ANZAC Connections: Centenary digitisation project

The Australian War Memorial is currently undertaking a project to create a comprehensive digital archive of the ANZACs and their deeds, and of the wider Australian experience of war. The collections selected for this project will reflect the experiences of Australian servicemen, nurses and civilians during the First World War, not just well-known personalities. This project will digitally preserve the Memorial’s collections as well as provide full copies for research on the Memorial’s website.

As part of this project the Memorial is seeking contact with relatives of the people listed below. If you have any information about these people, or their descendants, the Memorial would love to talk to you. Please contact Ashleigh via PubandDig[@]awm.gov.au.

Lieutenant Commander Cyril John Percy Hill

Collection relating to the First World War service of Lieutenant Commander Cyril John Percy Hill, RN. This collection contains a diary and official papers related to the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) in New Britain and HMAS Parramatta's attachment to the British Adriatic force. Collection number: 1DRL/0350.

Colonel Reginald Jeffrey Millard, OBE, CMG

Collection relating to the First World War service of Colonel Reginald Jeffrey Millard, OBE, CMG, Army Medical Corps. This collection contains a typescript copy of extracts from Millard's personal diary, written between 8 December 1914 and 26 December 1915. These extracts include detailed descriptions of life and conditions on Gallipoli, from the perspective of the Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services.  The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: Coast Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales. Collection number: 1DRL/0499.

723 Corporal Frank Jubilee Olle

Collection relating to the First World War service of 723 Corporal Frank Jubilee Olle, 5th Battalion AIF.  This collection contains a letter written by Olle on-board HMAT Orvieto en route to Egypt and a photograph (presumably taken in Egypt) of three Australian soldiers.  The last known address of Olle’s next-of-kin, M. C. Olle, is Penshurst, Victoria, according to the First World War Embarkation Roll. Collection number: 1DRL/0662.

2604 Lance Corporal Marshall Way

Collection relating to the First World War service of 2604 Lance Corporal Marshall Way, 16th Battalion AIF.  This collection contains fifteen handwritten letters from Way to his mother between September 1915 and August 1916.  The letters describe conditions, Wassah - the 'red light' district of Cairo, censorship, and the evacuation of Gallipoli. Way was killed in action at Mouquet Farm on 31 August 1916. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: Francis-Street, Unley, South Australia. Collection number: 2DRL/0280.

1132 Sergeant Wilbert Nugent Berg

Collection relating to the First World War service of 1132 Segeant Wilbert Nugent Berg, 18th Battalion AIF. This collection contains letters home discussing the voyage to Egypt, training, service and evacuation from Gallipoli. Other topics include service in France, hospitalisation in England and repatriation to Australia in April 1918. The collection also contains a notebook and diary with entries spanning from 1915 to 1916. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: 180 Glebe Point-road, Glebe Point, Sydney. Collection number: 2DRL/0442.

Lieutenant Frederick Trouton Small

Collection relating to the First World War service of Lieutenant Frederick Trouton Small, 3rd and 5th Field Companies, Australian Engineers. This collection contains diaries from the time of enlistment through to evacuation on a hospital ship from Gallipoli in 1915, letter writing book with some notes, two letters with envelopes and one telegram. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: Northampton Downs, Blackall, Queensland. Collection number: 2DRL/0778.

569 Lieutenant Vincent Harry Thornton

Collection relating to the First World War service of 569 Lieutenant Vincent Harry Thornton, 13th Light Horse Regiment. This collection contains part of a letter written in April 1916 describing the evacuation of Gallipoli.  Thornton was later promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to No 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps.  He survived the war. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: Top Creek, via Rochester. Collection number: 2DRL/0842.

Captain Robert A Wilson, Mercantile Marine

Collection relating to the First World War service of Captain Robert, A. Wilson. This collection contains an autograph book with art works presented to Wilson by the Non Commissioned Officers and Ordinary Ranks of No. 65 Quota on the return voyage to Australia. Also includes a folder of autographs and a certificate of appointment as Master of Steamship A.45 (late "Hessen"), 23 December, 1914. Collection number: 2DRL/0969.

190 Dennis G Broad

Collection relating to the First World War service of 190 Dennis G Broad, Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF). This collection contains letters home describing events with the AN&MEF, and general comments on the war. The dates of the letters span from September to October 1914. The address listed on the First World War Embarkation Roll is “Labrador”, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Collection number: 3DRL/1561.

357 Corporal Vivan Henry Noble

Collection relating to the First World War service of 357 Corporal Vivan Noble, 3rd Battalion. This collection contains four original handwritten diaries, extending from Noble's enlistment in August 1914 through to his return to Australia in December 1918.  Detailed diary entries describe the voyage over with the first convoy, hearing the news of the battle with the Emden, the landing and evacuation of Gallipoli, Pozieres, leave in England and Birdwood's speech to the 1914 men prior to their departure back to Australia.  The last two diaries also contain personal notes, songs, advice, personal resolutions, index of letters, sketches, and 'things heard in the trenches'. The address listed on the First World War Embarkation Roll is “Elbon”, Norfolk-Street, Epping, N.S.W. Collection number: 3DRL/2718.

Matron Mary McLean Loughron

Collection relating to the First World War service of Matron Mary McLean Loughron, Queen Alexandra Imperial Medical Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR).  This collection contains a framed statement regarding the portrait of Matron Loughron in the Gallery of Portraits of the Allies in the Luxembourg, Paris, a framed certificate for mention in despatches and a framed circular letter from the King. Collection also contains two volumes of humorous nursing illustrations for each letter of the alphabet, two news clippings regarding Loughron's career and a photograph of Matron Loughron taken in Melbourne in 1939. Collection number: 3DRL/4122.

Matron Margaret A Gray, RRC

Collection relating to the First World War service of Matron Margaret A Gray.  This collection consists of two autograph books containing verses, messages, photographs, watercolour and ink sketches, drawings, ribbon bars and badges from her time at the British Red Cross Hospital at Rouen.  The collection also includes a copy of a radio broadcast related to her war service and an obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald. Collection number: PR84/265.

Captain Sydney James Campbell

Collection relating to the First World War service of Captain Sydney James Campbell, Australian Army Medical Corps. This collection consists of photographs, sketches, letters to family members and condolence letters received by Campbell’s family following his death in July 1915. The collection also contains two diaries written in 1915, copies of The Dardanelles Driveller and Peninsula Press and one Egyptian postcard. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: “Maretimo,” Portland, Victoria. Collection number: PR88/102.

1445 Corporal Henry Ernest Wyatt

Collection relating to the First World War service of 1445 Corporal Henry Ernest Wyatt, 2nd Battalion. The collection contains two pocket diaries in which Corporal Wyatt made brief entries during 1915 and 1917. The First World War Embarkation Roll shows his address at the time of enlistment as: Machine-room, Evening news, Market-street, Sydney, N.S.W. Collection number: 1DRL/0608.