Wallet 1 of 2 - Diary of Arthur Mawson, 1940-1944

Mawson, Arthur (Major, b.1892 - d.?)

Places	Africa: Egypt, Alexandria Africa: Egypt, Cairo Africa: Egypt, Frontier, Sinai Africa: Egypt, Marsa Matruh Africa: Egypt, North Egypt, Moascar Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Ismailia Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Kantara Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Port Said Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Suez Africa: Libya, Tobruk Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Benghazi Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Gazala Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Tocra Africa: South Africa, Cape Province, Cape Town Asia: Ceylon, Colombo Asia: India, Maharashta, Pune Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Haifa Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Jericho Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Beersheba Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Beit Jirja Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Dimra Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Gaza Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Jerusalem Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Nazareth Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Tel Aviv Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Transjordan, Amman Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Damascus Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Baalbek Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Beirut Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Tripoli Middle East: Iraq, Baghdad Middle East: Syria, North Syria, Aleppo Middle East: Syria, North Syria, Homs Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Albury Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Ballarat Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Benalla Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Healesville Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Queenscliff Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Wodonga Oceania: Australia, Western Australia, Perth
Accession Number	AWM2020.22.181
Collection number	AWM2016.246.3
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	Wallet
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	468 Image/s captured
Maker	Mawson, Arthur
Place made	At sea, British Mandate of Palestine: Palestine, Egypt, French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon: Syria, North Africa: Libya, South Africa
Date made	1940-1944
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945
Source credit to	This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government.

Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX38691, B3/22 Major Arthur Mawson, Salvation Army, Libya and Palestine, 1940-1944.

Wallet 1 of 2: Consists of typed diary entries held in three folders.

Folder 1 of 3: Contains a typed diary spanning the period 16 November 1940 to 31 December 1941. The diary begins with Major Mawson's farewells to his family and friends during the days before his embarkation, then covers his journey to the Middle East including stops in Perth and South Africa (likely Durban, though not specified), his arrival in Suez, then journey through to Tobruk. Nearing the end of the Siege of Tobruk, Major Mawson is transferred to Palestine, where he spends the remainder of 1941. Within this section of diary, many references are made to Biblical subjects, quotations from the Bible, other pieces of scripture, and comments on the spiritual values held by many of those around him. The diary discusses the regular air raids that Tobruk is subjected to, Major Mawson's distribution of Salvation Army supplies to soldiers (such as paper, envelopes and some food), his living situation including time spent living in a cave. There are also mentions of alerts being made of submarines in the area, various soldiers' well-being including one case that Major Mawson suspects is shell shock. Key pieces of war news are also mentioned, including the evacuation of Greece, the sinking of the Ladybird at Tobruk, and of Rudolf Hess' flight to Scotland. The latter part of this section of the diary discusses Major Mawson's time in Palestine, with many pages dedicated to the visiting places of Christian significance.

In the entry dated 11 June 1941, Major Mawson notes that he wants to collect the clock hands from the Tobruk post office, now held at Accession No AWM2016.246.2. In the entry dated 22 November 1941, Major Mawson mentions the delivery of several vans donated by 'The Golfers of New South Wales', as depicted in the photograph with Major Mawson held at AWM2016.545.4.

Folder 2 of 3: Contains diary entries spanning the period 1 January 1942 to 16 November 1942. The diary discusses time spent in the Middle East, largely traveling around modern-day Palestine, Syria, Israel, Egypt, and ending with Major Mawson's return to Australia. The diary largely focuses on Major Mawson's work distributing Salvation Army supplies to soldiers throughout the areas he visits, and his many outings (particularly to holy places) he makes during this period, with various friends. There is a significant mention of an Armenian church in Aleppo at which he preaches on several occasions, noting the effect that the Armenian Genocide had upon these people. Throughout there are many mentions of Christian stories and scripture. Following Major Mawson's return to Australia, a continuing theme is his health and how the war had taken its effect on his ability to perform the tasks required of him. Also mentioned is his loan of the clock hands from the Tobruk post office (Accession No AWM2016.246.2) to an exhibition, and his intention to tell the stories of the Rats of Tobruk.

Folder 3 of 3: Contains diary entries spanning the period 4 December 1943 to 4 April 1944. The diary entries relate to Major Mawson's work for the Salvation Army in Australia. While details are non-specific, he largely discusses interviews that he needs to undertake (for what exactly, is unclear), and discusses his organisation of events relating to the Salvation Army throughout Victoria and southern New South Wales.