| Accession Number | P02305.018 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film copy negative |
| Maker |
Betty, John |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Melville Island, 1944-10. An Aboriginal man and some of the buildings of the Snake Bay settlement ...
Description
Melville Island, 1944-10. An Aboriginal man and some of the buildings of the Snake Bay settlement in the background. This settlement of aborigines from the Tiwi tribe was run by John Gribble for the Western Australian Native Affairs Department. When Japan entered the war John Gribble was appointed as a coastwatcher and commissioned as a Lieutenant in the RANVR. Patrols by aborigines from this settlement captured the first Japanese prisoner of war, Sergeant Hajime Toyoshima from the Japanese Imperial Navy aircraft carrier Hiryu, who's Zero aircraft was damaged over Darwin and crash landed on Melville Island. The building with the high pitched bark roof is typical of the huts used by Aboriginals of the settlement. They were designed by John Gribble and built by Aboriginals from bush materials.