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

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

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

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