Scrapbook relating to Kenneth Tebbet Johnson, c. 1939 - October 1945 Accession Number: AWM2019.22.215

Description

Scrapbook relating to the Second World War service of WX259 Lieutenant Kenneth Tebbet Johnson, 2/11th Infantry Battalion, c. 1939 - 26 October 1945.

"A Wartime Log" issued to Johnson whilst a prisoner of war at Oflag VII-B in Eichstätt, and subsequently used as a scrapbook for photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, souvenired ephemera and notes relating to his service. The first half of the scrapbook contains photographs of family and friends in domestic settings around Perth and several other regions in Western Australia, many of which feature his fiancée and future wife, Nancy Mercer, both as a civilian and during her service with a Voluntary Aid Detachment and enlisted service with the Australian Army Medical Women's Service. The other photographs in the scrapbook largely relate to Oflag VII-B c. 1944, and include images of camp facilities, prisoners of war playing sports and performing in a stage play, and a Canadian Commando Pipe Band.

The scrapbook continues with an extensive list of names and addresses collected by Johnson during his internment. This is followed by a detailed summary of Johnson's service spanning Australia's entry into the Second World War on 3 September 1939 through to his discharge from service on 4 October 1945. The scrapbook also contains a number of letters from senior officers of the 2/11th Infantry Battalion written to Johnson during his internment, telegrams from family and friends sent to Johnson following his liberation on 29 April 1945, newspaper clippings relating to prisoners of war, his repatriation to Australia and his fiancée Nancy Mercer, as well as several items of souvenired ephemera.