The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX5554 Lieutenant Albert James 'Meggsie' McDonald, 2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Middle East and Australia, 1939-1942.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of seventeen letters [including envelopes], two Christmas cards, one photograph, one telegram, and seven envelopes from Lieutenant McDonald to his friend, Mrs Marjorie Anderson, and one letter from Lieutenant McDonald to Miss Padgeham. McDonald’s correspondence is dated between late 1939 and 7 September 1942, and covers the period of his service in Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Greece and Syria. In his letters, McDonald writes about his impressions of the local environments and people, hearing news regarding mutual friends, participating in training manoeuvres, receiving mail, the amount of destruction caused by bombs, limited water supplies, his first experience of being in action at Bardia, his eagerness to go home, making a journey for supplies, difficulties of serving in the desert, being targeted by dive bombers, serving in Tobruk and Greece, and his evacuation from Greece. He then goes on to write about being frustrated with inaction, having leave at a Jewish settlement, receiving his commission, attending a school for officers, hearing news of the war on other fronts, having his appendix removed, recovering in hospital, spending time on a house-boat for convalescents on the Nile River, sightseeing, being on garrison duty in Syria, looking forward to being a father, having leave in Beirut, playing sports, being looked after by his batman, missing his wife, Christmas dinner, tobogganing in the snow, and being selected as an instructor for a training school. One of McDonald’s later letters, dated c August 1942, contains a detailed autobiographical account of his enlistment and service in the Middle East. McDonald also responds to news from his hometown and sends his regards to loved ones.
1 of 134
2 of 134
3 of 134
4 of 134
5 of 134
6 of 134
7 of 134
8 of 134
9 of 134
10 of 134
11 of 134
12 of 134
13 of 134
14 of 134
15 of 134
16 of 134
17 of 134
18 of 134
19 of 134
20 of 134
21 of 134
22 of 134
23 of 134
24 of 134
25 of 134
26 of 134
27 of 134
28 of 134
29 of 134
30 of 134
31 of 134
32 of 134
33 of 134
34 of 134
35 of 134
36 of 134
37 of 134
38 of 134
39 of 134
40 of 134
41 of 134
42 of 134
43 of 134
44 of 134
45 of 134
46 of 134
47 of 134
48 of 134
49 of 134
50 of 134
51 of 134
52 of 134
53 of 134
54 of 134
55 of 134
56 of 134
57 of 134
58 of 134
59 of 134
60 of 134
61 of 134
62 of 134
63 of 134
64 of 134
65 of 134
66 of 134
67 of 134
68 of 134
69 of 134
70 of 134
71 of 134
72 of 134
73 of 134
74 of 134
75 of 134
76 of 134
77 of 134
78 of 134
79 of 134
80 of 134
81 of 134
82 of 134
83 of 134
84 of 134
85 of 134
86 of 134
87 of 134
88 of 134
89 of 134
90 of 134
91 of 134
92 of 134
93 of 134
94 of 134
95 of 134
96 of 134
97 of 134
98 of 134
99 of 134
100 of 134
101 of 134
102 of 134
103 of 134
104 of 134
105 of 134
106 of 134
107 of 134
108 of 134
109 of 134
110 of 134
111 of 134
112 of 134
113 of 134
114 of 134
115 of 134
116 of 134
117 of 134
118 of 134
119 of 134
120 of 134
121 of 134
122 of 134
123 of 134
124 of 134
125 of 134
126 of 134
127 of 134
128 of 134
129 of 134
130 of 134
131 of 134
132 of 134
133 of 134
134 of 134
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX5554 Lieutenant Albert James 'Meggsie' McDonald, 2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Middle East and Australia
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX29014 Private Stanley Wanned Cornell, 26 Anti-Tank Battery and 2/4 Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Second Australian Imperial Force, M
Collection relating to the Second World War service of QX10550 Corporal David Lindsay Edward Dymock, 2/2 Machine Gun Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, at sea and the Middle East, 1941-1942.
Collection relating to the Second World War Service of VX15408 Gunner Reginald Matthew Toohey, 2/2 Field Regiment. Wallet 1 of 1 - Collection consists of letters dated between August 1941 and January
Collection relating to the Second World War service of R23604 Stoker Leonard Doolan Fitzgerald, HMAS Sydney (1935-1941), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Mediterranean Sea, 1940-1941. Wallet 1 of 1 – Col
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX18629 Private Henry 'Harry' Saunders, 2/14 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia and New Guinea, 1942. Wa
