The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX155 Major Gerald William Austin, 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, Egypt, Greece, New Guinea, 1940-1960.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of 13 letters [with associated envelopes] relating to Major Gerald William ‘Derry’ Austin, dated 1940 to 1960.
12 letters written by Major Austin to his mother, Mrs Marian Sinclaire (neé Kennedy) Austin, and sister, Mrs Eleanor Austin Campbell, during his service with 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion in Australia, Egypt, Greece and New Guinea, dated 18 April 1940 to 14 December 1945. In these letters he writes regarding his movements, period of hospitalisation, site seeing tours, receipt of food parcels, daily operations and attacks, first impressions of allied units, meeting fellow servicemen, seeing his brother NX34737 Captain Austin Frank Austin, observations of local weather and wildlife and sends regards to family back home at Lake Midgeon, Narrandera, New South Wales. These letters also contain a typed copy of Major Austin’s personal experience of a battle in Crete, Greece, titled ‘Amphibious Assault’, c 1941.
One letter is written by the General Secretary of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union, to Mrs Austin, dated 5 June 1960. In this letter he writes regarding the publication ‘the Emu’, and sends his regards to Mrs Austin, referencing Major Austin’s passion for Australian native fauna.
Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX34737 Captain Austin Frank Austin, 7 Australian Division Cavalry Regiment and 2/9 Australian Armoured Regiment, Second Australian Imperial Forc
Collection relating to the Second World War service of TX4383 Gunner Gerald John McShane, Heavy Battery Rabaul, Second Australian Imperial Force, New Britain and Australia, 1942-1947. Wallet 1 of 1 –
Collection relating to the Second World War service and prisoner of war experience of NX24108 Sapper Alexander John Webster, 2/6 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, Second Australian Infantry B
Collection relating to the Second World War service of SX4570 Corporal Douglas Gordon Turner, 2/12 Cavalry Commando Squadron, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, 1945. Wallet 1 of 1 – Consis
Collection relating to the First World War service of Major George Aloysius Makinson Heydon, Australian Army Medical Corps, 8 Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, 1915-1918. Wall
Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX103954 (N36334) Lieutenant Paul Acton Lloyd, 2/9 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia and New Guinea, 194