DOCSLIB.ORG

Transcript of Oral History Recording

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Transcript of Oral History Recording TRANSCRIPT OF ORAL HISTORY RECORDING Accession number S00988 Title (372606 / VX3511) Gullett, Henry Baynton Somer ‘Jo’ (Major) Interviewer Connell, Daniel Place made 12 Stewart Street, Griffith ACT 2603 Date made 24 October 1990 Description Henry Baynton Somer 'Jo' Gullett as a major, 2/6 Battalion, interviewed by Daniel Connell for The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939- 45. Soldier, member of parliament, and diplomat. Gullett was one of the handful of Australian officers at the Normandy landings. The son of Sir Henry Gullett, one of the Australian official historians of the First World War, 'Jo' Gullett was a Melbourne journalist when he enlisted in the AIF in 1939. Educated at Oxford and the Sorbonne, he had inherited an old fashioned sense of honour and duty. 'We knew England's position was very serious and that we should help her as our fathers had done. It was the order of things.' When Australian troops first went into action at Bardia, Libya, in January 1941, Gullett was there as an infantry sergeant. He was wounded in the taking of Post 11, which the Italians had stoutly defended, but rejoined his battalion in time to serve as an officer in the ill-fated Greek campaign. He later fought in New Guinea and was awarded the Military Cross for his ‘disregard of danger and [for] leadership’. In 1944 Gullett was one of the few Australian soldiers sent to Europe to take part in the British D-Day operations. He HENRY ('JO') GULLETT 2 of 32 was able to get an appointment with an infantry battalion. Soon afterwards he was made a company commander with The Royal Scots, and served with them during the further fighting until again wounded on 17 July. A staff job awaited him on his return to Australia. While others may have seen boredom and disruption in war service, Gullett found some ‘colour, music and a touch of glory in that life’. His account of his experiences, Not as duty only (1976) is a classic of Australian war literature. His part in the fighting at Bardia is depicted in Ivor Hele’s famous painting, 2/6th Battalion Attack on Post 11 at Bardia. Gullett followed in his father’s footsteps when he entered parliament in 1946; he was elected the Member for Henty. He became the Chief Government Whip (1950-55) in the Menzies’ Liberal Government. He was Australian Ambassador to Greece (1965-68), before returning to farming at ‘Lambrigg’ property, Tharwa, in the Australian Captial Territory. HENRY ('JO') GULLETT 3 of 32 Disclaimer The Australian War Memorial is not responsible either for the accuracy of matters discussed or opinions expressed by speakers, which are for the reader to judge. Transcript methodology Please note that the printed word can never fully convey all the meaning of speech, and may lead to misinterpretation. Readers concerned with the expressive elements of speech should refer to the audio record. It is strongly recommended that readers listen to the sound recording whilst reading the transcript, at least in part, or for critical sections. Readers of this transcript of interview should bear in mind that it is a verbatim transcript of the spoken word and reflects the informal conversational style that is inherent in oral records. Unless indicated, the names of places and people are as spoken, regardless of whether this is formally correct or not – e.g. ‘world war two’ (as spoken) would not be changed in transcription to ‘second world war’ (the official conflict term). A few changes or additions may be made by the transcriber or proof-reader. Such changes are usually indicated by square brackets, thus: [ ] to clearly indicate a difference between the sound record and the transcript. Three dots (…) or a double dash (- -) indicate an unfinished sentence. Copyright Copyright in this transcript, and the sound recording from which it was made, is usually owned by the Australian War Memorial, often jointly with the donors. Any request to use of the transcript, outside the purposes of research and study, should be addressed to: Australian War Memorial GPO Box 345 CANBERRA ACT 2601 HENRY ('JO') GULLETT 4 of 32 START OF TAPE ONE - SIDE A Identification: This is side one, tape one. Interview with Mr Henry Gullett, nickname 'Jo'. The date is 24th October 1990 and I am Daniel Connell the interviewer. End of identification. Right. Mr Gullett, at the beginning of the war could you tell me what you were doing and how you then proceeded to move from that into the army? Well, at the beginning of the war I was a newspaper reporter in the Melbourne Herald, a pretty junior one, too. Do you remember the night? No. The Sunday night? Yes, I do. But as a matter of fact I was at that time in camp because I was a member of what were then called the Commonwealth - the CMF - Commonwealth Military Forces and we were, the great numbers of us, purely amateur soldiers, you know. But it became obvious that war .... That we were going to have a war with Hitler and probably with Japan and I had done some previous military training. I held no rank and didn't apply for any. But, any rate, early in .... No, in '38 I think the Government decided that the various CMF units should be called up for increased training to fit them for some sort of useful service. And the battalion I belonged to was the Royal Melbourne Regiment, the 6th Battalion, and we were actually in camp. And we'd already done about a month that year but .... And we were getting then tolerably efficient of course. Not really, but at any rate, we were a handleable unit and I was in camp with them. And after not very long the government announced there would be a second AIF and we had battalion parade in the camp down there at Mount Martha somewhere, and on the sea - very pleasant. And we were asked, you know, the men were asked .... We were all asked for volunteers. And not many volunteered because that battalion was rather keen that it should enlist as a battalion and that wasn't the intention of the army at all. They wanted to build their own regiments and they were quite right in that too as things turned. At any rate ... Well, maybe we should elaborate on that later at some stage but that is an interesting remark. HENRY ('JO') GULLETT 5 of 32 Well, you know, in a volunteer home serving force you are obviously going to get men who are just keen but too old or unfit and - physically and in other respects - not up to war standards. Anyhow ... Also, perhaps with antiquated attitudes that you might want ... I don't think that applied too much. Right. At any rate, twenty-odd of us volunteered and we were sent home and told to report at a depot in Flinders Street Station the following day, which we did. And, you know .... So any rate, you asked what I was doing before and what I happened to be doing, you know, when war broke out. Of course my father was a member of cabinet and he used to speak very frankly in front of his family and we knew what was going to happen before I'd gone away to this camp. And I had a few days at home before we were asked to go - or told to go to Seymour. (5.00) Then during that period they appointed General Blamey, or the War Cabinet did, as commander of the 6th Australian Division. That was the first division raised and it was obvious of course that he was going to be commander of the whole AIF force. And I remember my father talking about that at dinner one night and my mother questioning him and he said, 'I think we are very lucky to have Blamey because', he said, 'he's partly politician you know', and he said, 'He knows that governments have not got absolute powers; they can only go so far as their people will support them in going'. He said, 'In that we're lucky in Blamey, and another respect is that he knows something about the British'. And he said, 'We've got to have someone who can stand up to the British because we don't want any force we raise broken up into small units and put under British command'. So that, of course, has nothing to do with me really. But I happen to know it purely because my father was in Menzies' war cabinet which was formed immediately. I mean, that's important that sort of ... I think it is important. Blamey was a very controversial figure before the war period, wasn't he? Well, he was I suppose. There's no doubt he was an highly efficient officer under Monash and that's where he must have learnt a great deal - and Brudenell White too. And, of course, he'd been chief of police in Melbourne at a difficult time. I, you know, knew nothing about his ... HENRY ('JO') GULLETT 6 of 32 Some sort of royal commission at one stage? I don't know anything about that. You see, I'd be too young to have taken any interest in those sort of things. But he must have maintained, well, not must have .... For him to be the choice - because he wasn't actually a member of the regular forces at that time .... There must have been some officers in the regular forces who would have expected one of their own senior people to have ..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • GP Text Paste Up.3
    FACING ASIA A History of the Colombo Plan FACING ASIA A History of the Colombo Plan Daniel Oakman Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://epress.anu.edu.au/facing_asia _citation.html National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry Author: Oakman, Daniel. Title: Facing Asia : a history of the Colombo Plan / Daniel Oakman. ISBN: 9781921666926 (pbk.) 9781921666933 (eBook) Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Economic assistance--Southeast Asia--History. Economic assistance--Political aspects--Southeast Asia. Economic assistance--Social aspects--Southeast Asia. Dewey Number: 338.910959 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design by Emily Brissenden Cover: Lionel Lindsay (1874–1961) was commissioned to produce this bookplate for pasting in the front of books donated under the Colombo Plan. Sir Lionel Lindsay, Bookplate from the Australian people under the Colombo Plan, nla.pic-an11035313, National Library of Australia Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2010 ANU E Press First edition © 2004 Pandanus Books For Robyn and Colin Acknowledgements Thank you: family, friends and colleagues. I undertook much of the work towards this book as a Visiting Fellow with the Division of Pacific and Asian History in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University. There I benefited from the support of the Division and, in particular, Hank Nelson and Donald Denoon.
    [Show full text]
  • SPOT the DOG Canine Companions in Art EDUCATION RESOURCE CONTENTS
    SPOT THE DOG canine companions in art EDUCATION RESOURCE CONTENTS 1. About this resource page 1 2. About this exhibition page 2 3. Meet the dogs page 5 4. Keys for looking page 10 5. Engaging students page 12 6. Post-visit activities page 14 7. Visiting the exhibition page 16 This Education Resource is produced in association with the exhibition Spot the Dog: canine companions in art presented by Carrick Hill, Adelaide from 8 March – 30 June 2017. Cover image: Narelle Autio, Spotty Dog (detail), 2001, Type C print, private collection. Acknowledgements Writer: Anna Jug, Associate Curator, Carrick Hill (with acknowledgement of research and text: Katherine Kovacic, Richard Heathcote and John Neylon). Design: Sonya Rowell, Carrick Hill. 1 ABOUT THIS EDUCATION RESOURCE This resource will provide information on the following: - a history of dogs in art that will contextualise the exhibition - how students may explore the themes of the exhibition - a list of questions and exercises designed to challenge students’ engagement with the work on display Year Level This resource is designed to be used in conjunction with a visit to Carrick Hill for students in upper primary and lower secondary students. It has been designed to correspond with the Australian Curriculum standards for Year 5 Band and above¹. Students will experience artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this resource motivate student engagement with the work in the exhibition.
    [Show full text]
  • Antique Bookshop
    ANTIQUE BOOKSHOP CATALOGUE 304 The Antique Bookshop & Curios ABN 64 646 431062 Phone Orders To: (02) 9966 9925 Fax Orders to: (02) 9966 9926 Mail Orders to: PO Box 7127, McMahons Point, NSW 2060 Email Orders to: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.antiquebookshop.com.au Books Held At: Level 1, 328 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest 2065 Hours: 10am to 5pm, Thursday to Saturday All items offered at Australian Dollar prices subject to prior CHANGE OF BOOKSHOP OPENING DAYS sale. Prices include GST. Postage & insurance is extra. It seems of late that those customers who buy books from us increasingly Payment is due on receipt of books. do so by phone or email or directly through our web site, and we send the No reply means item sold prior to receipt of your order. books to them. Because of this we have decided to reduce the number of days we are open Unless to firm order, books will only be held for three days. during the week. From the week beginning Monday 7th March we will open from CONTENTS Thursday to Saturday inclusive, from 10am to 5pm each day. I know there are those who will always wish to see the books they are buy- BOOKS OF THE MONTH 1 - 33 ing and to browse so we will be available on those three days during the AUSTRALIA & THE PACIFIC 34 - 232 week, and if this is not convenient we can be open by appointment on any AVIATION 233 - 248 other weekday at a mutually convenient time. Please call us if you wish PARIS 249 - 268 to arrange this.
    [Show full text]
  • Tobruk to Tarakan Book.Indb
    TOBRUK to TARAKAN 70th Anniversary El Alamein Edition 2012 PUBLISHER’S NOTE by Paul Oaten Tobruk toTarakan: El Alamein 70th Anniversary Edition Since I was a young child, I have always had a keen interest in the 2/48th Battalion. Len Kader, my grandfather, was a member of this battalion and often spoke of the trials and tribulations of going to war. After his 1977 passing due to war wounds he received at El Alamein, I inherited photographs and memorabilia which inspired my passion for this historical event. Over the years, I have spoken to, and interviewed many of the original battalion veterans and relatives. These encounters have shown me a relaxed and funny side to some of the antics the Aussies got up to, while growing a respect for the hardships they dealt with. It has been an amazing journey for me. I have realised these were ordinary men, under extraordinary circumstances, who not only had a devotion to their country, but a devotion to each other. Their various ages and backgrounds did not matter as they saw each other as brothers. To me, it is very important that this amazing and accurate recollection of the 2/48th Battalion be republished for the 70th anniversary of the El Alamein battles. Some additional information and photographs I have accumulated over the years have been included. Many thanks to the veterans and relatives who so generously contributed. Lest we forget. Recommended Further Reading Churches, Ralph, 100Miles as the Crow Flies, 2000 (One of the Great Escapes of WWII) Dornan, Peter, The Last Man Standing, Allen and Unwin Farquhar, Murray, Derrick VC, Rigby Publishers, 1982 Fitzsimons, Peter, Tobruk, Harper Collins, 2006 Johnston, Mark, That Magnificent 9th: An Illustrated History of the Ninth Australian Division, Allen and Unwin, 2002 Spicer, Barry, Original Artwork www.barryspicer.com Stanley, Peter, Tarakan: An Australian Tragedy, Allen and Unwin, 1997 Wege, Anthony L., His Duty Done – The Story of SX7147 Corporal Harold Wilfred Gass.
    [Show full text]
  • Cat179 Oct 2014
    1 Catalogue 179 OCTOBER 2014 2 Glossary of Terms (and conditions) Returns: books may be returned for refund within 7 days and only if not as INDEX described in the catalogue. NOTE: If you prefer to receive this catalogue via email, let us know on [email protected] CATEGORY PAGE My Bookroom is open each day by appointment – preferably in the afternoons. Give me a call. Aviation 3 Abbreviations: 8vo =octavo size or from 140mm to 240mm, ie normal size book, 4to = quarto approx 200mm x 300mm (or coffee table size); d/w = dust Espionage 4 wrapper; pp = pages; vg cond = (which I thought was self explanatory) very good condition. Other dealers use a variety including ‘fine’ which I would rather leave to coins etc. Illus = illustrations (as opposed to ‘plates’); ex lib = had an Military Biography 6 earlier life in library service (generally public) and is showing signs of wear (these books are generally 1st editions mores the pity but in this catalogue most have been restored); eps + end papers, front and rear, ex libris or ‘book plate’; Military General 7 indicates it came from a private collection and has a book plate stuck in the front end papers. Books such as these are generally in good condition and the book plate, if it has provenance, ie, is linked to someone important, may increase the Napoleonic, Crimean & Victorian Eras 8 value of the book, inscr = inscription, either someone’s name or a presentation inscription; fep = front end paper; the paper following the front cover and immediately preceding the half title page; biblio: bibliography of sources used in Naval 9 the compilation of a work (important to some military historians as it opens up many other leads).
    [Show full text]
  • Australia's Second World War
    Interpreting the war: Australia’s Second World War art The Australian War Memorial’s original purpose was to commemorate the 60,000 Australians who had fought and died overseas during the First World War; however, by the time the building opened on Armistice Day, 1941, the nation was involved in another world war, with official war artists already appointed and, indeed, at work in the Middle East. Both a shrine and a museum, the Memorial aimed to give people a better understanding of war through the display of “relics” such as uniforms or military artefacts, official and private records, photographs, and the commissioned works of art. The success of the First World War art program, based on the British and Canadian war art schemes, made it an appropriate model for the Second World War scheme. The new program eventually expanded to 35 artists, including for the first time three women. The scheme was originally run by the Department of the Interior, but in 1941 control of the scheme, including the appointment of artists, was transferred to the Memorial. The key figures in managing and shaping the art scheme were all veterans of the First World War: all had experiences in collecting relics and records and had been closely involved in the Memorial’s development. The Memorial’s Art Committee had three members: Charles Bean (the Australian official war historian); General Sir Harry Chauvel (the Australian commander in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War); and Louis McCubbin (an artist, who was also director of the Art Gallery of South Australia).
    [Show full text]
  • The Diary and Journal of General Sir John Wilton
    The Diary and Journal of General Sir John Wilton © 2000 Estate of J.G.N.Wilton The Diary and Journal of General Sir John G. N.Wilton, Royal Australian Army 1910 - 1977 Father; Mother (Bella Donna by Norman Carter) Date of birth 22nd November 1910 at Sydney (St Margaret’s Hospital). (Deceased May 10, 1981) Father Noel Valentine Selby Wilton (born Bath, England. Son of Thomas Wilton — solicitor of that city.) Mother (nee Muriel Amy Bingham, born England) My Father emigrated to Australia about 1907/1908. He was a qualified engineer but his first job in Australia was as a wharf labourer. He eventually got a job as engineer in power station in Sydney. The family went to live in Hobart, Tasmania, in about the year 1912. My Father at this time was an engi- neer with the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Commission. Maurice and I returned with Mother to Sydney about 1916. Maurice and I returned to Hobart about 1917 and went to school at Leslie House School (now Clunis College). September 1922: Father, Maurice and I went to Grafton, N.S.W. when Father took the job of Chief Engineer and Manager of the Clarence River County Council. In this same year Father and Mother were divorced and Father married Mollie Gaffney early in 1923. My half sister, named Noel Margaret, was born 21 March 25. My half sister, named Mary Dorothea, was born 27 April 26. My half sister, named Gwaine Patricia, was born 1. Sept. 28 From 1922 —1926 I went to the Grafton High School. February 1927 went to the Royal Military College (R.M.C.), Duntroon, Australian Capitol Territory (A.C.T.) 1928 at R.M.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Inside the Canberra Press Gallery: Life in the Wedding Cake of Old
    INSIDE the CANBERRA PRESS GALLERY Life in the Wedding Cake of Old Parliament House INSIDE the CANBERRA PRESS GALLERY Life in the Wedding Cake of Old Parliament House Rob Chalmers Edited by Sam Vincent and John Wanna THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY E PRESS E PRESS Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://epress.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Chalmers, Rob, 1929-2011 Title: Inside the Canberra press gallery : life in the wedding cake of Old Parliament House / Rob Chalmers ; edited by Sam Vincent and John Wanna. ISBN: 9781921862366 (pbk.) 9781921862373 (ebook) Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Australia. Parliament--Reporters and Government and the press--Australia. Journalism--Political aspects-- Press and politics--Australia. Other Authors/Contributors: Vincent, Sam. Wanna, John. Dewey Number: 070.4493240994 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design and layout by ANU E Press Back cover image courtesy of Heide Smith Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2011 ANU E Press Contents Acknowledgments . vii Foreword . ix Preface . xi 1 . Youth . 1 2 . A Journo in Sydney . 9 3 . Inside the Canberra Press Gallery . 17 4 . Menzies: The giant of Australian politics . 35 5 . Ming’s Men . 53 6 . Parliament Disgraced by its Members . 71 7 . Booze, Sex and God .
    [Show full text]
  • Votes And) Pi{Q0ceei)I Dngs
    .1940. THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF A1JSTRNLIA, CANBERRA. VOTES AND) PI{Q0CEEI)IDNGS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. No. 23. THURSDAY, 20TH JUNE, 1940. 1. The Hlouse miet, ait three o'clock p.m., according to the terms of the Resolution of the 31st May last.- Mi'. Speaker (the Honorable Or. J. Bell) took the Chair, and read Prayers. 2. NATIONAL SECURITY' BILL 1940 [No. 2].-Mr. Menzies (Prime Minister) moved, by leave, That he have leave to bring in a Bill for an Act to amend the National Secarity Act 1939. Question-put and passed. Mr. Menzies then brought up the Bill accordingly, and moved, That it be now read a first timie. Question-])ut and passed .- Bill read a first time. Mr. Menzies moved, by leave, That the Bill be now read a second timie. Debate ensued. Declaration of Bill as Urgent Bill.-Mr. Asenzies declared that the B1ill was an Urgent Bill. Question-That the B3ill he considered an Urgent Bill-pt. The House divided (The Speaker, Mr. Bell, in the Chair)- Ayes, 39. Noes, 31. M i . Anthony Mr. Nairn Beasley Mi'. Martens Mr. Badmnan Mr. Nock Mr'. Blackburn *Mr'. McHugh Mi'. Cameron Sir' Ear'le Page M r. Brennan Mr'. Mfulcahy M r. Collins Mr'. Paterson Clar k Mi' Pollard Conelan Mr. Rior'dan Mir. Fadden MI'. Perkii'% Mr. Mr. Fairbairn Mi' . Price Curtin A--Ir. Rlosevear Mri . Francis M.Prowse Mr'. Dedm an M~r. Scullin MALr. Gregory Ri.iankiin Mr. iDrakeford Mr'. Scully Sir Henry Gullett Mr'. Seliolfield Forde Mr. Sheehan Frost Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Earle Page: an Active Treasurer
    Earle Page: an active treasurer John Hawkins1 Earle Christmas Grafton Page brought down six Budgets while serving as Bruce’s treasurer. He was fortunate in when he was treasurer, after the war and before the Depression, which allowed him to ease tax burdens. Bruce and Page established the Loan Council and the National Debt Sinking Fund and introduced ‘tied grants’ to the States. Page moved the Commonwealth Bank further towards being a central bank and gave it responsibility for the note issue. Source: National Library of Australia 1 The author was formerly in Domestic Economy Division, the Australian Treasury. This article has benefited from discussions with Selwyn Cornish and the assistance of the Reserve Bank archivists. The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Australian Treasury. 55 Earle Page: an active treasurer Introduction As well as being a long-serving treasurer, Sir Earle Page PC GCMG served as prime minister for 20 days and was often acting prime minister. Only Billy Hughes has served a longer term in the House of Representatives. But as well as possessing longevity, Page was also innovative. His private secretary recalls him as ‘a combination of dreaming idealist and intensely practical man of affairs’.2 Indeed, he was described as ‘energetic, almost incoherent as he poured out ideas faster than words would come in an orderly fashion’, peppered with his trademark ‘you see, you see’.3 He not only had a lot of energy for his ideas and his politics. Physically robust, Page played a daily hard game of tennis until he was over 80, and ‘he played it as he played the political game, with reckless energy, native cunning and a certain contempt for the orthodox rules of the game’.4 His energy was accompanied by an ability to get on well with most of his colleagues.
    [Show full text]
  • DALKIN, ROBERT NIXON (BOB) (1914–1991), Air Force Officer
    D DALKIN, ROBERT NIXON (BOB) (1960–61), staff officer operations, Home (1914–1991), air force officer and territory Command (1957–59), and officer commanding administrator, was born on 21 February 1914 the RAAF Base, Williamtown, New South at Whitley Bay, Northumberland, England, Wales (1963). He had graduated from the RAF younger son of English-born parents George Staff College (1950) and the Imperial Defence Nixon Dalkin, rent collector, and his wife College (1962). Simultaneously, he maintained Jennie, née Porter. The family migrated operational proficiency, flying Canberra to Australia in 1929. During the 1930s bombers and Sabre fighters. Robert served in the Militia, was briefly At his own request Dalkin retired with a member of the right-wing New Guard, the rank of honorary air commodore from the and became business manager (1936–40) for RAAF on 4 July 1968 to become administrator W. R. Carpenter [q.v.7] & Co. (Aviation), (1968–72) of Norfolk Island. His tenure New Guinea, where he gained a commercial coincided with a number of important issues, pilot’s licence. Described as ‘tall, lean, dark including changes in taxation, the expansion and impressive [with a] well-developed of tourism, and an examination of the special sense of humour, and a natural, easy charm’ position held by islanders. (NAA A12372), Dalkin enlisted in the Royal Dalkin overcame a modest school Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 8 January education to study at The Australian National 1940 and was commissioned on 4 May. After University (BA, 1965; MA, 1978). Following a period instructing he was posted to No. 2 retirement, he wrote Colonial Era Cemetery of Squadron, Laverton, Victoria, where he Norfolk Island (1974) and his (unpublished) captained Lockheed Hudson light bombers on memoirs.
    [Show full text]
  • House of Representatives
    1934-35-36. THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA. VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. No. 136. WEDNESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 1936. 1. The House met, at half-past two o'clock p.m., pursuant to adjournment.--Mr. Speaker (the Honorable G. J. Bell) took the Chair, and read Prayers. 2. DEATI OF THE HLONORABLE J. A. JENSEx.- -Mr. Lyons (Prime Minister) moved, by leave, That this House expresses its deep regret at the death of the Honorable Jens August Jensen, a former member of the Tasmanian and Commonwealth Parliaments, and Minister of State, places on record its appreciation of his public services, and tenders to his widow and family its deep sympathy in their bereavement. And Mr. Curtin (Leader of the Opposition) having seconded the motion, and Mr. Barnard having addressed the House in support thereof, and all Members present having risen, in silence- Question -passed. Resolved -That Mr. Speaker be requested to transmit to the widow of the late Mr. Jensen the foregoing Resolution, together with a copy of the speeches delivered thereon. 3. PAPE. The following Paper was presented, by command of His Excellency the Governor-General- Norfolk Island-Annual Report for year 1935--36. Ordered to lie on the Table. 4. MINISTEriIAL STATEMENT--AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT FOR CORONATION.-Mr. Lyons (Prime Minister), by leave, made a Ministerial Statement informing the House of the composition of the Australian contingent of the Defence forces which will attend the Coronation ceremony in England next year. 5. DARLING DowNS BY-ELECTION.-Mr. Speaker informed the House that he had this day issued the Writ in connexion with the By-election for the Darling Downs Division, and that the dates fixed were those announced to the House on the 12th instant.
    [Show full text]