The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
This oral history focuses on the training Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd underwent when he enlisted in 1939 and examines aspects of training during his career. The subjects of the battlefield stress and leadership are also addressed. It is a thought provoking presentation of Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd's attitudes and beliefs on the training and leadership rather than a historical record of the campaigns in which he fought. Aspects of training, battlefield stress and leadership have been selected from various, relevant points during his career. 57509 (WX377) Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Shelley. (Ben) O'Dowd, MBE (Ret'd) was born on 2 June 1918 in Perth Western Australia. Prior to his enlistment Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd had worked a machinist and cook in Perth and "bogger" on the goldfields. He enlisted in the AIF on 7 November 1939. He was allocated to infantry and served with the 2/11th Battalion throughout World War II. At the end of World War II he joined the occupation forces in Japan. He qualified for a regular commission after attending RMC Duntroon. He then joined 3 RAR in Japan at the outbreak of the Korean War. Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd was promoted temporary major on 23 December 1950 and commanded "A' Company at the battle of Kapyong. After the Korean War Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd was posted to the British Jungle Training Centre at Kota-Tinggi, Malaysia as an instructor. Between courses, he went on patrol operations with British Gurkha, Fiji and Malayan forces. Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd was Mentioned in Despatches by the British for distinguished service during these operations. Returning to Australia in November 1954, Lieutenant Colonel O'Dowd was posted to Canungra and appointed Senior Instructor, Battle Wing. At the Jungle Training Centre he trained infantry battalions in jungle warfare for the Malayan Emergency. He was posted to Army Headquarters in 1957 and retired in June 1973, having served in a wide range of staff appointments in Australia and overseas.
In the video interview with Major General T.F. Cape, CB, CBE, DSO the emphasis is on training; prior to, during and post World War Two. The interview follows the path of his career upto and including
The video "Training to survive in war" is part of an oral history project conducted at the Command and Staff College and complements an Army-wide campaign to improve the study of military history. The
Within the scope of the Elective Studies Program students at Command and Staff College were able to complete an Oral History. The study sponsored by Training Command was to be a topic relevant to thei
The 2/2nd Independent Company was commanded by two quite different men; Major Allan Spence and Major Bernard Callinan. Both were successful; Spence in training, deploying and originally fighting the C
The subject of this interview is Colonel Leslie Coleman. Colonel Coleman graduated to the RAAC from the Royal Military College in 1939 and transferred to the 2nd AIF in 1941. The interview focuses on
This oral history is part of a Training Command initiative to interview selected personnel and to draw on their operational experiences for training purposes. The Training Command emphasis is on train
