Chronological guide to official records - Second World War (1939–45)
Chronological guide to official records
Second World War (1939–45)
Records relating to the Australian military and naval forces during the Second World War
1) Unit and Operational Records
a) War diaries, operations record books, reports of proceedings
AWM52 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and CMF (Commonwealth Military Forces) unit war diaries, 1939-45 War [related control series: AWM129]
AWM53 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and CMF (Commonwealth Military Forces) unit war diaries, 1939-45 War, duplicates [related control series: AWM129]
AWM64 RAAF formation and unit records
AWM78 Reports of Proceedings, HMA Ships and Establishments
b) Other
AWM27 Records arranged according to AWM Library subject classification
- Series of files and miscellaneous official papers from former donated records (DRL) accessions and other series. Covers a broad range of subjects
AWM54 Written records, 1939-45 War [related control series: AWM110, AWM111, AWM112 and AWM218]
- Series of files originally created by 2nd AIF units and war time agencies. Covers a broad range of subjects and is a vital source for 1939-45 War research. Arranged and indexed by subject
AWM113 Records of the Military History Section (Army)
AWM123 "Special Collection II" Defence Committee records
AWM132 Order of Battle/Location statement cards, 1939-45 War
AWM173 RAAF War History Section briefs, narratives and related source material
AWM227 Army historical collection, 1939-45 War
- Series of miscellaneous records from Army Office, Department of Defence. Includes Chiefs of Staff weekly progress reports, copies of The Army War Effort, War Cabinet agenda, and items relating to the Australian Women's Army Service
AWM232 Records of Australian Military Forces prisoners of war and missing, Far East and Southwest Pacific Islands
- Digitised Australian Military Forces [AMF] prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands
- Search Australian Military Forces [AMF] prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands
AWM246 Australian port defence charts
AWM254 Written records, 1939-1945 War, Second series
AWM336 Records of Lt Col Jack Argent - Commanding Officer - 2/3 Anti-Tank Regiment - later 2/3 Tank-Attack Regiment
AWM345 Records of Lieutenant Colonel Jack Amies
2) Administrative Records
AWM27 Records arranged according to AWM Library subject classification
- Series of files and miscellaneous official papers from former donated records (DRL) accessions and other series. Covers a broad range of subjects
AWM51 AWM security classified files
- Series of unrelated items originally processed by the AWM Library as confidential for security, storage and access reasons. Includes army war books, intelligence summaries and copies of the Lowe and Webb reports
AWM54 Written records, 1939-45 War [related control series: AWM110, AWM111, AWM112 and AWM218
- Series of files originally created by 2nd AIF units and war time agencies. Covers a broad range of subjects and is a vital source for 1939-45 War research. Arranged and indexed by subject
AWM60 Northern Command registry files
AWM61 Eastern Command secret and other security classified records
AWM62 Southern Command registry files
AWM63 2nd AIF Headquarters (Middle East), registry records [related control series: AWM241]
AWM80 Department of Information broadcast transcripts and press releases
AWM81 Department of Home Security circulars and bulletins
AWM84 Military History Section registry index cards
AWM90 Australian Service Canteens Organisation records
AWM113 Records of the Military History Section (Army)
AWM123 "Special Collection II" Defence Committee records
AWM126 Army vehicle registration books
AWM171 Papers of John Balfour, Australian Historical Representative (AMF) attached Historical Division, GHQ, SWPA (US)
AWM174 Records of H L Port, Defence Committee Secretariat
AWM193 Eastern Command "G" Branch records
AWM242 Organisation of Transport for an Emergency, Principal Committee records AWM243 Inter-Service Demobilisation Committee records
AWM253 Department of Defence correspondence Files, multiple number series with AIF prefix
AWM281 Written Records, Australian Army Air Liaison Officers' Association, 1939-45 War
AWM357 Records of Brigadier Sir Victor Windeyer KBE, DSO and Bar, Commanding Officer, 20th Australian Infantry Brigade
AWM360 Records of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Alfred George Tucker, Commanding Officer – 2/23rd Australian Infantry Battalion
AWM367 Australian War Memorial Photographs Collection – Dope sheets – Second World War
3) Biographical Records
AWM65 RAAF biographical files
AWM76 Official History, 1939-45 War, biographical files [related control series: AWM168]
AWM88 Governor General's Office, honours and awards files [related control series: AWM192]
AWM108 Roll of Honour circulars, 1939-45 War
AWM127 Miscellaneous records transferred by Central Army Records Office
- Series includes compendiums of statistics compiled by CARO, and items relating to prisoners of war and censorship
AWM135 Photocopies of records relating to 1939-45 War RAAF personnel compiled by RAAF Historical Section AWM 146 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-45 War, Royal Australian Navy
- Series available in microform
AWM147 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-45 War, 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and CMF (Commonwealth Military Forces)
- Series available in microform
AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-45 War, Air Force
- Series available in microform
AWM168 Official History, 1939-45 War, biographical cards
- Series available in microform
AWM182 Office of the Military Secretary, Officer's Record of Service ledgers
AWM225 Records presented to the Australian War Memorial by heads of state and other official visitors
AWM232 Records of Australian Military Forces prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands
- Digitised Australian Military Forces [AMF] prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands
- Search Australian Military Forces [AMF] prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West Pacific Islands
AWM237 Roll of Honour cards, supplementary sources
AWM238 Imperial War Graves Commission records for Australian servicemen, 1939-45 War
- Series available in microform
AWM359 Nominal Roll of the 2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion
4) Naval Records
AWM69 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 2 (Navy): Records of G Hermon Gill
AWM78 Reports of Proceedings, HMA Ships and Establishments
AWM79 Records of HMAS Rushcutter Radar School
AWM124 Naval historical collection
- Series of original records and other material acquired by the Navy Historical Records Section and its successors. Covers a broad range of subjects
AWM180 Naval investigations and enquiries
AWM188 Naval Historical Section research files
- Notes and summaries of 1939-45 War naval operations researched and written for use by the Official Naval Historian, G H Gill
AWM234 Small Marine Craft Committee records ("Lingwood-Smith papers")
AWM239 RAN Medical Officers' journals
AWM369 Royal Australian Navy – Court-Martial records
5) Official Historian's Records
AWM67 Official History, 1939-45 War: Records of Gavin Long, General Editor [related control series: AWM240]
AWM68 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 4 (Civil) Volumes 1 and II: Records of Paul Hasluck
AWM69 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 2 (Navy): Records of G Hermon Gill
AWM70 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 4 (Civil) Volumes III and IV (part): Records of S J Butlin
AWM71 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 3 (Air) Volumes III and IV: Records of John Herington
AWM72 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 1 (Army) Volume III: Records of Barton Maughan
AWM73 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 1 (Army) Volume IV: Records of Lionel Wigmore
AWM74 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 4 (Civil) Volume V: Records of D P Mellor
AWM75 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 5 (Medical): Records of Allan S Walker
AWM76 Official History, 1939-45 War, biographical files
AWM77 Official History, 1939-45 War: British, New Zealand and other overseas drafts and reports
AWM168 Official History, 1939-45 War, biographical cards
- Series available in microform
AWM171 Papers of John Balfour, Australian Historical Representative (AMF) attached Historical Division, GHQ, SWPA (US)
AWM172 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 1 (Army) Volume VI: Records of David Dexter
AWM219 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 4 (Civil) Volume IV (part): Records of C B Schedvin
AWM229 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 1 (Army) Volume V: Records of Dudley McCarthy
AWM247 Official History, 1939-45 War: War Cabinet extracts and other Sources compiled by Nancy Penman, Research Assistant
AWM355 Working papers of George Odgers, Official Historian (RAAF)
AWM379 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 3 (Air) Volume I: Records of Douglas Gillison
6) Copied or Captured Records
AWM82 Captured Japanese documents
7) Intelligence Records
AWM55 ATIS (Allied Translator and Interpreter Section) publications
AWM56 Adv ATIS (Advanced Allied Translator and Interpreter Section) publications
AWM57 Records of Allied Geographic Section, SWPA (South West Pacific Area)
- Series is located in the Printed Records collection.
AWM58 Pacific Fleet Translations, Combat Intelligence Centre South Pacific Force (CICSPF) translations of captured Japanese documents
AWM59 History of the G2 (Intelligence) Section HQ, SWPA (South West Pacific Area) and affiliated units
AWM94 Records of Far East Liaison Office, Special Division, Melbourne
AWM218 Card index to interrogation reports of captured Japanese personnel
AWM235 General Staff Intelligence New Guinea Force, enemy shipping movement cards
AWM347 Directorate of Military Intelligence - Collection of historical war records
AWM349 Records of Flight Lieutenant Harry Morrell Williams RAAF
AWM368 Records of 250341 Squadron Leader J J Wellwood RAAF
8) RAAF/RAF Records
AWM64 RAAF formation and unit records
AWM65 RAAF biographical files
AWM66 RAAF miscellaneous records
AWM71 Official History, 1939-45 War, Series 3 (Air) Volumes III and IV: Records of John Herington
AWM135 Photocopies of records relating to 1939-45 War RAAF personnel compiled by RAAF Historical Section
AWM137 Historical records of RAAF Nursing Service
AWM138 Historical records of Empire Air Training Scheme
AWM173 RAAF War History Section briefs, narratives and related source material
AWM191 Volunteer Air Observers Corps monthly reports
AWM220 Air Historical Branch (RAF) narratives and monographs
AWM225 Records presented to the Australian War Memorial by heads of state and other official visitors
AWM342 Records of Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) – Royal Australian Air Force, 1944-1973
9) War Crimes Records
AWM54 Written records, 1939-45 War (Class 1010/- files) [related control series: AWM110]
AWM83 Records of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
AWM166 Records of the Adjutant General dealing with trials of war criminals
AWM226 Records of war crimes enquiries and trials, 1939-45 War
10) Private Records
3DRL/2529 Lieutenant General S Savige, operations papers North Africa and New Guinea. 1940-1954
3DRL/2632 Lieutenant General L Morshead, operations papers Middle East and New Guinea. 1940-1946
3DRL/3414 Air Marshal G Jones, administrative papers re RAAF organisation. 1938-1946
3DRL/4143 Major General C A Clowes, operational papers Milne Bay and NGF. 1940-1944
3DRL/6643 Field Marshal A T Blamey, papers covering command of the AIF in the Middle East and New Guinea. 1906-1953
3DRL/6850 Lieutenant General I G Mackay, operational and administrative papers as GOC Home Forces. 1914-1948
- Restricted collection.
PR84/127 Air Vice Marshal W D Bostock, RAAF administrative papers and AAF-RAAF co-operation. 1917-1969
PR84/370 Lieutenant General F Berryman, administrative papers Middle East and GHQ SWPA. 1915-1954
PR88/072 G M Long, papers related to his work as General Editor of the Official History, 1939-45 War. 1937-1978
PR89/099 Lieutenant Colonel W W Leggatt, operations and administrative papers Sparrow Force. 1942-1946
PR89/186 Lieutenant Colonel A E Coates, POW medical papers Burma/Thailand. 1941-1952
3DRL/2381 and 3DRL/4142 Major General A S Allen, operations papers Middle East and New Guinea. 1918-1944