Mary Fitzhardinge interviewed by Peter Burness about her family's participation in the Second World War

Mrs Fitzhardinge's interview includes discussion of: Her early life; the enlistment of her husband and two brothers in the Army; seeing husband Jim off from Sydney Harbour as he was bound for the Middle East, and noting the farewell practice of people going out on the harbour in 'little boats'; the wounding of her brother Geoff in the AIF's first Middle East action; her brother John, and husband Jim, in Malaya; their capture by Japanese forces; her brother John's death on the Thailand-Burma Railway; her life at home, including birth of her daughter whilst her husband was away, and her driving job for the Navy, which offered a distraction from the anxiety over absent family members; Jim's return to Australia, as a Lieutenant Colonel with a DSO and MC, and how the family responded; her brother Geoff's return from the Middle East, his wedding, and subsequent deployment to New Guinea; her family's experience of the Japanese submarine attack on Sydney Harbour; American and British personnel in Sydney;Australian rationing; her brother's post-war career, particularly as a NSW Parliamentarian; her friends who lost family members in the war, or thought that they had, including the return of John Suttor and Tony Newsom.