Photos WW2 British & Commonwealth Forces
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Sergeant Tom Derrick hoists the Australian Red Ensign at Sattelberg, New Guinea (25 Nov 1943). The previous day became known as 'Derrick's Show' when he almost single-handedly destroyed 10 enemy posts in the final assault to take Sattelberg. His actions earned him the Victoria Cross.
Victoria Cross Citation:
Sergeant Thomas Currie Derrick, D.C.M., Australian Military Forces.
For most conspicuous courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty during the final assault on Sattelberg in November, 1943.
On 24th November, 1943, a company of an Australian Infantry Battalion was ordered to outflank a strong enemy position sited on a precipitous cliff-face and then to attack a feature 150 yards from the township of Sattelberg. Sergeant Derrick was in command of his platoon of the company. Due to the nature of the country, the only possible approach to the town lay through an open kunai patch situated directly beneath the top of the cliffs. Over a period of two hours many attempts were made by our troops to clamber up the slopes to their objective, but on each occasion the enemy prevented success with intense machine-gun fire and grenades.
Shortly before last light it appeared that it would be impossible to reach the objective or even to hold the ground already occupied and the company was ordered to retire. On receipt of this order, Sergeant Derrick, displaying dogged tenacity, requested one last attempt to reach the objective. His request was granted.
Moving ahead of his forward section he personally destroyed, with grenades, an enemy post which had been holding up this section. He then ordered his second section around on the right flank. This section came under heavy fire from light machine-guns and grenades from, six enemy posts. Without regard for personal safety he clambered forward well ahead of the leading men of the section and hurled grenade after grenade, so completely demoralising the enemy that they fled leaving weapons and grenades. By this action alone the company was able to gain its first foothold on the precipitous ground.
Not content with the work already done, he returned to the first section, and together with the third section of his platoon advanced to deal with the three remaining posts in the area. On four separate occasions he dashed forward and threw grenades at a range of six to eight yards until these positions were finally silenced.
In all, Sergeant Derrick had reduced ten enemy posts. From the vital ground he had captured the remainder of the Battalion moved on to capture Sattelberg the following morning.
Undoubtedly Sergeant Derrick's fine leadership and refusal to admit defeat, in the face of a seemingly impossible situation, resulted in the capture of Sattelberg. His outstanding gallantry, thoroughness and devotion to duty were an inspiration not only to his platoon and company but to the whole Battalion.
Back in Australia the following February he was posted to an officer cadet training unit, being commissioned lieutenant in November 1944. In April 1945 his battalion was sent to the Pacific island of Morotai, an assembly point for the Allied invasion of the Philippines. Engaged in action the following month on the heavily defended hill Freda on Tarakan Island, Derrick was hit by five bullets from a Japanese machine gun. He died from his wounds on 24 May 1945.
***His exploits in the North Africa Campaign are worth a read as well. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for knocking out three German machine gun posts, destroying two tanks, and capturing one hundred prisoners. His combat diaries are available to read here***
Victoria Cross Citation:
Sergeant Thomas Currie Derrick, D.C.M., Australian Military Forces.
For most conspicuous courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty during the final assault on Sattelberg in November, 1943.
On 24th November, 1943, a company of an Australian Infantry Battalion was ordered to outflank a strong enemy position sited on a precipitous cliff-face and then to attack a feature 150 yards from the township of Sattelberg. Sergeant Derrick was in command of his platoon of the company. Due to the nature of the country, the only possible approach to the town lay through an open kunai patch situated directly beneath the top of the cliffs. Over a period of two hours many attempts were made by our troops to clamber up the slopes to their objective, but on each occasion the enemy prevented success with intense machine-gun fire and grenades.
Shortly before last light it appeared that it would be impossible to reach the objective or even to hold the ground already occupied and the company was ordered to retire. On receipt of this order, Sergeant Derrick, displaying dogged tenacity, requested one last attempt to reach the objective. His request was granted.
Moving ahead of his forward section he personally destroyed, with grenades, an enemy post which had been holding up this section. He then ordered his second section around on the right flank. This section came under heavy fire from light machine-guns and grenades from, six enemy posts. Without regard for personal safety he clambered forward well ahead of the leading men of the section and hurled grenade after grenade, so completely demoralising the enemy that they fled leaving weapons and grenades. By this action alone the company was able to gain its first foothold on the precipitous ground.
Not content with the work already done, he returned to the first section, and together with the third section of his platoon advanced to deal with the three remaining posts in the area. On four separate occasions he dashed forward and threw grenades at a range of six to eight yards until these positions were finally silenced.
In all, Sergeant Derrick had reduced ten enemy posts. From the vital ground he had captured the remainder of the Battalion moved on to capture Sattelberg the following morning.
Undoubtedly Sergeant Derrick's fine leadership and refusal to admit defeat, in the face of a seemingly impossible situation, resulted in the capture of Sattelberg. His outstanding gallantry, thoroughness and devotion to duty were an inspiration not only to his platoon and company but to the whole Battalion.
Back in Australia the following February he was posted to an officer cadet training unit, being commissioned lieutenant in November 1944. In April 1945 his battalion was sent to the Pacific island of Morotai, an assembly point for the Allied invasion of the Philippines. Engaged in action the following month on the heavily defended hill Freda on Tarakan Island, Derrick was hit by five bullets from a Japanese machine gun. He died from his wounds on 24 May 1945.
***His exploits in the North Africa Campaign are worth a read as well. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for knocking out three German machine gun posts, destroying two tanks, and capturing one hundred prisoners. His combat diaries are available to read here***
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OTD in 1944, Burma. A 4.5-inch anti-aircraft gun from 66 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
A Hawker Hurricane IV from 6 Squadron. Italy, 1944
B5/Le Fresne-Camilly airstrip, France. A pilot from 175 Squadron scrambling to his Typhoon IB.
A Hawker Hurricane IV from 6 Squadron. Italy, 1944
B5/Le Fresne-Camilly airstrip, France. A pilot from 175 Squadron scrambling to his Typhoon IB.
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The Landing at Nadzab was an airborne landing on 5 September 1943 during the New Guinea campaign of World War II in conjunction with the Landing at Lae. The Nadzab action began with a parachute drop at Lae Nadzab Airport, combined with an overland force.
The parachute drop was carried out by the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and elements of the Australian Army's 2/4th Field Regiment into Nadzab, New Guinea in the Markham Valley,
2/4th Field Regiment gunners shortly before participating in the parachute landing at Nadzab, 1943
The parachute drop was carried out by the US Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and elements of the Australian Army's 2/4th Field Regiment into Nadzab, New Guinea in the Markham Valley,
2/4th Field Regiment gunners shortly before participating in the parachute landing at Nadzab, 1943
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guest0001
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July 25th 1941, Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, England.
White Rabbit Number 6 or Nellie were two of the nicknames given to a trench digging vehicle built by the Royal Navy and known officially as Cultivator No. 6. It was based on an idea first proposed by Winston Churchill as First Lord Of the Admiralty during WWI which he revived in 1939.
Nellie was intended to burrow across no-man's land towards the enemy line, excavating a trench wide enough for troops to advance behind. The huge 130 ton machine combined a plough and cylindrical cutter but carried no weapons.
The device may have had some merit on the Western front during WWI but was utterly unnecessary on the WWII battlefield. The idea was eventually dropped after a handful of machines had been constructed and saw no action.
White Rabbit Number 6 or Nellie were two of the nicknames given to a trench digging vehicle built by the Royal Navy and known officially as Cultivator No. 6. It was based on an idea first proposed by Winston Churchill as First Lord Of the Admiralty during WWI which he revived in 1939.
Nellie was intended to burrow across no-man's land towards the enemy line, excavating a trench wide enough for troops to advance behind. The huge 130 ton machine combined a plough and cylindrical cutter but carried no weapons.
The device may have had some merit on the Western front during WWI but was utterly unnecessary on the WWII battlefield. The idea was eventually dropped after a handful of machines had been constructed and saw no action.
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guest0001
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AWM caption: BOUGAINVILLE ISLAND. 1944-12-30. NX193912 PRIVATE T. HALL, 25TH INFANTRY BATTALION PICKING OFF A JAPANESE SNIPER IN A TALL TREE DURING THE AUSTRALIAN ADVANCE ON THE ENEMY POSITIONS IN THE PIATERAPAIA SECTOR.
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GIROPA POINT, PAPUA. THE FINAL ASSAULT ON BUNA. AN AUSTRALIAN MORTAR CREW FROM HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 2/12TH BATTALION, LAYS DOWN A BARRAGE AS INFANTRY ADVANCES TO ATTACK A JAPANESE PILLBOX. LEFT TO RIGHT: QX20551 PRIVATE (PTE) WILLIAM D (BILL) SNAPE; TX735 OR TX444 PTE MAX R. WALSH; PTE COL B. CASE, TX57 CORPORAL (CPL) R JIM PARSELL, QX3718 CPL LES J READDY. THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN DURING THE ACTUAL FIGHTING. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C33382
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A wounded Australian soldier is aided by local men (Papua New Guinean’s) during the Kokoda Campaign. Nearly 50,000 local’s were conscripted to help carry food, ammunition and stretchers. They were dubbed the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ due to their hair style’s and dedication in aiding the wounded
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Australian Prisoners of War (POW’s) at the Notogawa POW camp, Osaka, after the Japanese surrender in 1945. These men, who were apart of the 8th division, were captured just after Singapore fell on the 15th of February 1942 which means they spent three and a half years as POW’s
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Clive Robertson Caldwell with his Supermarine Spitfire in Morotai, December 1944. He was the leading Australian ace of WW2 credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft. He flew P-40’s (most successful p-40 pilot) in North Africa and he flew in a Spitfire in the South-West Pacific
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