Israeli Defence Force attack on the Augusta Victoria feature, Jerusalem, as described by Military Observers Major Colin Woodland and Major Roy Skinner.

Place Middle East: Jordan, East Jerusalem
Accession Number S04371
Collection type Sound
Measurement 59 min 35 sec
Object type Actuality recording
Physical description audio cassette; maxell UDI 120; mono
Maker Woodland, Colin Frederick John
Skinner, Roy Edwin
Woodland, Colin Frederick John
Place made Israel: Jerusalem
Date made 7 June 1967
Access Open
Conflict Period 1960-1969
Copyright

Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright

Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

Major Colin Woodland and Major Roy Skinner as Military Observers with Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan - Israel Mixed Armistice Commission (HJK-I MAC), a part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in Palestine, give a live description of the Israeli Defence Force attack on Jordanian military positions on the Augusta Victoria feature, Jerusalem, 7 June 1967 during the Six Day War.

The Commission's Headquarters (the MAC House) was in the area between the two armistice lines that ran through the city of Jerusalem. On the night of 5/6 June 1967 the area around the MAC House was in the centre of heavy fighting that saw the occupation of parts of East Jerusalem. All of its windows were blown out and it bore the pock marks of shrapnel. During a lull in the fighting on 6 June most of the officers had been moved into West Jerusalem pending reassignment. Majors Woodland and Skinner, both on the operations staff, remained on duty with a selected few other officers including the Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel Murray Stanaway MC of New Zealand. Through a small window in a disused attic-type room at the top of MAC House the two Australians had a close view of the build up to the attack and the capture of the feature by Israeli troops. The fighting by the Israeli Army to gain control of all of East Jerusalem and the entire West Bank continued.

Their recording of the event was not official and was never included in UN records. The private recording of the event was made for personal records and subsequently donated by Major Roy Skinner to the Australian War Memorial in 2008.

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