Cole, William Gerard (Captain, b.1907 – d.1997)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of XV98462 Captain William Gerard Cole, Headquarters Timor Force, Second Australian Imperial Force, Timor and Australia, 1946.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains 14 items of correspondence written by Captain Cole, dated from February to April 1946. These letters relate to Captain Cole’s service as the Defending Officer for the trials of Japanese personnel accused of war crimes. The trials were held at the Officers’ Mess, Larrakenyah Army Base in Darwin, from March to April 1946.

13 letters were written by Captain Cole to his wife, Mrs Jean Melville ‘Jinny’ Cole, and are dated from 18 February to 17 April 1946. In these letters Captain Cole wrote to inform Mrs Cole of his living conditions and accommodation, movements, food rations, local weather and wildlife, delayed homecoming, developments of the trials, dealings with legal servicemen, reception towards newspaper articles related to the trials and daily duties. These duties included preparing and organising evidence, statements, testimonials, witnesses, interpreters, examinations and cross-examinations for the trials. In his letters he also addressed his daughters, Diana and Betty [exact identities unknown], sending them his love and well wishes.

The final item consists of one sheet of paper, which includes two letters written by Captain Cole to his employers, Solicitors A C Boyl & Co and Mr Briggs. These letters are dated 22 March 1946. In these letters he informs his employers of his delayed return to work, due to his ongoing participation in the war crimes trials in Darwin.

Captain William Gerard Cole was born in Melbourne, Victoria on 28 January 1907. Upon graduating from the University of Melbourne, he became a practising barrister and solicitor. At the beginning of the Second World War he attempted to enlist for overseas service, but was deemed medically unfit and was unable to do so. From 1942, Captain Cole served in the Australian Army Legal Department as Member of the Court and Judge Advocate for the Courts-Martial. Captain Cole was re-called for service in 1946 to take part in the Australian war trials held at the Larrakenyah Army Base in Darwin. He was assigned to the role of Defending Officer for the Senior Defence Counsel, representing accused Japanese personnel of war crimes committed in Timor from 1943 to 1945. Three trials were conducted between March and April. At the conclusion of the trials Captain Cole returned to Victoria, where he continued practising as a lawyer until his retirement.