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WWII. Borneo Campaign. 1 June 1945. Sergeant K. Wilde of Pioneer Platoon, 2/23rd Battalion (Australia) uses a flamethrower against a Japanese bunker on Margy Feature, Tarakan Island. [AWM 108558]
Photos WW2 British & Commonwealth Forces
- Thread starter BravoZulu
- Start date
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June 1942, London. British soldiers running across roof tops during training for urban fighting.
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On this day in 1943, the South Australian Sergeant Tom "Diver" Derrick DCM virtually single-handedly seized the summit on which Sattelberg mission was located, enabling the 2/48th Battalion to capture the dominating feature, an important objective of the Huon Peninsula campaign in New Guinea. For his leadership and conspicuous gallantry, Derrick was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Tom Derrick was born in Medindie in Adelaide to David and Ada Derrick. The Derricks were quite poor and Tom often walked barefoot to attend primary school. He left school at 14, by which time he had developed a keen interest in sports. During the depression he survived via various odd jobs, including fixing bicycles, selling newspapers and working in a bakery. In 1931 he travelled to Berri, on the Murray River, looking for work which he eventually found in a vineyard at Winkie. He remained there for the next nine years.
Tom joined the 2/48th Battalion of the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940. He fought during the Siege of Tobruk, and as a corporal was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal during the Second Battle of El Alamein for knocking out three German machine gun posts, destroying two tanks, and capturing one hundred prisoners.
Promoted to sergeant, he fought at Lae in New Guinea before being awarded the Victoria Cross for scaling a cliff face and silencing seven Japanese machine gun posts, then leading a final assault on a heavily-defended Japanese position at Sattelberg on 24 November 1943.
After attending officer training and being promoted to lieutenant, he was killed on Tarakan Island in May 1945. He left behind his wife Beryl who he had married just before enlisting.
A superb soldier and true Australian legend.
Lest we forget.
Ian Smith
Chair
Anzac Day Committee
Tom Derrick: AWM
Tom Derrick was born in Medindie in Adelaide to David and Ada Derrick. The Derricks were quite poor and Tom often walked barefoot to attend primary school. He left school at 14, by which time he had developed a keen interest in sports. During the depression he survived via various odd jobs, including fixing bicycles, selling newspapers and working in a bakery. In 1931 he travelled to Berri, on the Murray River, looking for work which he eventually found in a vineyard at Winkie. He remained there for the next nine years.
Tom joined the 2/48th Battalion of the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940. He fought during the Siege of Tobruk, and as a corporal was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal during the Second Battle of El Alamein for knocking out three German machine gun posts, destroying two tanks, and capturing one hundred prisoners.
Promoted to sergeant, he fought at Lae in New Guinea before being awarded the Victoria Cross for scaling a cliff face and silencing seven Japanese machine gun posts, then leading a final assault on a heavily-defended Japanese position at Sattelberg on 24 November 1943.
After attending officer training and being promoted to lieutenant, he was killed on Tarakan Island in May 1945. He left behind his wife Beryl who he had married just before enlisting.
A superb soldier and true Australian legend.
Lest we forget.
Ian Smith
Chair
Anzac Day Committee
Tom Derrick: AWM
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F/O Bob Middlemiss and F/O George ‘Buzz’ Beurling DSO, DFC, DFM and Bar, RCAF 403 Squadron, RAF Kenley in Surrey, late 1943. George Beurling was killed in a flying accident 20 May 1948
Bob Middlemiss died 30 July 2013
(Colourised by Doug)
Bob Middlemiss died 30 July 2013
(Colourised by Doug)
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March 1941.
A British couple sleeps inside a Morrison shelter used as night protection from collapsing homes during the Blitz bombing raids.
A British couple sleeps inside a Morrison shelter used as night protection from collapsing homes during the Blitz bombing raids.
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5.5-inch gun crew from 75th (Shropshire Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery, in action in Italy, September 1943.
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A Curtiss Kittyhawk Mark III of No 112 Squadron, Royal Air Force taxiing through the scrub at Medenine.
The ground crewman on the wing is directing the pilot, whose view ahead is hindered by the aircraft's nose while the tail is down.
The aircraft displays the squadron's distinctive 'shark nose' insignia. A distinctive feature that gave it an aggressive appearance.
It had its deficiencies, but after replacing the Hurricane it quickly excelled and quite a few pilots became "Aces" in this theatre of the war.
Royal Air Force official photographer
Date 1943-05-31
© IWM TR 978
The ground crewman on the wing is directing the pilot, whose view ahead is hindered by the aircraft's nose while the tail is down.
The aircraft displays the squadron's distinctive 'shark nose' insignia. A distinctive feature that gave it an aggressive appearance.
It had its deficiencies, but after replacing the Hurricane it quickly excelled and quite a few pilots became "Aces" in this theatre of the war.
Royal Air Force official photographer
Date 1943-05-31
© IWM TR 978
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Thought to have been taken in the region of Canterbury, New Zealand in 1944, this shot of an Airspeed Oxford scaring the bejesus out of half the waiting airmen while the other half remain calm, is a beauty. Photo via Joe Hopwood
Image thanks to http://www.vintagewings.ca
Image thanks to http://www.vintagewings.ca
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HMS Ark Royal with Swordfish in 1939 Helped to sink the Bismark in 1941.
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Infantry of 51st Highland Div aboard Sherman Tanks near Udenhout , 29th October 1944 .
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1942. "A sapper discovering a mine beside the Desert Railway which ran from Mersa Matruh to a few miles from Tobruk." (While the photographer is standing in the minefield).
Ref: RGPoulussen
Ref: RGPoulussen
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24th Battalion, 2nd Australian Imperial Force.
Corporal Robert Maas during the 24th’s attack on the Hatai Junction-Buin Road area, Bougainville, 14 April 1945.
Source: AWM
Corporal Robert Maas during the 24th’s attack on the Hatai Junction-Buin Road area, Bougainville, 14 April 1945.
Source: AWM
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WWII. New Guinea Campaign. Battle of Buna - Gona. c December 1942. Australian troops cross a stream on an improvised bridge. [AWM 013756]
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HMS Hood's company, New Years Day 1939. Only 3 of her company would survive her encounter with Bismarck.
"I remember seeing a documentary that had an interview with one of the survivors of Hood, Ted Briggs, telling the story of how he survived. He was a rating working on the bridge, and was at his post when the ship was hit and the forward magazine exploded. As the ship sank, the bow began rapidly rising, making it harder and harder for him to get across deck and out of the door.
He was beaten there by a young officer, who, instead of heading out first and saving himself, politely stood aside with an “after you” gesture, allowing Briggs to get out. He turned to see if he could then help the young officer out in turn. But at that point the ship had gone almost vertical with the ship rapidly sinking beneath him, and the young officer was gone. He said that one moment, more than anything haunted him, how that officer, not much older than he was had sacrificed his chance at surviving the sinking with a moment of chivalry in the midst of a catastrophe."
That officer was Commander John Warrand, Hood's navigator and the Squadron Navigation Officer of the Battle Cruiser Squadron. He was 37 to Briggs' 18.
Admiral Holland was sitting in his chair, with Captain Kerr by his side, and neither of them made any effort to abandon the ship.
"I remember seeing a documentary that had an interview with one of the survivors of Hood, Ted Briggs, telling the story of how he survived. He was a rating working on the bridge, and was at his post when the ship was hit and the forward magazine exploded. As the ship sank, the bow began rapidly rising, making it harder and harder for him to get across deck and out of the door.
He was beaten there by a young officer, who, instead of heading out first and saving himself, politely stood aside with an “after you” gesture, allowing Briggs to get out. He turned to see if he could then help the young officer out in turn. But at that point the ship had gone almost vertical with the ship rapidly sinking beneath him, and the young officer was gone. He said that one moment, more than anything haunted him, how that officer, not much older than he was had sacrificed his chance at surviving the sinking with a moment of chivalry in the midst of a catastrophe."
That officer was Commander John Warrand, Hood's navigator and the Squadron Navigation Officer of the Battle Cruiser Squadron. He was 37 to Briggs' 18.
Admiral Holland was sitting in his chair, with Captain Kerr by his side, and neither of them made any effort to abandon the ship.
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Soldiers of the 5th Battalion, "The Black Watch", 153rd Infantry Brigade, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division move up to the front at Gabes, Tunisia, on Valentines of the 23rd Armoured Brigade, April 1943.
(IWM)
(IWM)
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Three nurses of the No.14 Canadian General Hospital, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (R.C.A.M.C.), who survived the sinking of the USS SANTA ELENA at Naples, November 8. 1943.
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Not surprisingly, the driver of this 3 ton Leyland Retriever fitters' lorry looks pleased as both he and it recently survived being shot up by enemy ground-attack aircraft!
Tunisia, December 1942.
(IWM)
Tunisia, December 1942.
(IWM)
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WWII. North African Campaign. El Saff, Egypt. 25 April 1940. New Zealand soldiers observe one minute of silence on Anzac Day.
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Gunner J.R. Walsh operating the gunsight of a 25-pounder gun of the 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A.), Sicily, Italy, 28 July 1943.
https://amzn.to/3o5RP4M
https://amzn.to/3o5RP4M
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