The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Khaki cotton drill seaman's summer flannel with square neck and short sleeves. A manufacturer's lable sewn inside back centre reads 'MURDOCH'S SYDNEY'.
Associated with S/6811 Stoker Walter Robert Reginald Burnett RAN. He enlisted on 27 July 1942 and was posted to HMAS Cerberus for training. He subsequently posted to HMAS Platypus (1943-1944) and the cruiser HMAS Australia II (1944-1946). While serving in the Australia he experienced a number of suicide attacks by Japanese pilots. The first was on 21 October 1944, in Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, when Australia was hit by a Japanese suicide plane. It is uncertain whether this was part of an official kamikaze attack, or a lone pilot. 30 men were killed or died of wounds, including her Commanding Officer, Captain E F V Dechaineaux DSC. Another 64 were wounded. After this action HMAS Australia was escorted by HMAS Warramunga to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides for repairs. On 5 January 1945 HMAS Australia was in Lingayen Gulf, providing heavy bombardment in support of the invasion of Luzon Island when she was struck by kamikaze aircraft. 25 of her crew were killed and 30 wounded. She was attacked again on 6, 8 and 9 January. This was her last action and she left for Sydney for repairs. HMAS Australia then sailed for the United Kingdom via the United States in May 1945 for a major refit. She was still in the United Kingdom at the end of the war. Stoker Burnett was discharged on 25 February 1946. Khkai work uniforms for both officers and sailors began to be introduced early in 1942 to reduce their visibility of the deck of a ship. At first white uniforms were informally dyed aboard ship, using coffee ground and old tea leaves. Some men, like Burnett, privately purchased khaki uniforms. By 1943 khaki working dress was officially made and supplied in the RAN.
Band of blue cotton fabric with two thin pockets which can be buttoned closed. At the end of the pockets there is a hole that could be used to attach the item to a uniform or a surface with a large bu
Metal fragment from a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M naval Zero fighter manufactured by Nakajima, finished with green protective paint. The fragment is part of the aircraft's internal structure and has a hin
Seaman’s cap with HMAS Australia tally ribbon. The dark blue wool cap has a whitened canvas cover with two brass eyelet vent holes on each side. Internally, the cap is lined with brown cotton headlini
Khaki cotton drill seaman's summer flannel with square neck and short sleeves. A manufacturer's lable sewn inside back centre reads 'MURDOCH'S SYDNEY'. Associated with S/6811 Stoker Walter Robert Re
Blue cotton drill swimming briefs. A small cotton tag has been sewn inside the back left of the swimmers marked 'JENYNS PTY BRISBANE-1941 Size: 2'. The briefs are split on the left hip. A white cotton
Khaki cotton drill seaman's summer flannel with square neck and short sleeves. A manufacturer's lable sewn inside back centre reads 'MURDOCH'S SYDNEY'. Associated with S/6811 Stoker Walter Robert Re
Seaman’s cap with HMAS Australia tally ribbon. The dark blue wool cap has a whitened canvas cover with two brass eyelet vent holes on each side. Internally, the cap is lined with brown cotton headlini
Band of blue cotton fabric with two thin pockets which can be buttoned closed. At the end of the pockets there is a hole that could be used to attach the item to a uniform or a surface with a large bu
Metal fragment from a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M naval Zero fighter manufactured by Nakajima, finished with green protective paint. The fragment is part of the aircraft's internal structure and has a hin
Blue cotton drill swimming briefs. A small cotton tag has been sewn inside the back left of the swimmers marked 'JENYNS PTY BRISBANE-1941 Size: 2'. The briefs are split on the left hip. A white cotton
Long cream coloured wool flannel with square collar edged with blue tape. The flannel has side splits at the bottom which are reinforced at the top with a square of fabric with two eyelets. This fla
