WWII Australia in the War 1939-1945. ARMY Benghazi List of events from 31st March 1939 - March 1941Historical record of Australia in the war of 1939 - 1945 March 1939 - March 1941Australia in the War of 1939-1945 - To Benghazi. Volume 1Australian War Memoriala second aif, the middlel east, after the fall of france, victory at sidi barrani, the capture of tobruk, the capture of giarbub

Presented to 1st Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment by Field Marshall HRH The Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh at a parade held at the Western Australian Cricket Association Ground, East Perth on 25 November 1962. The Royal Western Australia Regiment was formed on 1 July 1960 from the amalgamation of all existing infantry battalions in the State at the time :- • 11th/44th Infantry Battalion (The City of Perth Regiment) • 16th Infantry Battalion (The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) • 28th Infantry Battalion (The Swan Regiment) At the above presentation of colours to the new battalion, the Colours of the former battalions (four sets of Queen's and Regimental colours) were trooped through the ranks of the battalion and marched off the parade for the last time. These former colours were subsequently laid up in the undercroft at the State War Memorial, King's Park on 29 November 1964. These were transferred to the Army Museum of WA in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary Colours Project. (Refer to Items 4-12 for individual records of these colours) 1st Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment was renumbered 16th Battalion effective from 1st January 1966 as part of a move to reintroduce the old battalion numbers back into the State Regimental system. 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment was presented with a new set of Colours on 27 October 2002. The original 1962 Colours were formally handed over for safe keeping to the Army Museum of Western Australia on 3 November 2002. Battle Honours allocated to the State Infantry Regiments created under the CMF reorganisation in July 1960 were promulgated in Australian Army Order 85/1962. These were a consolidation of the battle honours awarded to the various individual battalions that were amalgamated to form the new regiments. Union flag with gold fringes. In the centre a circle inscribed "THE ROYAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA REGIMENT", surmounted by the Crown. Battle honours emblazoned on the colour : CAPTURE OF TOBRUK, DEFENCE OF TOBRUK, EL ALAMEIN, DAMOUR, BRALLOS PASS, KOKODA TRAIL, LAE-NADZAB, LIBERATION OF AUSTRALIAN NEW GUINEA, BORNEO, LABUAN

This former King's Colour was originally authorised by King George V in 1919 in recognition of services of 11th Battalion (AIF) during the Great War. Presented by HE the Governor General Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, PC, CGMG at a parade in King's Park on 2 October 1920 and handed over to 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment (Perth Regiment) of the Citizen Forces. In 1921 this unit became re-designated 11th Battalion (The Perth Regiment) (The title was changed to "The City of Perth Regiment" in 1933). Subsequently consecrated by the Chaplain General, Archbishop COL Riley, OBE, VD, DD at a parade on the Esplanade, Perth, 15 November 1924. At the time of presentation this colour was a plain union flag with no central devices or other distinctions included on it. Following Military Board approval given in 1925 the centre circle and Crown were later added, in accordance with the approved design for a King's Colour. With the re-activation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) following the Second World War, the 11th/44th Infantry Battalion (The City of Perth Regiment) was raised as a linked battalion in 1948 to carry on the identity and traditions of the pre-war 11th and 44th Battalions respectively. The King's and Regimental Colours formerly held by these two battalions were passed on to the new battalion who paraded them in rotation on ceremonial occasions. With the accession of HM Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1953, all Colours that had originally been presented as King's Colours, and were still carried by units on the current Order of Battle, were automatically deemed to be Queen's Colours. Under major reorganisation of the CMF in 1960, all individual infantry battalions that existed at the time within each State were amalgamated to form State regiments, taking effect from 1 July 1960. Thus from that date the 11/44th, 16th and 28th Infantry Battalions were amalgamated to form The Royal Western Australia Regiment. In September 1960, at a ceremonial parade held at Northam Camp, the Colours carried by all former battalions were handed over for safe keeping by the new regiment. Battle Honours for the Second World War were promulgated under Australian Army Order 135/1961 and the 10 selected honours approved for emblazoning on the Queen's Colour were subsequently added in 1962 These former colours were subsequently laid up in the undercroft at the State War Memorial, King's Park on 29 November 1964. These were transferred to the Army Museum of WA in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary Colours Project. Union flag with gold fringes. In the centre the Arabic numeral "11" on a red background within a gold circle inscribed "ELEVENTH INFANTRY - PERTH REGIMENT", surmounted by the Crown. Emblazoned on the colour are the following Second World War Battle Honours:- BARDIA 1941, CAPTURE OF TOBRUK, DERNA, BRALLOS PASS, RETIMO, LIBERATION OF AUSTRALIAN NEW GUINEA, MATAPAU, ABAU-MALIN, WEWAK, WIRUI MISSION

Part of the Thomason Collection. See Cat No. 4136P for further details. 1. Photograph is of Sgt Albert Williams VX15912, 2/24 Battalion. Born Geelong Vic, 3 March 1919. Enlisted 24 August 1940 at Caulfield, Vic. Discharged 13 Sept 1945. He was captured at Tobruk in 1941. Listed as a POW on 26 .6.41, and sent to Capua, Italy on 1.1.42. Escaped to Yugoslavia 23.10.42 and recaptured 27.10.42. Transferred to Stalag 18A (Wolfsberg, Austria) 28.12.1943 after Italian Armistice. Released to UK 4.8.1945. 2. Letter from Mary Williams to son Albert Williams dated 22nd April, 1945. In the letter, Mary relates local news. Letter was sent via AIRMAIL. Stamp on back of 1. (Gepruft, Stalag XV111A) possibly a forgery created by prisoners to avoid camp censor, Gepruft means checked or passed. Prisoners made these stamps to circumvent censors in order to send letters and parcels.1. Black and white photograph of an Australian Army Soldier in uniform standing in front of a truck. Another soldier standing behind. Egyptian Pyramids visible in background. 2. Double sided handwritten letter in black ink on quarto sized paper.1. Stamped on back in blue ink: “Gepruft, Stalag XVIII A 73". Stamped on back in black ink: “226” 2. Handwriting in black ink. albert williams, collection of william (bill) thomason, photograph, letter, prisoner of war

Book documents the fighting in & around Tobruk in 1941 & provides a key to understanding the whole North Africa campaign in 1941.Green buckram hard cover, title in gold on spine only. Illustrated front end paper. Part of dust cover loose & placed on title page. Black & white illustrations, 348 pages.books-history, military

p.275.non-fictionLawson Glassop a survivor of Tobruk, reveals the personal anguish, the fear and bravery - the humaneness - of the Australian soldiers who took part in the siege, as they strove to maintain dignity amid chaos. Above all, he captures their spirit of grim determination as they fought against great odds and in bloody battles.world war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – north africa, siege of tobruk

Index, ill, maps, p.336.non-fictionBetween the wars A second A.I.F. The volunteers To the Middle East After the fall of France Victory at Sidi Barrani Before Bardia The battle of Bardia The capture of Tobruk The engagement at Derna Beda Fomm and Benghazi The capture of Giarabub Appendixes : 1. The A.I.F. in the United Kingdom ; 2. The 6th Division's operation order for the capture of Bardia ; 3. Abbreviations ; 4. A.I.F. colour patches, 1941. world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - north africa, world war 1939-1945 - australian involvement

non-fictionThe comprehensive history of the 6th Australian Division Cavalry Commandos – a (now out of print) reprint of one of the rarer Armoured unit history books. This is the story of one of Australia’s most famous fighting regiments during World War II. As an armoured cavalry unit it fought the Italians and Germans in the sands of the African desert and the Vichy French in the mountains of Syria. Later as a dismounted commando unit it fought the Japanese in the terrifying jungles of New Guinea. The heroism of the men in its ranks and the actions in which they engaged are portrayed in a way which makes battle deeds leap realistically from the pages. “To The Green Fields Beyond” is a documented and detailed book which is of value to everyone who is interested in Australia’s story. Seldom before has such a contribution been made to record of our national history. The book has been approved and sponsored by the Australian War Memorial. The 6th Division Cavalry Regiment was formed in November 1939 and, just two months later, was sent overseas to the Middle East in January 1940. Arriving in Egypt, the regiment immediately went to Palestine, where it joined the rest of the 6th Division and trained using machine-gun carriers and, from October, six old Vickers light tanks. At the end of the year the regiment moved into the Western Desert, where it joined British forces ready for the major offensive to commence on 9 December. Two days later the regiment became the first unit of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to go into action when one of its squadron fought a sharp action against the Italians holding Garn el Grein and Fort Maddalina on 11 and 12 December. By 21 December British forces had captured Sidi Barrrani and the desert was now open for the 6th Division’s advance along the Libyan coast. On 3 January 1941 the division attacked and captured the Italian fort of Bardia. The regiment’s A Squadron, under the command of Major Denzil Macarthur-Onslow, who went on to command the 4th Armoured Brigade, supported the attack. Tobruk was the next Italian fort to be captured, with the regiment again in support and covering the 19th Brigade’s advance. The regiment, though, was under-equipped and without its full compliment of vehicles, using only machine gun carriers. To compensate for this, A Squadron was parity re-equipped with captured Italian light tanks, which had large kangaroos painted on the hulls and turrets to distinguish them from enemy vehicles. After Tobruk, the regiment was used as part of the advance guard in the capture of Derna and then Benghazi. In April the unit moved to Helwan, where it was equipped with Vickers light tanks and machine-gun carriers, and operated with British troops in capturing Sollum. Towards the end of May the regiment moved to Palestine, where it came under the command of the 7th Division for the imminent invasion of Syria. The regiment experienced its heaviest fighting during the Syrian campaign, which began on 7 June. A Squadron was attached to the 21st Brigade and advanced along the coast, where the rugged hills made it difficult to manoeuvre the tanks and carriers. The squadron was relieved by one of the 9th Division Cavalry Regiment’s squadrons on 13 and 14 June. C Squadron, meanwhile, was with the 25th Brigade, and advanced along the Rosh Pinna road, engaging strong enemy defences at Fort Khirbe. C Squadron was relieved by B Squadron, which was later attacked by Vichy French tanks that were supported by heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, which forced the Australians to withdrawal. Always willing or needing to improvise during the campaign, A and B Squadrons both operated three captured French R35 Renault light tanks, while C Squadron provided personnel for a horse troop, quickly nicknamed the “Kelly Gang”, to patrol the high, rugged hills near the Mardjayoun–Banis Road. The regiment remained in Syria as part of the occupation force and returned to Australia in March 1942. It was sent to the Adelaide River, in the Northern Territory, and then later to Murgon, in Queensland. In 1943 and 1944 divisional cavalry regiments were reorganised into cavalry (commando) regiments. In January 1944 the 6th Division Cavalry Regiment became the 2/6th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment. The regiment lost its vehicles and became the administrative headquarters for the 2/7th, 2/9th, and 2/10th Commando Squadrons. The regiment remained with the 6th Division and participated in the Aitpae–Wewak campaign, in New Guinea, during 1945. Includes Nominal Rollww2, australian commandos, australian special forces, world war 2

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a bottle of Abbots Lager. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says 'Keep Going. Fill up in town, but a good drink is bloody hard to get'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Abbots Lager mural.tobruk, soldiers, lager, beer, abbots lager, murals

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a tea pot saying '9,256 miles to Griffiths Bros Tea Headquarters, Melbourne'. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says '9,256 miles to Griffiths Bros Tea Headquarters, Melbourne'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of a Griffiths Tea mural.tobruk, tea, murals, world war two

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a bottle of Victorian Bitter Ale being poured into the Melbourne Cup trophy and horses racing. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says 'A good thing for the Cup but better for the tonsils'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian). 'The photos were there when we were coming back from Western Libya sometime in March 1941, prior to the 6th Division going to Greece.' From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of the way Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Victorian Bitter Ale for the Melbourne Cup mural.tobruk, beer, victorian bitter ale, ale, horse racing, murals, world war 2

Letters regarding three photos of murals in near Tobruk in Libya. The photos were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2 and donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Abbotts Lager mural.tobruk, murals

Index, ill, maps, p.312.non-fictionBetween the wars A second A.I.F. The volunteers To the Middle East After the fall of France Victory at Sidi Barrani Before Bardia The battle of Bardia The capture of Tobruk The engagement at Derna Beda Fomm and Benghazi The capture of Giarabub Appendixes : 1. The A.I.F. in the United Kingdom ; 2. The 6th Division's operation order for the capture of Bardia ; 3. Abbreviations ; 4. A.I.F. colour patches, 1941. world war 1939-1945 - australia, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - north africa

This copy of the original was written by Lieutenant Hans Folter and Major Helmut Bertram. Hans who was captured Jan 22nd, 1941 at Solum near Tobruk North Africa along with Major Helmut Bertram. They were subsequently sent to Australia on the "Queen Elizabeth" and held prisoners of war at Dhurringile P.O.W Camp for German Officers, 1941 - 1947. This book describes life in P.O.W camp - recollections and sketches.Descriptions, recollections and sketches of life in P.O.W camp - Dhurringile. Donated by the daughter of Hans Folter. Monica Culen.Soft mustard coloured cardboard cover, with black binding on spine. 20 plus A4 pages. Ink sketches throughout book. This copy is written in German. Chronicle of the prisoners of war German Officers in Australia.luftwaffe pilot hans folter, major helmut bertram, dhurringile, ww2 pow's

non-fictionThe Siege of Tobruk lasted for 241 days in 1941. Tobruk was the only harbour between Bengazi and Alexandria and became crucial in preventing Rommel's sweep to the Nile. Tobruk was captured in 1941 and became a beleagured fortress until its garrison was relieved in November 1941. Churchill and his War Cabinet had declared that "Tobruk must be held to the death". The Australians under Major General Morshead fought like tigers . Nazi propaganda radio broadcasts spoke contemptuously of the Tobruk defenders as ‘rats’. In defiance, the soldiers proudly adopted this nickname and have been known by it ever since. During the siege, they designed their own medals, in the shape of a rat, made from the scrap metal of a downed German aeroplane. Anthony Heckstalk-Smith who was himself a Flotilla Officer the "A" Lighters which provided supplies to the garrison, researched evidence from officers of all units involved - Australian, South African, German and British to write this controversial story of men in battle.world war 11, rats of tobruk, tobruk, siege of tobruk, arthur lock

Why the name 'Rats of Tobruk'? A former British citizen William Joyce, better known as Lord Haw-Haw, broadcast Nazi propaganda during World War II. His announcement ‘Germany calling, Germany calling’ was a familiar sound across the airwaves, broadcasting misinformation from Hamburg. During the Tobruk siege, he often referred to the men defending the garrison at Tobruk as “poor desert rats of Tobruk, who live like rats and will die like rats. The Australian soldiers loved the term ‘Rats of Tobruk’ and adopted it as a badge of honour. Calling themselves the ‘Rats of Tobruk’, they turned the derogatory comments back against the Germans. William Joyce was eventually captured and returned to Britain, where he was later hanged for treason in January 1946. This item is part of a collection of items owned by Arthur Lock, a member of the 2/23rd Battalion, an all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force which served as part of the garrison during the Siege of Tobruk, then at El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo. It has particular local significance as the battalion was know as "Albury's Own" because a large majority of the battalion's initial intake of volunteers came from the Albury–Wodonga region. A plastic and enamel badge of the Rats of Tobruk Association mounted on a wood base. The logo appears to be one of only a small number to use the acronym R.O.T.A above the more common Association Logo.world war 11, rats of tobruk, tobruk