during World War 2. Z Special Unit an administrative support unit of (also known as Special Operations Australia (SOA) or the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD)) was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia. Predominantly Australian, SRD was a specialist reconnaissance and sabotage unit that included British, Dutch, New Zealand, Timorese and Indonesian members, predominantly operating on Borneo and the islands of the former Netherlands East Indies. The unit carried out a total of 81 covert operations in the South West Pacific theatre, with parties inserted by parachute or submarine to provide intelligence and conduct guerrilla warfare. The best known of these missions were Operation Jaywick and Operation RIMAU, both of which involved raids on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour; the latter of which resulted in the deaths of twenty-three commandos either in action or by execution after capture. Although the unit was disbanded after the war, many of the training techniques and operational procedures employed were later used during the formation of other Australian Army special forces units and they remain a model for guerrilla operations to this day.Hard Cover with Dust Jacket – 608 pagesInscribed by author-Bob Long AK223 SEMUT 1 Borneo 1945

When Lloyd Campbell joined the AIF, he was underage and went to the Middle East with 2/17 Battalion. Later in New Guinea he made a major career change and volunteered for an unknown unit and special operations. What he had joined was the SRD – known as Z-Special Unit. Z Special Unit—also known as Special Operations Executive (SOE), Special Operations Australia (SOA) or the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD)—was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia. Predominantly Australian, Z Special Unit was a specialist reconnaissance and sabotage unit that included British, Dutch, New Zealand, Timorese and Indonesian members, predominantly operating on Borneo and the islands of the former Netherlands East Indies. The unit carried out a total of 81 covert operations in the South West Pacific theatre, with parties inserted by parachute or submarine to provide intelligence and conduct guerrilla warfare. The best known of these missions were Operation Jaywick and Operation Rimau, both of which involved raids on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour; the latter of which resulted in the deaths of 23 commandos either in action or by execution after capture. Although the unit was disbanded after the war, many of the training techniques and operational procedures employed were later used during the formation of other Australian Army special forces units and they remain a model for guerrilla operations to this day. pp. 274, illusts, maps ww2, the australian special operations, special forces, z special unit

Ill, p.380.non-fictionBased on his diaries, this is a frank account of how Mason came first in French Foreign Legion basic training, trained other Legionnaires, went to Africa, did sniper, commando and medic's training and took part in two operations, both in the Republic of Djibouti, where a civil war nearly crippled the nation. It tells of his daily life in the Legion, in the training regiment, in Africa and with the Legion's Parachute Regiment. But more than this, David's gripping account reveals his disillusionment, frustration and disappointments, and how the Legion today is not what it seems.soldiers - australia - biography, france - military history

Various photos taken during training in and around Puckapunyal around mid 1950's.Series of 8 small photos in black and white, of tanks and related equipment and ammunition. Photos include Centurion Tanks, Grant Tank, Artillery, Stag Hound Tank, Armoured jeeps, Parachute Motor, grenades and flares. Photos are all labelled and stuck to an A.4 piece of paper.Each photo is labelled.photographs, tanks, puckapunyal

Baseball style peaked cap. Bue/black veleur fabric. Embroidery lettering yellow thread. Insignia white thread.5th Special Forces insignia star above parachute with wings. B 20 V.N. Mike Force5th special forces group (airborne), b 20 v.n. mike force, aattv, australian army training team vietnam (aattv)