Austin, Gerald William (Major, b.1905 – d.1974)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX155 Major Gerald William Austin, 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, Egypt, Greece, New Guinea, 1940-1960.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of 13 letters [with associated envelopes] relating to Major Gerald William ‘Derry’ Austin, dated 1940 to 1960.

12 letters written by Major Austin to his mother, Mrs Marian Sinclaire (neé Kennedy) Austin, and sister, Mrs Eleanor Austin Campbell, during his service with 2/1 Machine Gun Battalion in Australia, Egypt, Greece and New Guinea, dated 18 April 1940 to 14 December 1945. In these letters he writes regarding his movements, period of hospitalisation, site seeing tours, receipt of food parcels, daily operations and attacks, first impressions of allied units, meeting fellow servicemen, seeing his brother NX34737 Captain Austin Frank Austin, observations of local weather and wildlife and sends regards to family back home at Lake Midgeon, Narrandera, New South Wales. These letters also contain a typed copy of Major Austin’s personal experience of a battle in Crete, Greece, titled ‘Amphibious Assault’, c 1941.

One letter is written by the General Secretary of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union, to Mrs Austin, dated 5 June 1960. In this letter he writes regarding the publication ‘the Emu’, and sends his regards to Mrs Austin, referencing Major Austin’s passion for Australian native fauna.