Australian War Memorial Digitisation project – Seeking further information

The Australian War Memorial is digitising items from the National Collection: preserving records of wartime experiences and creating a comprehensive digital archive of Australian servicemen, servicewomen, nurses, and civilians, their deeds, and of the wider Australian experience of war, making them available for research and study via the Memorial’s website.

As part of this project the Memorial is seeking contact with relatives of the persons listed below. If you are related to these people, or in contact with their descendants, the Memorial would love to talk to you. Please contact Digitised Collections on Digitised.Collections@awm.gov.au

Helen Heneage

Helen Mary Walker-Heneage-Vivian (known as Helen Heneage) was born in 1885 as Helen Mary Houssemayne du Boulay, daughter of Ernest de Vismes Houssemayne du Boulay and Helen Mary du Boulay (née Sutton). She grew up at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, England. In 1912, Helen married Admiral Algernon Walker-Heneage-Vivian. The couple had three daughters: Mary, Anne, and Rhoda Alice. Helen and Algernon divorced in 1931. In her later years, Helen resided at St. Anthony’s Nursing Home, Bath. She died on 28 September 1954. Two letters written by Helen Mary Walker-Heneage-Vivian can be found in 3DRL/3660, the collection of Gerard Henderson Cowan. Further information on this collection can be found at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C89650.

Grace Willis

Grace Willis lived at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, during the time of the First World War. It appears that she was a relation of Australian Lieutenant Gerard Henderson Cowan through his mother’s family, the du Boulays; however, Grace Willis’ exact identity is unknown. A letter written by Grace Willis can be found in 3DRL/3660, the collection of Gerard Henderson Cowan. Further information on this collection can be found at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C89650.

Allison Geoffrey Park

Allison “Geoff” Geoffrey Park was born on 6 June 1915 at Launceston, Tasmania, to William Henry Park and Rhoda Elizabeth Park (née Grace). He trained as a specialist mechanic before enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force at Laverton, Victoria, on 2 November 1938. After a period of training, he embarked for overseas service on 15 July 1940 and served with No. 3 Squadron in the deserts of Northern Africa as a wireless mechanic, wireless operator, and signaller. He returned to Australia in September 1942 and continued to work for the RAAF. On 25 September 1943, he married Dulcie Irene Jones in Victoria. Park attended General Reconnaissance School and Armament School before being attached to an Airfield Defence Squadron. He subsequently joined the Radio Development and Installation Unit. In mid-1946, Park requested to be discharged from in order to work for Australian National Airways as a radio officer on the Sydney to San Francisco route. By 1949, he and Dulcie were living in Essendon, Victoria, and Park was working as a mechanic. They had moved to Mentone, Victoria, by 1954. It appears that Allison Geoffrey Park died on 5 June 1952. A poem written by Allison Geoffrey Park, “Garth Clabburn’s Ruse”, can be found in PR04150, the collection of Garth Edward Sommerville Clabburn. Further information on this collection can be found at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1233357.

John Henry Cooke

John Henry Cooke was born on 25 October 1930 at Wollongong, New South Wales to Frederick John Cooke and Gladys Cooke (née Brooks). Cooke was a service supervisor. On 24 May 1951, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. Cook served in Korea, Borneo, and Malaysia as a carrier pilot and test pilot. He married Kathleen Betty Graff in 1952, and they later had two children. Cooke resigned from the RAN in 1963 and became a co-director. He and his family lived in various suburbs in Melbourne before settling in Balwyn North by 1967. John Henry Cooke died on 10 October 2006 at Melbourne. A letter written by Cooke can be found in PR01398, the collection of George Harvey Barron. Further information on this collection can be found at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C393447.