The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
'Torres Strait Lightening Fighter' was conceived as a triptych in series by Ellen Jose titled 'Black Digger Ghost Fighter'. It is both a commemorative portrait of her father's Pte "Gorie" Jose's wartime service and a broader examination of the complexities of being an Indigenous Australian soldier.
Jose commented, "through this series of work, I hope to not only show the effects the war had on my father, but at the same time acknowledge the forgotten contribution which the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made towards the Australian war effort during the Second World War."
The work is imbued with cultural and symbolic references. These include motifs such as the Islander wartime dancer in an aeroplane headdress, and the omnipresent coastline in the Torres Strait which frames the composition. The stars denote the navigational role they play in the Pacific Ocean, and the struggle of some Indigenous soldiers to be awarded service medals following their repatriation. The winding path is a recurring theme in Jose's work and marks both the personal journeys of Jose's father and his fellow servicemen along the Kokoda trail.
Moilang (Rosie) Ware (born 1959) is an artist who lives and works in Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait Islands) on Waiben (Thursday) Island. An award-winning textile artist she works primarily in lino-block,
'Wait-a-while' is a commemorative portrait tracing the wartime experience of Pte "Gorie" Phillipe Jose. It grapples with the psychological impact of war, and the lack of recognition received by Pte Jo
This print features a ceremonial headdress with the form of a fighter plane surrounded by minaral. Minaral is a word in the traditional Western Island language of Kala Lagaw Ya referring to design, p
In keeping with Ellen Jose's tendency to combine exploration of the personal with wider external issues, 'Long winding trail' is both an intimate homage to her father and his soldier persona, and a re
Official Australian Army Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander challenge coin featuring the Aboriginal Flag, Torres Strait Islanders flag and the official Rising Sun emblem of the Australian Army. P
NOMINAL ROLL OF PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN RECALIBRATING THE 6 INCH GUN ORIGINALLY ON THE FIRST HMAS SYDNEY AND THEN AT GOODS ISLAND, TORRES STRAIT