The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Collection relating to the Second World War service of A5107 Warrant Officer John Patrick Thomson Rae, No. 3 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Egypt, Libya and Italy, 1941-1944.
Wallet 1 of 1 consists of two diaries written by Warrant Officer Rae, in which he regularly recorded his experiences of his wartime service. Rae’s first diary has entries dated between 9 September 1941 and 31 December 1941. Rae writes about his embarkation on the Queen Elizabeth and voyage to Egypt, seeing his first signs of war, joining No. 3 Squadron, his duties as a RAAF storekeeper, severe dust storms, sightseeing, air raids, water rations, hearing stories from airmen recently returned from operations, and packing up equipment of airmen who had been killed or were missing. Rae also writes about the Kittyhawk aircraft, America joining the war, missing home, seeing the Germans bombing Tobruk and witnessing a dog-fight overhead. The diary also contains two strips of photographs, one featuring a bomb cloud, and the other a smoking battlefield.
Rae's second diary contains entries dated between 1 January 1942 and 27 February 1944. Rae writes about feeling that he should be in Australia because of the threat of Japan, gambling, moving aerodromes as the Allies retreated, playing cricket, hearing of the fall of Singapore and the bombing of Darwin, sleeping in a slit trench, and being under constant bombing and strafing. He then writes of moving further into Libya, creating a new aerodrome, driving on roads laid with mines, seeing the damage caused by bombing and strafing, Allied looting, going to Cairo for a new role in purchasing for the RAF Liaison Office, and becoming sick and spending two months in hospital and a convalescent camp. After his recovery, Rae records that he re-joined No. 3 Squadron in Sicily, Italy, and writes about seeing friends, returning to his work in the stores, leave in Sorrento, sightseeing, and servicing all of the squadrons in the area. This diary also contains a report titled “Report by SGT/Pilot Caldwell N.R., 14/1/43”. This report is an account of the circumstances in which Flight Lieutenant Caldwell became a prisoner of war in January 1943. In addition, this diary contains poems relating to the service of Rae. Some of these poems have titles such as “O Give me a Bar to my Africa Star”, “White Crosses”, “East of the Border", and “The Soldiers Prayer”. At the end of the diary, Rae records the names, fates, and addresses of many people in No. 3 Squadron.
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 413034 Warrant Officer James Anthony Sharkey, 17 Squadron (Royal Air Force), Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Egypt, Rhodesia, England and
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 415279 Pilot Officer Ross McCulloch Simpson, 90 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, at sea, and the United Kingdom, 1941-1943. Wall
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 423561 Flying Officer James Patrick Sullivan, 622 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, the United States of America, the United Kingd
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 421289 Warrant Officer Gordon Charles Alcorn, 354 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Canada, England and India, 1941-1945. Wallet
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX48132 Sergeant Cecil John Eric Rae, 2/3 Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, the Middle East a
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 412673 Warrant Officer Allen John Painting, 180 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, 1941-1943, 2006.