Palmer, James Henry (Lieutenant, b. 1899 - d. 1987)

Collection relating to the service of NX202232 Lieutenant James Henry Palmer during the Second World War. Consists of a 37 page handwritten memoir written by Palmer's second wife. The memoir provides a record of Palmer's life from the time he enlisted in the British Army at the age of 15, and his eight years of service with the Royal Horse Field Artillery in India. Following his discharge from the British Army, Palmer immigrated to Australia, and later joined the New Guinea Police Force (European Constabulary) in 1938. When war was declared in the Pacific in 1941, Palmer's wife and daughter were evacuated to Australia. Palmer later escaped from Rabaul on "Lakatoi", arriving in Cairns on 28 March 1942. A large part of the memoir describes his escape and arrival in Cairns. Palmer enlisted in the Australian Army in September 1943. Following his discharge in 1946, he re-joined the police force in New Guinea and continued to serve until his retirement in 1957.