Hehir, John Leslie (Captain, b.1906 - d.1987) Accession Number: PR88/178

Description

Collection relating to the military career and Second World War service of Captain John Leslie Hehir, Australian Intelligence Corps AIF, 1939-1945.

This collection consists of three wallets and one oversize folio.

Wallet 1 of 3 - consists of one folder of documentation and photographs relating to Hehir’s observations of fascism and work with the Australian Intelligence Corps. This includes an article ‘Along the Axis’ outlining Hehir’s analysis of the German and Italian states at the outbreak of war, a series of lecture notes given by Hehir for the Victorian Special Branch, as well as five photographs used as lecture aids. The folder also contains a report into the detention of members from the ‘Australia First Movement’, dated 1945, and notes on The Black Dragon society – a Japanese nationalist group.

Wallet 2 of 3 - consists of three folders relating to the HMAS Sydney (II) - HMK Kormoran investigation, and includes some additional material from PR88/178.ADD1.

Folder 1 of 3 contains documentation compiled during the Sydney-Kormoran investigation, dated 1941-1942. Forming part of Hehir’s examination into the sinking of HMAS Sydney II, this folder includes a translation of Lieutenant Commander Herbert Bretschneider’s diary of the HMK Kormoran, a typed letter discussing preliminary thoughts and progress, a dossier prepared by Hehir, extracts of censored letters written by the Kormoran’s survivors, notes of interrogation, and a map of the ship’s charted course.

Folder 2 of 3 contains additional documentation and diaries from the Sydney-Kormoran investigation. This includes two guides for interpreting German shorthand composed by Hermine Kevin, a photocopy of the diary kept by the Kormoran’s commander, Fregattenkapitan Theodor Detmers, and a photocopy of Hehir’s diary for January 1942. One entry in Hehir's diary, dated 9 January 1942, mentions a conversation with Dr List regarding his toilet-paper sketches.

Folder 3 of 3 contains cibachrome photographic copies of material held in oversize folio 1, produced by the Australian War Memorial prior to the donation of the originals.

Wallet 3 of 3 – consists of two folders, relating to Italian nationalist groups and their formation in Australia, c 1939-1943.

Folder 1 of 2 contains six documents and photographs relating to Hehir’s observations of Italian fascism in Australia, c 1939-1943. This includes case notes and a contextual history on Italian nationalist groups in Victoria, three photographic copies of a ‘Viaggio da Brisbane’ (‘Travel from Brisbane’) report, and a copy of a letter by Benito Mussolini. The folder also includes a translated extract of the ship’s log for the Romolo - an Italian motor ship under the command of Captain Ettore Gavino.

Folder 2 of 2 contains a supplementary report written by V1758 William Joseph McDonnell, dated 10 December 1939. The report, ‘Notes and Translations on Italian Affairs’, is a comprehensive commentary focusing on the fascist propaganda, military structure and political atmosphere of Italy at the outbreak of war. McDonnell would begin his service with the Australian Intelligence Corps in 1940.

Oversize folio 1 of 1 contains documentation and sketches from the file kept by Hehir during his investigation of the Sydney-Kormoran investigation, dated 1941-1942. Included is the original folder, envelope, three sketches on toilet-paper created by Leutenant Dr Fritz List, and situational maps.

Details

Conflicts

• Second World War, 1939-1945

Places

• Australia

Events

• Action between HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran, 19 November 1941

Units

• Australian Intelligence Corps
• HMAS Sydney (II)

Tags

• Diaries
• Fascism
• Sketches and drawings
• Situation maps
• SS Romolo
• Fascists