Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

KROKONG, BORNEO. 1965-05. RONALD T. CARROLL (KILLED IN ACTION 1968-08-08) AND 215627 PRIVATE NEIL BROWN, 'A' COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT (3RAR). (DONOR N. BROWN)

That picture is HMAS <i>Sydney (III)</i> in the Tsushima Straits the morning after evasive/survival action trying to minimise the effects of the infamous Typhoon Ruth. The storm killed 500 ashore in Japan and registered the limit of 120 knots on <i>Sydney's</i> anemometer before it broke. We regularly shipped green water over the flight deck and lost five aircraft overnight damaged beyond economical repair, including one overboard. Also, one forklift and the captain's jollyboat broke adrift and went for a swim, never to be seen again. But our faithful doggie, the Netherlands' <i>Von Galen</i>, fared much worse. Glimpsed astern every now and then through blinding rain at night, <i>Sydney</i> told her that she need not keep station. By flickering Aldis retrieved from a wrecked motorboat she reported four major fires, boiler and engine rooms flooded, only one boiler working, total electrical failure, no radar, no radio, no gyro compass, useless (spinning) magnetic compass, manual steering and all boats and rafts either stove in or swept away. It was suffixed with a plaintive, <i>"May we stay with you?"</i>

Seconded to Hawkers to continue his test pilot duties, F/L Richard C "Dickie" Reynell was attached to No 43 Squadron RAF for operational experience at RAF Tangmere on 26 August 1940. After claiming an Me 109 destroyed on 2 September, the 28-year-old Australian was shot down 5 days later, in combat with enemy fighters over south London. Bailing out of Hurricane Mk I FT-F, wounded, his parachute failed to open and he fell dead near Blackheath.

A Boulton-Paul Defiant of 153 Squadron in daylight colour scheme clearly showing the aircraft's most distinctive feature - the four gun turret. While initially conferring a tactical advantage, its weight later proved an insurmountable handicap. Image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Mk1_Defiant.jpg

Eric Abraham, Howard Pope, Charlie Mance Ted Smout at the internment of PTE Russell Bosisto, Courcelette Cemetery

Troops preparing to board trains outside Mitcham Camp, 1915.

Lt Col Dollman before the crowd gathered to farewell 27 Bn at Outer Harbour, 31 May 1915.

Commemoration at VC Corner Cemetery. A guard of 10/27 RSAR July 1998 coincident with the opening of the Memorial Park at Fromelles.. Image Steve Larkins private collection

This Google Earth map Image has key points on the Fromelles Battlefield marked in relation to contemporary land marks.

SA Premiers ANZAC Spirit Prize group visited Toronto Avenue on 19th April 2013. Toronto Avenue cemetery can only be reached via a walking track from the vicinity of Prowse Point cemetery,past Mud Lane cemetery and through Ploegsteert Wood.