REPORTS FROM NEW GUINEA TELL OF THE SPLENDID PART PLAYED BY AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY UNITS IN RECENT ...

Places
Accession Number 013413
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Maker Bottomley, Clifford
Place made New Guinea
Date made 9 October 1942
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

REPORTS FROM NEW GUINEA TELL OF THE SPLENDID PART PLAYED BY AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY UNITS IN RECENT OPERATIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE. THIS PICTURE GIVES SOME INDICATION OF THE TREMENDOUS TASK THAT CONFRONTED THE GUNNERS BEFORE THEY COULD GET THEIR GUNS INTO BATTLE POSITIONS IN THE HEART OF THE JUNGLE. THE TWENTY-FIVE POUNDERS WERE DISMANTLED AND THE PARTS MANHANDLED THROUGH ALMOST TRACKLESS BUSH TO BRING THEM WITHIN RANGE OF THE ENEMY. AN A.I.F. CAPTAIN IS QUOTED AS HAVING SAID "THESE MEN WERE DETERMINED TO BEAT THE JAPS AT THEIR OWN GAME, AND WERE WORKING LIKE SLAVES TO KEEP THE GUNS OPERATING IN FORWARD AREAS. IDENTIFIED ARE; 2ND FROM LEFT, LIEUTENANT REG CRANE; 2ND FROM RIGHT, SERGEANT JACK CAHILL AND; FAR RIGHT, LIEUTENANT ERIC TREVOR, GUN POSITION OFFICER. (NEGATIVE BY BOTTOMLEY).