Stevens, Clifford Davies (Petty Officer, b.1908 - d.1993)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 18215 Petty Officer Clifford Davies Stevens, HMAS Ipswich and HMAS Junee, Royal Australian Navy, Australia, New Guinea, and Netherlands East Indies, 1943-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one Christmas card and one diary relating to Petty Officer Clifford Davies Stevens. The Christmas card is thought to have been written by Petty Officer Stevens to his wife, Annabel Stevens, in 1943. The diary contains entries dated between 13 April 1945 and 28 September 1945, and records Petty Officer Steven’s experiences of service in HMAS Junee. In his diary, Petty Officer Stevens writes about sailing from Australia to New Guinea, anti-submarine patrols, air raids over the harbour, transporting personnel, witnessing a plane crash, receiving mail, discovering a false Japanese hospital ship, action involving Japanese transport vessels near Borneo, hearing of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan and the surrender of the Japanese, seeing the destruction at Balikpapan Harbour, escorting troopships full of repatriated soldiers, transporting seriously ill prisoners of war and refugees from internment camps to safe locations, and attending a ceremony on Ambon.

Petty Officer Clifford Davies Stevens enlisted to the Royal Australian Navy on 28 March 1927. He served on a variety of ships and bases, including HMAS Cerberus, Adelaide, Australia, Waterhen, and Vendetta. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Petty Officer Stevens was serving on HMAS Penguin. He later transferred to HMAS Ipswich. Over the course of the war, Petty Officer Stevens transferred to several other ships, including HMAS Junee. With the HMAS Junee, Stevens assisted in repatriating prisoners of war after peace was declared in August 1945. Petty Officer Stevens was discharged on 18 December 1945.