Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

F. Aubrey, 11th Light Horse

In one of the most iconic photos of the Second World War, pilots of No. 87 Squadron scramble to their Hurricane Mk 1 (note the two bladed wooden propellers) in France to engage attacking Luftwaffe aircraft.

87 Squadron Photo Reconnaissance DH 98 Mosquitos

A Mosquito aircraft of No 87 Squadron RAAF, undergoes an overhaul by unidentified ground crew at Alice Springs, NT. The guns have been removed and a camera placed in the nose of the aircraft in readiness to participate in topographic surveys for the Army. The ground crew are performing maintenance on the undercarriage and in the background is another Mosquito aircraft.

One of the F4 P38 Lightnings operated by 1 PRU. The P38 did not have a very auspicious career with 1 PRU because of chronic unserviceability issues.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165691420

Group portrait of the crew of "K" for Kitty, 458 Squadron RAAF after a raid. 458 Squadron was at this stage based in Yorkshire it later transferred to the Middle East. Identified, left to right: 404455 Sergeant (Sgt) James Howard "Rupe" Holmes, captain of Brisbane, Qld; 404611 Sgt Sven Ivanouw Hansen, 2nd pilot of Brisbane, Qld; 1261126 Sgt Les H Empson RAF, front gunner; 407199 Sgt Robert McKerlie (Bob) Croft, rear gunner of Adelaide, SA; probably 404343 Sgt Norman Henry Kobelke, observer of Brisbane, Qld (originally of Bulawayo, Rhodesia); 1283720 Sgt Ken A Cousins, RAF, wireless operator.

Surname: HUGHES; Given Names: Wlfred John Mann; Date of Birth: 29 April 1895; Date of Enlistment: 1 February 1915; Trade or Calling: University Student; Birth Location: Adelaide; Address prior to enlistment: Fourth Ave St Peters;

'G for George' is perhaps the best known WW II aircraft in Australia. It has been the centerpiece of the AWM since it was installed in 1955. The aircraft is a Mk1 Lancaster that served for 17 months with 460 Squadron, from 1942 until April 1944, completing 89 missions before being flown to Australia as part of a War Bond fundraising campaign. It famously flew under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

SX15214, S10005 Gordon NUM

3029 PTE Edwin Charles DAVIS of the 26th Infantry Battalion

Men of an Anti Tank Company at Tobruk; The 2nd/3rd Anti Tank Regiment and the 24th and 26th Anti Tanl Companis served at Tobruk.

P 396 Navigators, No. 8 Course, Pennfield, New Brunswick.

PORTRAIT OF 8028 DRIVER R.B. COCHRANE, 6TH FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE, KILLED IN ACTION 1916-08-03.

The best tunnelling conditions were in the great chalk seams running across northern France. Excavation generally had to be conducted with great care to conceal t he diggings and where in the proximity of enemy miners, to prevent detection by listening devices. Men of the 3rd Australian Company excavating a chamber in the chalk in the Hulluch subway system. The chalk was dug out with miners' picks and filled into bags. These bags were trucked along the gallery to suitable positions, hauled to the surface and emptied at night. In places where the chalk crumbled, the walls had to be revetted, as is seen on the left. Identified left to right: Captain R. J. Langton MC, Officer Commanding, No. 1 Section (holding bag); 1194 Sapper (Spr) D. C. Vecchia; 6772 Spr C. A. L. Robinson, all members of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company.

MILLETT, Reginald Wellington

PTE S.G. Stafford 2nd Battalion KIA at Lone Pine

A Martin Mariner of 40 Squadron. Like the Sunderland it was a pure flying boat with no amphibian version, a feature which extended the life of the Catalina design beyond its contemporaries.

Squadron Leader Keith "Bluey" Truscott taxis his P40 Kittyhawk on the Martson Matt perforated steel plate strip at Milne Bay

No. 76 Swuadorn - BCOF Japan 1947 BOFU, JAPAN. 1947-07-15. PILOTS FROM 76 SQUADRON, 81ST FIGHTER WING, RAAF, GET A FINAL BRIEFING NEAR THEIR AIRCRAFT FROM THEIR FLIGHT LEADER FOR THEIR DAYS DUTY OVER THE BCOF AREA. SHOWN: 50971 WARRANT OFFICER N. J. BAX OF BALRANALD, NSW; WARRANT OFFICER V. G. BARKELL OF CONCORD, NSW; 115515 WARRANT OFFICER J. C. SAMPSON OF WARRAMBOO, SA; WARRANT OFFICER S. W. WILLIAMSON OF ST KILDA, VIC; 418588 FLIGHT LIEUTENANT D. V. TERRY OF ELWOOD, VIC, FLIGHT LEADER.

An informal portrait of 219689 Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Damien Healy standing in front of a Mixed Military Working Group (MMWG) briefing map which displays the legend 'Peace For Cambodia' and shows the location of United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)s military contingents. The MMWG had been formed by the United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC) with the intention of providing a high-level forum for all four Cambodian military factions and the UN's military representatives, and first met on 28 December 1991. It continued under the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). An experienced military negotiator, Lt Col Healy was MMWG's Chief Liaison Officer and the only Australian representative. He received a Conspicuous Service Cross for his work in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, 1992-02-25. Group portrait of members of the Australian contingent to the United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC), on the occasion of the presentation to them of the Australian Service Medal. The soldiers are dressed in jungle green uniforms with the distinctive blue berets and scarves of the United Nations (UN). Left to right: back row: Warrant Officer 2 (WO2) J. W. Cruickshank (with moustache); Sergeant (Sgt) A. G. Wills; Corporal (Cpl) J. Gallarello (with moustache); Cpl S. Haines; Lance Cpl C. G. T. Woodcock. 2nd row: WO1 W. D. Williams (wearing glasses); Cpl G. E. Dunn (wearing glasses); Staff Sgt T. C. Sharman (wearing glasses); Signaller (Sig) M. D. Forte; Captain R. M. Glenny (face partly obscured); Cpl C. A. Von Bischoffshausen (face partly obscured). 3rd row: Cpl P. J. Brown; Cpl R. A. Roods (tall); Sig F. L. McKenzie (face partly obscured); Sig B. J. Sedge; Sapper (Spr) T. A Cooper; Cpl P. C. Mitchell (at end of row, face partly obscured). 4th row: Spr N. E. O'Connor; Sgt G. C. Richardson (face partly obscured); Cpl M. Hicklen (face partly obscured); Cpl M. J. Quinn (tall, with moustache); Sig A. J. Colbert (face partly obscured); Cpl B. J. Forrest; Sig L. J. Maloney. 5th row: Cpl M. J. Ryan (with moustache); Cpl D. D. Redburn (squinting); Cpl R. M. T. Morrish (with glasses); Spr M. C. Harley (with moustache); Captain P. A. Bartu (turned side on); Spr S. J. V. Anderson. 6th row: Major (Maj) M. I. McGough; Maj J. G. Glenn; WO2 B. Williams (with moustache). 7th row: Maj D. A. Wilson; Cpl G. R. Hillman. Front row: Lieutenant Colonel R. A. Stuart, the Officer Commanding (OC) the contingent. (Donor R. Stuart)

Commemorative Plaque, colloquially known as "The Dead Man's Penny", issued to the families of the Fallen, together with a Commemorative Scroll signed by King George V

William Frayne's medal set: L-R 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

2048 CRAM William 43rd Battalion AIF RH#20

Heilly Station Cemetery

Robert Glendenning Jemison's 'Dead Man's Penny' in a circular wooden frame. In the collection of his Great Nephew, Bruce James-Martin. In a fascinating twist of fate, Bruce is a friend of John Wadlow, narrator of the accompanying story.

Sister M Hall, Moonee Ponds Baby Health Centre, 1950

3342 Private Harry Lincoln BROOKS of the 27th Battalion

L-R 1914/15 Star, British Empire War Medal, Victory Medal

Headstone of Private D S HAILES, 2nd/27th Infantry Battalion WW2. This is a private grave in Salisbury Memorial Park

Western Front: (Belgium), Ypres Area, Locre. Group portrait of the officers and NCOs of the 24th Machine Gun Company. In the foreground are two Vickers machine guns on their tripods. Left to right, back row: 422C Corporal (Cpl) J. H. Parker 429B Cpl H. J. Heywood 425A Cpl G. B. Redford MM MSM 372 Cpl C. W. Lane 438 Cpl P. P. Murphy 427B Acting Cpl J. W. Biggs Middle row: 504 Cpl H. S. Chave 1928 Cpl H. W. Courtney 501B Sgt C. W. E. Morris 426D Transport Sergeant (Sgt) C. Sugg MM 422A Sgt C. C. McPhee 617 Company Sergeant Major (CSM) P. O'Brien 414D Sgt V. A. J. Deeker 460A Sgt F. P. Packer 292 Sgt J. R. Reeves 424 Sgt C. B. Popkin 428A Acting Cpl C. E. Reade Front row: Lieutenant (Lt) L. D. Sinclair Lt T. R. Jack MC Lt F. R. Watts Major F. B. Hinton MC Lt C. C. Dight Lt W. A. Shelley MM

RAAF Crest 'Per Ardua ad Astra' "Through Adversity to the Stars"

WW1 post 31 Dec 1915 embarkation: L-R Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

RAAF WW2 Europe medal set - L-R 1939-45 Star (6 months O/S service) , Aircrew Europe Star (operational service over NW Europe up to D Day 5 6 June 1944), Defence Medal (service in a defended area), British War Medal 39-45, Australian War Service Model 39-45.

An excellent side on photograph of Short Sunderland of No. 228 Squadron at low level, in an early camouflage colour scheme, while operating from Malta in 1941.

WW1 Meritorious service post 31 Dec 15 Embarkation: L-R Military Medal (MM), British War Medal, Victory Medal

Private Edwin Bavister joined the 25th Battalion of the Australian Infantry on 28 December 1915 and was killed in action in France on 18 July 1918. His memorial is at the war cemetery in Villers-Bretonneux, France. He was a grocer at Dinmore and 25 years old when he died.

Portrait of Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams, KBE CB DSO, Royal Australian Air Force.

London Cemetery and Extension at Longueval, from the entrance Portico.

AWM Photograph P07344.002

Brian Grasby's Basic Training Course at Mt Brecon, Victor Harbor, SOuth Australia

429369 Flying Officer (FO) Richard Rodney (Rod) Young, 463 Sqn RAAF, of West Maitland, NSW at the controls of 'H' for How, about to depart on a raid on the Dortmund-Emms Canal in Germany. Just three weeks later he was flying JO-K when it was lost over Giessen, Germany

Flying Officer Gwynne Thomas - detail from AWM

429369 FO Richard Rodney (Rod) Young, 463 Sqn RAAF. FO Thomas wrote on the back of the image "Out for a ride in the sunny English Country in summer. At Church Broughton, Derbyshire, July 1944".

Flying Officer Gwynne THOMAS and Flying Officer Rodney YOUNG, cycling near Church Broughton in Derbyshire in July 1944. Five months later, on the night of 6/7 December, the men were serving aboard Lancaster PB290 JO-K as Wireless Operator and Pilot respectively, when it failed to return from a raid on railyards at Geissen Germany

Gilbert Pate's grave in Lezennes Communal Cemetery near Lille - "He fought and died a hero in the battle of the skies".

Gilbert Pate shortly after qualifying as a Wireless Operator wearing his brevet for his craft

Grave of 425413 FSGT Alistair Dale Johnston, the Wireless Operator of 467 Squadron Lancaster PO-B for 'Baker' on 10/11 May 1944

AE2_PDF.zip