Binks, Robert (Leading Sick Berth Attendant, b.1921 - d.1991)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of S/3818 Leading Sick Berth Attendant Robert Binks, HMAS Napier, Royal Australian Navy, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, 1942.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one typed transcript of a diary of Leading Sick Berth Attendant Robert Binks [location of original diary is unknown]. This diary contains entries dated between 1 January and 17 October 1942, and covers the period of Leading Sick Berth Attendant Binks’ service on HMAS Napier on the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. In his diary, Leading Sick Berth Attendant Binks writes about his previous service on the HMAS Vendetta, seeing films at the cinema while on leave, steaming to unknown destinations, collecting medical supplies, escorting an aircraft carrier, discharging patients to on-shore hospitals, witnessing naval training exercises, taking and developing photographs, hearing news of the war, receiving mail from home, riding bicycles and sightseeing while on shore, searching for Japanese submarines, receiving medical training, sitting exams, encountering many other ships while at harbours, rescuing survivors of naval battles, being in Bombay while Indians were striking for independence, making new friends while on leave, patrolling near Africa, playing Rugby Union, defending convoys in the Mediterranean, being attacked by German aircraft and ships, hearing of the fall of Tobruk, air raids, landing a small force on Madagascar, fishing with depth charges, and guarding a Madagascan harbour. The transcript also includes explanatory endnotes.