Fifty years ago, Brian Buzzard was fighting for his life when his mortar platoon was overrun during one of the longest and most vicious series of battles involving Australian troops in Vietnam.

Bruce Robertson was a wireless operator during the Second World War when he heard something through his headset that didn’t make sense.

It was a moment that changed Eric Geldard’s life forever.  

Vale Brigadier Jeffrey James “JJ” Shelton DSO MC

Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia was forced to land his green Albatros D1 after being attacked by a Royal Flying Corps aircraft in March 1917. His subsequent shooting and capture sparked a war of words between two Australian units, both of which took credit for his capture.

Over 20 Indigenous soldiers are known to have served in both the First and Second World Wars. Charles “Charlie” Burns is one of only a handful of those who saw active overseas service in both world wars.

It’s a night Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Humphreys will never forget.

Much of Hubert’s collection describes his POW experiences, such as the extensive and detailed handwritten diaries he kept and the various souvenirs he accumulated.  The inclusion of postcards and letters demonstrates the difficulties of communication from the perspective of both a prisoner of war, and that of the people on the German occupied island of Guernsey.

Jack Tredrea was just 24 years old when he parachuted into Borneo in March 1945, armed with only a few maps, some guns and grenades, and a cyanide pill to swallow in case he was captured. His story is told as part of the exhibition, A matter of trust: Dayaks & Z Special Unit operatives in Borneo 1945.