Burning oil wells at Seria

Depicts burning oil wells at Seria, during the Second World War, when it was part of Borneo (it is today in Brunei Darussalam). Oil was first discovered in the area in 1929. The first landing of the Japanese invasion force during the war in Borneo was at Seria in December 1941, nine days after Pearl Harbor. They were faced with a scene of devastation of the oilfields due to "Operation Denial" carried out by employees of the British Malayan Petroleum Company and British Army Royal Engineers. Later supply to the Japanese of oil was closed off. Operation "Ha-Go 2", the Japanese denial exercise commenced on 10 June 1945, the day of the Australian liberation forces landing at Muara. Fires at the oil wells could be seen 100 km out to sea. When the Australian 9th Division as part of 'Operation Oboe Six' eventually entered Seria on 29 June, the situation was chaotic, with 38 oil well fires, demolished buildings and wrecked installations. By 17 August, the fires had been put out by oilfield staff assisted by a detachment of the Australian Royal Engineers. William Edwin Pidgeon (1909-1981), known as 'WEP' was a war correspondent, painter, cartoonist and illustrator. During the Second World War many of his illustrations were published in the 'Australian Women's Weekly', which made him famous nationally. His works richly convey the lives and personalities of Australian troops and their experiences in Darwin (1943-44), New Guinea (Jan-Feb 1944) and Borneo and Morotai (Jan-Aug 1945). This work is one of over 400 items by WEP recently donated to the Memorial consisting of illustrated letters, paintings, sketches, drawings, photographs and ephemeral material related to his time as a war correspondent.

Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Peter and Elizabeth Pidgeon in memory of William Edwin Pidgeon 2014