non-fictionBased on the author's own vivid experiences, The Cruel Sea is the nail-biting story of the crew of HMS Compass Rose, a corvette assigned to protect convoys in World War Two. Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat and mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves. Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary, heroic men who had to face a brutal menace which would strike without warning from the deep . . nicholas montsarrat, ww2, royal navy, battle of the atlantic, corvette, frigate

p.416.fictionBased on the author's own vivid experiences, The Cruel Sea is the nail-biting story of the crew of HMS Compass Rose, a corvette assigned to protect convoys during World War II.Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat-and-mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves.Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary men who had to master their own fears before they could face a brutal menace--one which would strike without warning from the deep. world war 1939-1945 - naval operations - britain, world war 1939-1945 - fiction

This promotional film made in the early 1950s in Melbourne. Padre Oliver may have been inspired by an earlier film also called The Flying Angel, shon at the Mission in 1948. An article for the Herald, Saturday 27 December 1952, page 9, mentions the screening of a Cinesound short about the world's merchant fleets and the Missions to Seamen. An illuminated light house beside the ship - a £5000 model of an ocean-going cargo ship on display at the State Theatre for a week - was a collection box for the work of the mission. Flying Angel flag. Padre Oliver with flyer from the Flying Angel Club on a ship visit. Crew on a ship. Clubs at the Port Melbourne, Williamstown, and Melbourne. Activities: dances, outings. boxing, movies. Ladies from the Harbour Lights Guild. Motorbus donated by Prahran Patriotic Funds The Cruel Sea, by Nicholas Montsarrat was published in 1951.The documentary was shown for a week at the State Theatre along with a £5000 model of an ocean-going cargo ship was on display and visitors could donate money in a box in a shape of a lighthouse.Promotional documentary produced in 1951 presenting the different activities of the Mission. The 3 buildings are depicted.port melbourne, williamstown, melbourne, ww2, nicholas montsarrat, cinesound productions, the cruel sea, frank leslie oliver, padre oliver, dance, movies, picnics, motorbus, activities, appeal, hobart, cinema, dandenongs

The Green Iguana is one of the most creative surf films ever featuring Australian surfers Mark Occhilupo, Luke Egan, 'Munga' Barry and 'Margo'. All Australian soundtrack by the best independent bands of the time and stunning cinematography by Jack McCoy made this a cult classic when it was released in 1992.One of the most influential surf films of the nineties by world renowned surf film maker Jack McCoy. VHS surf movie with colour cover art featuring Mark Occhilupo surfing and a green Iguana.Sponsors name in title. mark occhilupo, jack mccoy, the green iguana, luke egan, munga barry, inxs, the cruel sea, hunters and collectors, the celebrite rifles, yothu yindi and ed kuepper

This letter, the first air mail letter sent to Warrnambool, was written by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sir David Valentine Hennessy and carried by the aviator, Basil Watson on the first flight to Warrnambool January 24th 1917. The letter was delivered to the Mayor of Warrnambool, Cr Webb.There were several other letters delivered at the same time but this is the important official one. Basil Watson was a pioneer aviator who built his own aeroplane which was 18 feet long with a wing span of 26 feet and it had a 7 cylinder 50 H.P. Rotary Gnome engine. Watson flew from Point Cook to Warrnambool in one hour 55 minutes, an Australian cross-country flying record at the time. In Warrnambool Watson amazed the crowd with his dare-devil aerial acrobatics, looping the loop 14 times over the Warrnambool Racecourse. Basil Watson died when he crashed his plane into the sea near Point Cook, just two months after he landed in Warrnambool. This letter is of the utmost significance being the first air mail letter delivered to Warrnambool. It is an important memento of the first aeroplane flight into Warrnambool by the pioneer aviator Basil Watson. This is a cream-coloured sheet of paper folded in two to make four pages. It has handwriting in black ink on two pages. The writing is a little faded. The first page has the logo of the Melbourne Town Hall. The pages are partly torn at the folds. ‘Town Hall, Melbourne, 21/1/17. Lord Mayor’s Room, Dear Mr Mayor, I have much pleasure in sending you greetings by aeroplane piloted by my friend’s son, Mr Basil Watson. I hope when the cruel war is over and victory crowns our efforts, we all in the C’wealth will be able to fly from one state to the other. With best wishes for the New Year, …….. (signature indecipherable), D.V. Hennessy. His Worship the Mayor of Warrnambool.’pioneer aviation in the western district, basil watson, history of warrnambool

This booklet relates the life of Basil Watson. It tells in detail his early life, background, his home built aeroplane, his display flights and his tragic death and the story since. This year marks 100 years since one of Australia’s pioneering aviators, Basil Watson arrived in Warrnambool and delivered the first airmail to the town. Basil Watson was born in Bendigo in 1894. His interest in aviation which began at a young age, took him to England at the commencement of WW1 where he worked at Brookland in aviation workshops and as a test pilot. Despite crashing and suffering injuries he was not deterred. He returned to Australia and by 1916 Basil had built his own plane. He soon took to the air performing tricks and barnstorming to the delight of onlookers. His connection to Warrnambool lies with his delivery of the first airmail to the town, an event which was filled with much excitement. Basil Watson, pioneer aviator landed his 50hp home built aeroplane on the racecourse on Saturday January 27th 1917, after a flight from Point Cook. The trip of 166 miles took just under two hours, and set a record non-stop cross country flight for Australia. Watson was heartily welcomed by the Mayor, to whom he delivered three letters, the first aerial post to Warrnambool. One of the letters, from the Mayor of Melbourne Sir David Hennessy to the Mayor of Warrnambool is now in the W&DHS collection: I have much pleasure in sending you greetings by aeroplane piloted by my friend, Mr Basil Watson. I hope when the cruel war is over and victory crowns our efforts, we, over the Commonwealth, will be able to fly from one State to the other. With best wishes for the New Year. Yours truly, DV Hennessy. Basil Watson was unfortunately killed two months after his historic visit to Warrnambool. While participating in an air show at Point Cook, the plane he was flying that day crashed into the sea. This booklet tells the story of an interesting part of Warrnambool and Australia's aviation history. It has special significance as it enlightens two significant items in our local collection, namely the letter which he delivered and the seat from his aircraft.A small 29 page booklet with blue and white photograph of Basil Watson in his aeroplane. It contains a number of black and white and some colour photographs. Introduction from the author, "This small booklet recognises the short career of Basil Watson. He came to my attention when researching the French aviator Maurice Guillaux who carried the first official air mail in Australia, Melbourne to Sydney in two and a half days 16/18 July 1914..... Tom Lockley 1 June 2017. Handwritten inside front cover,"These items may be of interest to add to your material about Basil Watson. Its a pity that the 100 year anniversary of his flight was not more widely recognised but thank you for mounting some of his records. Tom Hockley."warrnambool, basil watson, first airmail flight, aviation career of basil watson

ill, map, p.319.fictionThe novel that launched the astonishing career of one of the 20th century's greatest writers of action and suspense - an acclaimed classic of heroism and the sea in World War II. The story of men who rose to heroism, and then to something greater, HMS Ulysses takes its place alongside The Caine Mutiny and The Cruel Sea as one of the classic novels of the navy at war. It is the compelling story of Convoy FR77 to Murmansk - a voyage that pushes men to the limits of human endurance, crippled by enemy attack and the bitter cold of the Arctic. world war 1939-1945 - fiction, russian convoys - fiction

This document examines the controversial legacy of Dr. James Patrick Murray, focusing on his involvement in maritime violence and his surprising recognition by the Bendigo Council. Bendigo Council awarded Dr. Murray a bonus and a glowing reference 150 years ago, despite his alleged involvement in mass murder at sea. He received a £50 bonus (over $10,000 today) for his work during a public health crisis. Murray captained the brig Carl, which was involved in forcibly transporting islanders to work on Fiji's cotton plantations. Accounts describe extreme violence: when enslaved islanders resisted, Murray and his crew fired into the hold, drilled holes to shoot more easily, and disposed of bodies at sea—allegedly killing 70 people. Survivors were delivered to Fiji, and the crew received a large finder's fee. Murray was described as charming and confident, but also as cruel, treacherous, and deceitful by contemporary sources. He betrayed his own crew by testifying against them in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Some accounts of Murray's actions may be exaggerated or self-serving, as witnesses were also implicated in the crimes and may have sought to minimize their own roles. Murray was Irish-born, educated at Trinity College Dublin, and established as a Melbourne doctor before turning to risky ventures in the South Seas, drawn by the promise of wealth and adventure. The South Pacific at the time attracted many fugitives and outcasts seeking fortune or escape from the law. Despite his violent past, Murray returned to Victoria and maintained a respectable public image, with few aware of his connection to the notorious events in Fiji. In 1872, Bendigo faced a deadly smallpox outbreak.Dr. Murray was appointed with full authority to manage the crisis and was credited with successfully containing the outbreak, earning public gratitude and official praise. Shortly after his public health success, Murray was implicated in the slave trading of South Sea islanders, specifically through his involvement with the ship Carl. Court testimony revealed brutal methods used to capture islanders, including trickery and force. The scandal shocked the public, with widespread condemnation and questions about how Murray had been appointed to a position of trust. Victorian authorities and the press criticized Murray and those who had supported or employed him. Despite the revelations, the Bendigo council felt obligated to honor their promise of a bonus for his work during the outbreak, citing the importance of keeping their word. Murray did not return to Bendigo after the scandal broke, though he sent letters expressing gratitude and claiming to have reformed. His claims of redemption were met with skepticism and derision by the press. The ship Carl was seized, and several crew members were convicted and sentenced for their roles in the slave trading operation. Murray disappeared from public view, with reports suggesting he fled to England, leaving his family behind.Bendigo Advertiser Article - "Council granted slave trader a healthy bonus" Sat Aug 20 2022, story by Tom O'Callaghan and images courtesy of TROVE 3486.55a Black and white etching of James Patrick Murray 3486.55b Part of the article from the Bendigo Advertiser 3486.55c Black and white etching of the seizing of a slave trader's ship 3486.55d Part of the article from the Bendigo Advertiserbendigo, james patrick murray