Blog
The Bicycle in Warfare
23 March 2011 by Ally Roche.
1 Comment
Collection,From the collection,News, First World War, Frontline troops, Technology, Western Front
The bicycle is a machine that we can all relate to, it’s a common denominator. Be that early childhood memories of the first ride down that steep hill, the freedom to go distances that would be problematic on foot or that flat tyre at the most inconvenient time.
Today, bike technology has changed dramatically from the bikes that were being used in the First World War. No carbon fibre frames or dual suspension shock absorbers, gears – what were they? And the AIF Uniform was the standard Cycling Corps apparel, no Italian lycra for our boys as the photograph below demonstrates. This photograph was taken in c1915 at Broadmeadows, Victoria of six members of the Australian Cycling Corps with their bicycles prior to deployment overseas.
Seven years bad luck? Making periscopes on Gallipoli
15 October 2010 by Dianne Rutherford.
No comments
Collection,From the collection, First World War, Gallipoli, Technology
When the Gallipoli campaign quickly bogged down into trench warfare, there were not enough periscopes available to allow Australian and New Zealand soldiers to look over the parapets at ANZAC without being shot.
Luckily the soldiers do not appear to have been superstitious as to fill the gap improvised periscopes were made by breaking shaving mirrors or mirrors taken from transport ships and attaching them at an angle to lengths of wood.
Hospital Ship Centaur
05 March 2010 by Dianne Rutherford.
4 Comments
Collection,From the collection,Personal Stories, Heraldry, Hospital Ship Centaur, Second World War, Technology
Model of the Hospital Ship Centaur, currently on display in the Second World War gallery.The Memorial holds a small, but important, collection associated with the sinking of the Hospital Ship Centaur, whose wreck site was discovered in December 2009.
Can’t see the tree for the wood… part II : The Baumbeobachter
18 September 2008 by Dianne Rutherford.
8 Comments
Exhibitions,From the collection,News, Technology
An example of an observation post disguised as a tree. This one was used by Australian troops during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917 at Hill 63.Since first blogging about the Memorial’s German observation post camouflage tree (called a “Baumbeobachter” by the Germans, literally meaning “tree observer”) I have had a chance to take some photographs of parts of the tree I thought I would share, especially as some features may not be visible once the tree is fully assembled and on display. read on
Can’t see the tree for the wood…
03 June 2008 by Dianne Rutherford.
5 Comments
Collection,From the collection, Technology
One of my favourite items at the Memorial is a tall steel and iron German camouflage tree from the First World War. During the First World War fake trees were one method used for disguising observation posts on the Western Front. This tree is from Oosttaverne Wood (also sometimes spelt Oostaverne Wood), near Messines in Belgium. We don’t know when the tree was erected in the wood, but it could have been used by the Germans up until 7 June 1917, when the Oosttaverne area was captured by the British during the Battle of Messines.
February 1918. Two Australian officers inspecting a German camouflage tree. The entrance is at the base of the tree. E04548The battles of Coral & Balmoral: May-June 1968
12 May 2008 by Mal Booth.
1 Comment
Collection,From the collection,Personal Stories, Official records, Private Records, Technology
Forty years ago, in May/June 1968 Australian soldiers fought their largest, most sustained and arguably most hazardous battles of the Vietnam War. Units of the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) confronted regimental-sized formations of the North Vietnamese regular army in fierce actions around Fire Support Patrol Bases (FSPB) Coral and Balmoral in what was then known as Bien Hoa province. The location of FSPBs Coral and Balmoral are marked by blue symbols on this satellite map.
Representatives of the units involved in the battles have established the National 40th Coral and Balmoral Anniversary Committee, which is coordinating commemorative events in Canberra and Townsville starting on 12 May 2008. More information can be found on the DVA website.
The first of the battles occurred at FSPB Coral when massed enemy units attacked the base in the early hours of 13 May 1968. Australian units withstood heavy enemy attacks during which a mortar platoon and two gun positions were partly over-run. The Australians drove off the enemy after fierce close-quarter actions. The battle lasted over two hours. The task force suffered 11 killed in action and 28 wounded. In one mortar platoon five soldiers were killed and eight were wounded from a total strength of 18 men. One howitzer and two mortars were damaged. The enemy left 52 dead strewn throughout and around the fire support base.
Trench Mortar
01 April 2008 by Dianne Rutherford.
No comments
Collection,From the collection, First World War, Technology
On display in the Memorial’s First World War Gallery is this damaged trench mortar barrel. The explosion that damaged this Stokes 3″ trench mortar barrel in 1918 also sadly killed two young men from the 6th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery.
3″ Stokes Trench Mortar barrel, damaged by a prematurely exploding bomb, 14 June 1918 RELAWM00768