| Place | Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, Hurstville |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | PR85/332 |
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 1 cm; Wallet/s: 1 |
| Object type | Memoir, Book |
| Maker |
Smeaton, Alan Dean |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | 1982, 1985-1986 |
| Access | Open |
| Related File This file can be copied or viewed via the Memorial’s Reading Room. | AWM315 419/095/003 |
| Conflict |
Period 1930-1939 Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Smeaton, Alan Dean (Private, b.1917 - d.2011)
Description
Collection relating to the interwar and Second World War service of NX4300 Private Alan Dean Smeaton, 2/3 Battalion, 1929-1939.
Wallet 1 of 1 - Consists of a typescript memoir and a copy of "Hurstville: The Depression Years, 1929-39", a booklet published by Smeaton for the Hurstville Historical Society in 1982. The booklet recounts Smeaton's memories of the Great Depression in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville and the affect this period had on the local residents, including returned soldiers of the First World War. The collection also includes a typescript copy of Smeaton's memoir, the five-page "Some Memoirs of a Cadet, 34th Bn. c1933", and its eight-page continuance, "Continuation - Memoirs of a Cadet c1933". The first part recollects Smeaton's experiences with the Australian Army Cadets from 1933, and discusses matters of training, discipline, and interactions with both returned soldiers and local members of the Communist Party. The continuation discusses Smeaton's service with 45 Battalion, Citizens Military Force, and 2/3 Battalion of the Second Australian Imperial Force until his discharge on medical grounds in late 1939. The continuation describes training and camp life in Australia, including matters such as food and illness, disagreements, and acts of ill-discipline.