The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. SCENE AT A DINNER HELD IN THE OFFICERS MESS OF THE STAFF OF THE SIGNAL OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES AT "ILLOURA", ST KILDA ROAD, AT THE TERMINATION OF THE FIRST COMBINED OPERATIONS EXERCISES HELD IN AUSTRALIA IN WHICH THE U.S. ARMY AND NAVY AND THE RAAF TOOK PART. THE FUNCTION WAS ARRANGED TO ENABLE SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN THREE SERVICES TO MEET SOCIALLY AND TO BECOME ACQUAINTED AS MOST HAD NOT YET MET. ALL SENIOR STAFF OFFICERS OF HEADQUARTERS U.S. FORCES AND HEADQUARTERS, AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES, ALL SENIOR FORMATION COMMANDERS OF U.S. ARMY AND AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES UNDER THE COMMAND OF GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, AND THE SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN NAVIES AS WELL AS THE SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE AND THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE, WERE PRESENT. THE GATHERING WAS APPROVED BY GENERAL BLAMEY, HAD THE CONCURRENCE OF GENERAL MACARTHUR, AND WAS ARRANGED BY MAJOR-GENERAL C.H. SIMPSON, CBE, MC, VD, SIGNAL- OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, ALLIED LAND HEADQUARTERS, WHO ACTED AS HOST. SEATED AT THE TOP TABLE, IN THE BACK- GROUND ARE, LEFT TO RIGHT:- LIEUTENANT-GENERAL H.D. WYNTER, CB, CMG, DSO, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTRATION, ALLIED LAND HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA; LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN LAVARACK, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING FIRST AUSTRALIAN ARMY (OBSCURED); ADMIRAL SIR GUY ROYLE, KCB, CMG, RN, CHIEF OF THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL STAFF; MAJOR-GENERAL C.H. SIMPSON, CBE, MC, VD SIGNAL OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, ALLIED LAND HEADQUARTERS; GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA AND AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES; LIEUTENANT- GENERAL R.K. SUTHERLAND, CB, CHIEF OF STAFF AT GENERAL MACARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS AND LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN NORTHCOTT, KCMG, KCVO, CB, CHIEF OF THE AUSTRALIAN GENERAL STAFF. THE LEFT HAND FIGURE WITH BLACK AND WHITE SHOULDER PATCH IS MAJOR-GENERAL J.E.S. STEVENS, CB, DSO, ED, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION. MAJOR-GENERAL G.A. VASEY, CB, CBE, DSO, IS THE FARTHEST FIGURE AT THE RIGHT HAND TABLE.
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. MAJOR GENERAL A.A. VANDEGRIFT, COMMANDING 1ST MARINE DIVISION OF THE U.S. MARINES CORPS (LEFT) WITH LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR LESLIE MORSHEAD, KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED, GENERAL
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. SCENE AT A DINNER HELD IN THE OFFICERS' MESS OF THE STAFF OF SIGNAL OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES, AT ST. KILDA ROAD, AT THE TERMINATION OF THE FIRST COMBI
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. HIGH RANKING AMERICAN ARMY AND MARINE OFFICERS GATHERED IN THE LOUNGE OF "ILLOURA", ST. KILDA ROAD, THE MESS OF OFFICERS OF THE STAFF OF SIGNAL OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, AUSTRALI
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. LEFT TO RIGHT:- MAJOR-GENERAL J.E.S. STEVENS, CB, DSO, ED, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION; LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN LAVARACK, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO, GENE
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. HIGH RANKING OFFICERS OF THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN SERVICES AT A DINNER HELD AT "ILLOURA", ST. KILDA ROAD, THE OFFICERS' MESS OF THE STAFF OF SIGNAL OFFICER IN CHIEF, AUSTRAL
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN LAVARACK KBE CB CMG DSO, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING FIRST AUSTRALIAN ARMY (LEFT), GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY GBE KCB CMG DSO, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,
