25 000 images online – AWM78 Reports of Proceedings, HMA Ships and Establishments

12 July 2011 by Theresa Cronk. No comments
Collection,News

On Saturday 10 July 1911, King George V gave his approval for the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become known as the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One hundred years have now passed since this event. To celebrate the centenary of the Royal Australian Navy, the reports of proceedings for fifty RAN ships and establishments are being made available online via the Australian War Memorial’s website. This is part of an ongoing project to digitise the Official Records series, AWM78 Reports of Proceedings, HMA Ships and Establishments.

Some of the 166 boxes of AWM78Some of the 166 boxes of AWM78

Within these pages, some of the history of the Royal Australian Navy and its activities since 1939 is revealed. These reports of proceedings were submitted by Commanding Officers of RAN ships, administrative units and shore establishments. Depending on the creating agency, these files cover promotion tests; mess activities; accounting; training; exercises; social events; arrival and departures from ports; visits; official calls; operations; weather conditions and outstanding incidents. There is also a very brief summary of the performance of the ship’s machinery and other systems. Some also include photographs and newspaper articles.

A selection of files from AWM78A selection of files from AWM78

The digitisation of AWM78 is currently being undertaken by the Research Centre. This project began with a pilot project to scan the files of HMAS Perth on 9 January 2009. HMAS Sydney, HMAS Vampire and HMAS Vendetta followed in quick succession. Since then, we have steadily been working our way through the remainder of the series in alphabetical order. To date, 25 191 images from this series have been scanned and are available online. The files for each new ship or establishment will be released online on a regular basis according to when they are scanned. The final figure for the project is expected to result in about  300 000 images.

Scanning the AWM78 filesScanning the AWM78 files

Tobruk Diaries: ‘Tobruk essential for each side’

11 July 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , , , , ,

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 11th July 1941

I can get around on my own now.  I feel a bit shaky, but I’m getting stronger.  A convoy of wounded arrived from Tobruk during the night.

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 11th July 1941

Mosquitoes have me beat – worse than bombers.  Missa Tempore Belli [Mass in Time of War]. Few casualties this morning from line change over 17th/32nd…To beach after lunch – two clients only – Dick Ley there now replacing Hore…  Shelling again – 3 guns on harbour and cemetery region – two cases waiting when I returned.  Millar died – boy who called for “Mum”.  No breads yet…

 

Bryant’s Diary:  Saturday 12th July 1941

Found Alan Nesbitt among new lot and he had mortar shrapnel in the left arm.  Keith Bird was killed with the same bomb he told me.

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Saturday 12th July 1941

Still sleeping through raids.  Used ointment to combat mosquitoes and it worked all night.  Mass for Millar (Mum).  Hunt for Catholics because Goodman failed to write religions on cards…  Only one air-raid…today – 700 during our day here.  Pat Russell in here and Hore up from the Beach.  Lendon has his majority and we celebrated – beer and roast beef.  Two burials today and dusty as usual – grave diggers have dysentery…

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Sunday 13th July 1941

Slept through raids in which 2 were killed and 3 injured.  3 Masses and congregation is smaller because of movements… Did all the penitents this afternoon.  Wrote 4 pages home, Elsa yesterday.  Big list of missing from Greece in mess – G.P Youll’s name is on it but I think he is safe.  No raids during Masses today but plenty of harmless shelling today – One plane departing with a smoky posterior.  Beer available again tonight in small doses.  Chas Littlejohn in Cairo – dinner with Blamey…

 

Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey, February 1941. Blamey commanded the 6th Division at Tobruk and was later in command of the Australian Corps. He also bec ame the first Australian army officer to reach the rank of field marshall on 8 June 1950.Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey, February 1941. Blamey commanded the 6th Division at Tobruk and was later in command of the Australian Corps. He also bec ame the first Australian army officer to reach the rank of field marshall on 8 June 1950. 000306

 

Bryant’s Diary:   Monday 14th July 1941

A large batch left the hospital today to go to El Kantara where is situated the Base Hospital.  I’m coming on so well that it won’t be long before I go.

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Monday 14th July 1941

Some raids but they did not get us up.  Mass for Harnell R.I.P.  Met 3 bad eggs this morning… the first I have met in the army.  Today probably the hottest we have had…  Russians reckon German casualties at a million.  Men had a beer issue today – a bottle and two tins per man.  Eric Cooper working up here now but he still sleeps at Ward 7.  Had a wild man in ward 9…  Beat the C.O. at chess…

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Tuesday 15th July 1941

Drowsy night – too hot to sleep.  Bombs dropped fairly close last night.  Missa Tempore Belli.  Good round this morning but a lot are at the beach.  Frank Reynolds in and I had to share my wine with him.  Everything scarce now… Tapestry got home ok and pleased everybody… Shelling this arvo on the harbour and no damage done… G.O.C [General Officer Commanding] here before lunch and he thinks Russia will throw it in before long.  Tobruk essential for each side.  Pictures by Frank Hurley not satisfying to A.G.H relations.  People in Australia should know about Tobruk now…

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Wednesday 16th July1941

Planes over but we weren’t out of bed.  Missa Tempore Belli.  All right on round this morning.  Steele in this morning.  Tim’s supplies have arrived.  Back from Syria.  Patrols out each night now and doing well with very few casualties.  Madonna [statue] knocked off stand by bomb.  Thomas (song-writer) back to 9th Batt tomorrow.  G.O.C in for dinner – roast beef etc.  C.O harped on the nurses but got nowhere.  War here not static but something doing each night.  Boys striking Eyeties mostly.  Enemy using a searchlight at night now.  That gun is making them think about shifting beach hospital…

 

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Thursday 17th July 1941

Still planes coming over each night.  Missa Tempore Belli.  Round ok today – no patients in ward 9… Shelling again today.  Brief but they put some close to the beach hospital.  Thos Steele came to light with a writing pad.  Another successful raid last night.  Chess school becoming bigger now.  100 tins of beer over after ration – 1 tin to each 3 men.  Cigarette issue today makes us well stocked.  Wrote to Ross McGregor.  News not so good about Russia and Japan at the cross-roads…

Beryl Maddock ‘Flying Sister’

04 July 2011 by Penny Hyde. 2 Comments
News,Nurses: from Zululand to Afghanistan

While searching through the Memorial’s Research Centre collection looking for stories relating to the upcoming exhibition on nurses I came across the collection of Sister Beryl Maddock (nee Chandler), containing a typed memoir, newspaper clippings, letters and a scattering of photographs. Beryl’s story stood out to me as she was one of a small number of nurses selected to join the RAAF’s newly formed Medical Air Evacuation Transport Unit in 1944. As a nurse in the air rather than on the ground, Beryl’s wartime experience combined regular nursing duties with airsickness, altitudes of up to 18,000 feet, anoxia and medic pilots who wished they had been fighter pilots (and flew as such). read on

Tobruk Diaries: Planes, Mosquitoes and Heat

04 July 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , , ,

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 4th, Saturday 5th July 1941

Just the usual hospital routine, a pretty rapid improvement as a result.

read on

The Battle of the Somme – 95 Years on

01 July 2011 by Emma Campbell. No comments
News

In the early morning of 1 July 1916, more than 100,000 British infantrymen were ordered from their trenches in the fields and woods north of the Somme River in France, to attack the opposing German line.

Within 24 hours, the British army would suffer almost 60,000 casualties, a third of whom were killed, and record the most costly day in its history.

Today marks the 95th anniversary of the start of the Somme offensive, a series of fierce and ultimately futile battles that consumed the British, Australian and Dominion forces for much of 1916. The offensive was eventually abandoned on 18 November with staggering troop losses and little ground gained. read on

Tobruk Diaries: Danger below…

27 June 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , ,

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 27th June 1941

The section worked all night putting mortar-proof roofs over dug-outs.  We were just putting the finishing touches on our work when Reg stuck his pick in a jumping German mine.  I received four ball shrapnel wounds in the small of the back and one in the left arm.  Jim was hit twice in the groin, Reg a couple in the legs and Monty one in the ribs.  After going through nearly every medical unit in the perimeter we finally ended up in the A.G.H.  I was operated on but two pieces couldn’t be found. read on

Tobruk Diaries: Mail and other miracles

20 June 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , , ,

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 20th June 1941

Peaceful night at last.  Missa SS Cordis Jesus…  To beach this morning and worked all morning without finishing.  Had a John Swan’s with Eric.  John Horan as usual pessimistic about our position.  The big push was definitely a big failure.  God knows what will happen to us now but we hope for a Russo-German struggle.  Still no mail but a parcel from Mrs Garvey with a pair of socks.  Eyetie bombers over three times today dropping them from all heights.  Our postmaster gone to Alex to shake up the mail… read on

Tobruk Diaries: Rest in Peace

13 June 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , , ,

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 13th June 1941

Heard only one raid and stayed in bed for it.  Mass for Anderson R.I.P.  To beach this morning but not so many there for me.  Bombed down there on Tuesday evening and John Horan reckoned his dug-out turned a somersault.  He also reckons the pearls fly through the tents down there.  Bomb on hospital ward this evening.  Eyetie artisan working on my timepieces.  Started on Hamlet today Johnston - German, Steele - Italian, Devine – painting, me – Shakespeare.  Still no mail but fags, chocolate and tooth paste in the mess… read on

Tobruk Diaries: Movement in the moonlight

06 June 2011 by Carlie Walker. 1 Comment
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 6th June 1941

Up several times for planes dropping thermos bombs and flares, one plane caught in search light but not shot down.  Missa in Tempore belli [Mass in Time of War].  Trouble getting beach communions now.  Plenty of fleas in my bed.  Wireless bung and no news now.  Rumour of mail being sunk.  Millions of flies in Tobruk.  Started to use Australian wine and a bit doubtful about it.  Reading Wren’s Driftwood Spars in which the heroes are murderers.  Sent note to C.R.E. re. Church lights… read on

Tobruk Diaries: Getting hotter…

30 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, , , , ,

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 30th May 1941

More digging today and it was through solid rock.  The weather is getting hotter.  We came home by another route – past Fort Palestrino – and it was the roughest ride I’ve ever had.  We were pulled out of the water in a hurry and were made to stand to in expectation of an attack which did not eventuate. read on