Gillies, Alexander Glendale (Engineer, b.1918 - d.2003)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of Engineer Alexander Glendale Gillies, Australian Merchant Navy, Australia, Somalia, at sea and India, 1940-1941.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains two folders of material relating to Engineer Alexander Glendale Gillies.

Folder 1 of 2 consists of two diaries of Engineer Gillies. The diaries were written during Engineer Gillies’ time as an Italian prisoner of war in Merca, Somalia, after his ship, SS Commissaire Ramel, was sunk by a German cruiser on 19 September 1940. In his first diary, Engineer Gillies writes about the events that transpired between early to mid -September 1940. He writes about joining the crew of the SS Commissaire Ramel as the 6th Engineer, leaving Sydney, working in the engine room, life on board the ship, having leave in Fremantle and Perth, and losing sight of Australia as the boat travelled further. This diary also includes notes on the Afrikaans language, mathematical equations, and a hand drawn map of a prisoner of war camp. The second diary contains entries dated between 28 January and 11 May 1941. In this diary, Engineer Gillies writes about buying food from the canteen in his prisoner of war camp, the prisoners’ diet, the different jobs of prisoners, hearing news about the war, nearby Allied air raids, movements of prisoners in and out of the camp, attending church services, the liberation of the camp by the British, local sightseeing, recreational activities, sightings of ships in the harbour, looking for work, joining the crew of a ship, and travelling to India. This diary also includes notes on Italian, Arabic and French languages.

Folder 2 of 2 consists of eight items of correspondence from family and friends to Engineer Gillies, dated between December 1940 and March 1941. These items include one letter, one postcard, and six telegrams. In their correspondence to Engineer Gillies, his family and friends send him best wishes, and express their happiness about his liberation.