The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Informal outdoor portrait of VX38890 Captain (Capt) David St Alban "Dade" Dexter, 2/2 Independent Company (Sparrow Force), following his return from service in Timor, where the unit fought and evaded capture by the Japanese. 2/2 Independent Company was renamed 2/2 Cavalry Commando Squadron and fought in New Guinea and New Britain. Dexter was appointed Commanding Officer of a Commando Squadron operating in the Ramu Valley, New Guinea, for which he was mentioned in despatches. He was promoted to Major, and commanded 2/4 Independent Company at the Tarakan landing in Kalimantan. Dexter was wounded five times during his service. He was one of the five serving sons of Padre Walter Ernest Dexter DSO MC DCM, a mounted trooper in the Boer War and a military chaplain in the First World War. Following the war David Dexter wrote Part VI of the Official War History, The New Guinea Offensives. This image is from the collection of Lieutenant Paul Merrick (Mick) Dexter, who enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANV) in 1943, and was a watchkeeper and anti-submarine specialist on Corvettes between 1944 and 1946. (See PR00249 for private records of David Dexter relating to his active service as a commando officer in Timor and New Guinea.)
Members of 2/2 Independent Company (Sparrow Force) have just returned from service in Timor and are recovering from their ordeal. The men are still wearing the long thick beards grown during the month
"All home Aug 1945." Four brothers of the Dexter family prepare to meet up with a fifth brother VX38890 Major David St Alban "Dade" Dexter, 2/2 Cavalry Commando Squadron. The brothers are, left to rig
Collection relating to the Second World War service of Major David Saint Alban Dexter, 2/2 Australian Commando Squadron. Vast collection of mixed papers relating to active service as a commando offic
"Army motor yacht, Townsville." This image is from the collection of Lieutenant Paul Merrick (Mick) Dexter, who enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANV) in 1943, and was a watch
HMAS Polaris at anchor. The Polaris was a small survey vessel skippered by Sub Lieutenant Derek Morice Norton, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANV). This image is from the collection of Lie
HMAS Deloraine participating in an LL magnetic minesweeping operations near Kavieng. This image is from the collection of Lieutenant Paul Merrick (Mick) Dexter, who enlisted in the Royal Australian Na
