Ballard, Geoffrey St. Vincent (Captain, b.1915 - d.2004)

Places	Africa: Egypt Africa: Egypt, Alexandria Africa: Egypt, Cairo Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Kantara Asia: Ceylon, Colombo Europe: Greece, Athens Europe: Greece, Crete Europe: Greece, Elasson Europe: Greece, Larisa Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Jerusalem Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Beirut Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Damour Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Syria Middle East: Lebanon, Tripoli Middle East: Syria, North Syria, Aleppo
Accession Number	PR06351
Collection type	Private Record
Record type	Collection
Measurement	Extent: 1 cm; Wallet/s: 1
Object type	Diary
Maker	Ballard, Geoffrey St. Vincent Carter, Ray
Place made	Greece
Date made	1941-1943
Access	Open
Conflict	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.

Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX43516 Captain Geoffrey St. Vincent Ballard, Intelligence Section, Headquarters 1 Australian Corps, Second Australian Imperial Force, Middle East and Greece, 1941-1943.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one diary and one transcript of diary of Captain Geoffrey St. Vincent Ballard, containing entries dated between 24 March 1941 and 3 January 1943. This diary covers the period of Captain Ballard’s service with the Intelligence Section of Headquarters 1 Australian Corps. In his diary, Captain Ballard writes about his sea journey from Egypt to Greece, having leave in Athens, his positive impressions of the Greek landscape and civilians, travelling through the Greek mountains, doing reconnaissance, frequent German air raids, the bombing of nearby towns, being targeted by enemy fighter aircraft, receiving the order to evacuate, the crowded voyage to Crete, sightseeing, the German airborne invasion of Crete, the evacuation of Crete, transferring to a unit in Palestine, conducting interrogations, visiting local villages, establishing a new Corps Headquarters, travelling through Syria and Lebanon, attending officer training in Egypt, and returning to Australia. This diary also contains addresses of acquaintances and various notes. The transcription is a typed copy of the diary entries of Captain Ballard [excluding notes at the end of the diary]. It also contains explanatory comments made by the transcriber, Ray Carter.

History / Summary

Geoffrey St. Vincent Ballard enlisted to the Second Australian Imperial Force on 2 July 1940. After a short period of training, he embarked for overseas service in October 1940. Ballard served with the Intelligence Section of Headquarters 1 Australian Corps in Egypt, Greece, Crete, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. In early 1942, he returned to Australia and served in various Headquarters units and 51 Australian Wireless Section. Ballard went on to serve in the South West Pacific Area with the Australian Intelligence Corps, Central Bureau. He continued to work in Intelligence sections with the Australian Army after the Second World War, and was recognised for his service with a Mention in Despatches in March 1947. Geoffrey St. Vincent Ballard was discharged on 24 May 1949, with the rank of major.