Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A Consolidated Catalina aircraft (right), with the serial number A24-100 and code number RK-L of 42 Squadron, RAAF, piloted by 401846 Pilot Officer (PO) (later Flying Officer (FO)) Clifford Dent Hull of Hawthorn, Vic. After completing a successful mine laying operation off Macassar (Celebes) Harbour on the night of 23 & 24 October 1944, the starboard engine of this aircraft was damaged by Japanese anti aircraft (AA) fire. Unable to maintain height on his return and with the second engine failing, PO Hull made a forced landing in the open sea south of the South Western Celebes Peninsula. He and his crew spent the next twelve hours on the water uncomfortably close to four Japanese airfields based in Southern Celebes, before a second Catalina (left), OX-U of 43 Squadron, RAAF, arrived to rescue PO Hull and his crew. A rubber dingy is visible transferring the downed crew to the rescue aircraft. A United States B24 Liberator bomber located the downed Catalina and guided the rescue Catalina in. The B24 continued to circle overhead providing protection. After the disabled Catalina had been sunk by machine gun fire, the rescue Catalina took off and returned safely to Darwin. This operation was one of the epic sea rescues of the Second World War, entailing a round trip of 1800 miles mainly through Japanese held territory. The rescue crew were: 415632 FO (later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt, DFC)), Armand Andre Etienne (Captain), of West Perth, WA; 408409 FO (later Flt Lt), Ian McCallister Robson of Sandy Bay, Tas; 428809 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) (later Warrant Officer (WO)), John Joseph Sweeney (Navigator), of Newcastle, NSW, (visible standing on the wing of the rescue aircraft); 428832 Flt Sgt (later WO), Raymond Victor Tumeth of Haberfield, NSW; 428360 Flt Sgt (later WO), Derek Fanshawe Robertson of Camberwell, Vic; 12912 Sergeant (Sgt) (later PO), Robert Richard Tingman of Brighton, Vic; 12223 Sgt (later Flt Sgt), Albert Leslie Warton of Sydney, NSW; A2398 Sgt, Thomas Roy Elphick of Bondi, NSW; 33642 Corporal, James Francis Burgess Oliver of Glen Innes of NSW.

A picture of Geroge Harriot that appears to show his rank as Lieutenant and thus taken some time before April 1917 when he was promoted Captain.

Roadsign indicating the Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension

The entrance to Becourt Military cemetery

Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery

Three brothers, Private Theo Leslie Seabrook (left), 2 Lieutenant William Keith Seabrook (centre) and Private George Ross Seabrook (right) of Fivedock, New South Wales, Australia were all serving with 17 Battalion, Australian Infantry when they were killed together at Polygon Wood in the Ypres Salient on 20 - 21 September 1917. At the time of their deaths, George was aged 25, Theo was aged 24 and William was aged 21. Theo and George are commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres while William is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

A 4.5 inch howitzer of 108th Howitzer Battery of the 8th FIeld Artillery Brigade deployed in line behind a dyke or elevated road which provides them with cover from fire and view by the enemy

Possibly one of the most recognised photos of the AIF on the Western Front. Lieutenant Rupert Frederick Arding Downes MC addresses his Platoon from B Company, 29th Battalion on 8 August 1918 during a rest before the advance onto Harbonnieres, the battalion's second objective. They are near the villages of Warfusee and Lamotte, France. The background of the photograph is obscured by the smoke of heavy shellfire. Many of the men pictured were killed in action or died of wounds or disease in the days and weeks after the photograph was taken, being amongst the last Australian deaths during the First World War. Each man has a story. Pte Towers (fourth from right), for example, was a farm labourer of Cootamundra, NSW, who later transferred to the 32nd Battalion. He was admitted to the Abbeville Hospital on 9 November 1918 suffering broncho-pneumonia where he died on 11 November 1918.

Superimposed on the Barrage Plan this is the counter battery fire plan and reaches in front of the creeping barrage rolling towards the German rear areas in order to neutralise the 504 guns positions identified by British Artillery Intelligence.

John Carr Ewen's medal set; L-R Miitary Cross, Distinguijhsed Conduct Medal, Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Pacific Star, British Service Medal 1939-45, Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Members of the 22nd Battalion, AIF, taking a meal in the trenches on Westhoek Ridge on the night before the opening Australian attack at Menin Road on 20 September 1917. Identified, left to right: Mundie; Gilbert; Peach; Robinson; and two unidentified soldiers.

A Bell UH 1H Iroquois (aka "Huey") of No. 5 Squadron

Flying from Mareeba Qld 18 March 1944 CAC Boomerang of No. 5 Squadron RAAF in "Finger Four" formation

S212712 Warrant Officer CLass 2 George Fenner REEVES. Approx date taken, as enrolled in WW2, with rank of Warrant Officer 2nd Class. Refer service record S212712

AWM Collection The Banner borne by men of the 5th Machine Gun Battalion in Sydney until 1973 when the banner was retired and donated to the AWM

Harry Wetzel's grave, Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium

Flying Officer Anthony Shanahan

11th Light Horse

DCM, MM, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

DCM, MM, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Medal Set of Major A Steele (left to right): Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal (without oak leaf cluster which symbolises MID.) (The Distinguished Service Order is also part of the medal set as per other image.) The fact that Major Steele was awarded both a Distinguished Conduct Medal and a Distinguished Service Order makes his medal set rare as this combination was very rarely achieved by troops in the AIF.

Distinguished COnduct Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

`347 Hartley Pascoe HARRIS

Common Grave 294 - Lancaster ME -755 'AR-Z'

A plaque honouring the crews of two Lancasters lost over Chevillon in July 1944

Robert Thomas BAMBLETT's headstone in the AIF Cemetery West Terrace Adelaide

Chevillon, Haute Marne, France

L-R Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal Victory Medal with MiD clasp

RAN Badge

A 77 Squadron Halifax B Mk III

An Armstrong WHitworth Whitley of No 77 Squadron at RAF Driffield

S/No 424759 Flight Sergeant Stuart Lacey EDWARDS

Military Medal Citation

Harry Crockers grave at Pheasant Wood

Informal portrait of officers of No. 13 Squadron, RAAF. From the left: 426311 Flying Officer (FO) Nurden Anderson Chowns, of Townsville, Qld; 423956 FO Charles George Watts, of Sydney, NSW; 22465 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) George Alexander Anderson, of Dalby, Qld; 425050 Flying Officer (FO) Bruce Lionel Poole, of Coorparoo, Qld. These airmen were four of six crew members on board Ventura aircraft A59-84 which took off from Gould Strip, Batchelor, NT, on the morning of 27 January 1945 and returned twenty minutes later requesting landing instructions. The aircraft, which it is believed was experiencing instrument failure, struck the ground during the approach, killing all on board.

Mareeba, Qld. 1944-03-15. An Australian-built CAC Boomerang fighter aircraft coded BF-S (serial no. A46-126) nicknamed "Sinbad II" of No. 5 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron RAAF, piloted by 402769 Flight Lieutenant A. W. B. Clare of Newcastle, NSW.

Percy Geason's grave at Pheasant Wood cemetery

A memorial to the 460 Squadron crew lost on 13th June 1943

GRaves of the crew of 460 Squadron Lancaster lost here 13th June 1943

Nine Elms British War Cemetery - near Popereinge Belgium

Personnel from HMAS Sydney, Tobruk and Murchison marching along George St, Sydney on 6 March 1953. [AWM 304621] ...

Bellicourt Cemetery

Louverval Cemetery collonade - a striking memorial

Portrait of 437282 Flight Sergeant (later Pilot Officer) Norman George Steer of Prospect, SA, Pilot (left), and 434107 Flying Officer Basil Trevor Roberts of Townsville, Qld, Navigator. They formed a ship-busting crew flying Beaufighter aircraft with RAAF 455 Squadron operating out of RAF Langham station, UK. On 15 October 1944, their aircraft ditched into the sea after attacking enemy trawlers off Norway. Only the body of FO Roberts was recovered, and he is buried in the Risor Civil Cemetery on the south coast of Norway

Clarence Lamshed's medal set - British War Medal and Victory Medal

HEadstones of two Commonwealth airmen

Risor, Aust-Agder, Norway

Reginald Alfred Charles HEALEY 54th Battalion

"SYDNEY" GETTING THE STORY IN THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN. CAPTAIN COLLINS, COMMANDER THRUSTON AND JOHN HETHERINGTON. (NEGATIVE BY PARER).