Number 45 | Autumn 2021 RECONNAISSANCE The Magazine of the Military History Society of New South Wales Inc ISSN 2208-6234 BREAKER MORANT: The Case for A Pardon Battle of Isandlwana Women’s Wartime Service Reviews: Soviet Sniper, Villers-Bretonneux, Tragedy at Evian, Atom Bomb RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 RECONNAISSANCE Contents ISSN 2208-6234 Number 45 | Autumn 2021 Page The Magazine of the Military History Society of NSW Incorporated President’s Message 1 Number 45 | Autumn 2021 (June 2021) Notice of Next Lecture 3 PATRON: Major General the Honourable Military History Calendar 4 Justice Paul Brereton AM RFD PRESIDENT: Robert Muscat From the Editor 6 VICE PRESIDENT: Seumas Tan COVER FEATURE Breaker Morant: The Case for a Pardon 7 TREASURER: Robert Muscat By James Unkles COUNCIL MEMBERS: Danesh Bamji, RETROSPECTIVE Frances Cairns 16 The Battle of Isandlwana PUBLIC OFFICER/EDITOR: John Muscat By Steve Hart Cover image: Breaker Morant IN FOCUS Women’s Wartime Service Part 1: Military Address: PO Box 929, Rozelle NSW 2039 26 Service By Dr JK Haken Telephone: 0419 698 783 Email: [email protected] BOOK REVIEWS Yulia Zhukova’s Girl With A Sniper Rifle, review 28 Website: militaryhistorynsw.com.au by Joe Poprzeczny Peter Edgar’s Counter Attack: Villers- 31 Blog: militaryhistorysocietynsw.blogspot.com Bretonneux, review by John Muscat Facebook: fb.me/MHSNSW Tony Matthews’ Tragedy at Evian, review by 37 David Martin Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHS_NSW Tom Lewis’ Atomic Salvation, review by Mark 38 Moore. Trove: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-532012013 © All material appearing in Reconnaissance is copyright. President’s Message Vice President, Danesh Bamji and Frances Cairns on their election as Council Members and John Dear Members, Muscat on his election as Public Officer. In particular I would like to welcome back Frances I am gratified to have been re-elected President who took a break from the Council after a very of the Society at our AGM on 6 February 2021 solid contribution. I was very impressed at the and I congratulate Seumas Tan on his election as larger than usual attendance at the AGM and I The Military History Society of NSW Page | 1 RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 thank all who attended. The position of Secretary look forward to resuming the activities and plans is still vacant and I hope to have that role filled at we had in mind prior to the initial lockdown. I the earliest opportunity. hope to have a number of announcements to make in the near future. These will cover details The AGM and the subsequently well-attended of our next excursion and some great speakers lecture were held at our magnificent new venue for our lecture program. at Anzac Memorial Hyde Park. The Auditorium there is a great improvement on our previous As a Council we would also like to do more to venues and of course the Memorial is worth a encourage ideas and suggestions from you our visit in itself. The facilities are top class and members. We are aware that you have a wealth attendees at our events have access to other of experience and connections in the field of wings of the complex, including the memorial military history. Please don’t hesitate to come halls and exhibition spaces. forward and raise your ideas with us at any time. Judging from the attendance, the shift to 10:30 Robert Muscat am from 2:00 am appears to be a success and at President, this point the 10:30 slot is likely be permanent. Military History Society of NSW [email protected] Now that Covid restrictions are easing we can Ph: 0419 698 783 THE SOCIETY’S LECTURE PROGRAM 2021 Please note that the program may be subject to change for unforeseen reasons ANNOUNCEMENT - VENUE Our monthly lecture program has moved to 10:30am on the first Saturday of each month (except April 2021 when it will be the second Saturday). Our exciting new venue is the Auditorium at The Anzac Memorial Hyde Park. The Memorial is located within Hyde Park South. The closest cross streets are Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets, where several bus services stop. Museum train station is only a walkable 160 metres away. The Military History Society of NSW Page | 2 RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 During the Papuan Campaign of 1942-43, around six thousand Australian soldiers were killed or wounded while fighting Japanese forces at places like Ioribaiwa, Efogi, Kokoda, Milne Bay, Soputa, and Buna. A further thirty thousand suffered from a range of tropical diseases including malaria, dysentery and scrub typhus. As the Australian Army fought its way across the Owen Stanleys, pushing the enemy north towards the Solomon Sea, medical supply lines stretched to breaking point. Distance between the frontline and the 2/9th Australian General Hospital at Port Moresby grew ever greater. With no effective means of large-scale casualty evacuation, it was left to personnel of the Australian Field Ambulance to treat and care for thousands of sick and wounded at rudimentary medical posts in the unforgiving Papuan environment. This discussion will focus on the challenges faced by these units. To add a personal perspective, Dr Jan McLeod will reference the diary and photographs of her great-uncle Private L. N. Kennedy, who served as a nursing orderly in the 2/4th Australian Field Ambulance, 7th Division AIF. LECTURE TIME AND VENUE: Saturday, 6 March 2021, 10:30AM-11:30AM, Auditorium, Anzac Memorial Hyde Park, corner Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets, Sydney CBD. Admission is free of charge but a donation would be appreciated. At least 3 military history books will be raffled off in the course of the session (tickets $5.00 each). For further information call 0419 698 783 or email: [email protected] The Military History Society of NSW Page | 3 RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 Military History Calendar: December 2020 – February 2021 1 December 3 December 7 December HMAS Armidale sunk by Japanese First AIF disembark in Egypt to Evacuation of Gallipoli by British aircraft near Timor, 1942. protect Suez Canal, 1914. Empire forces begins, 1915. 7 December 8 December 9 December Japanese aircraft attack the Japanese attack Malaya and Australian troops occupy Gona, New American Pacific fleet at Pearl Thailand, Australia declares war on Guinea, after heavy resistance from Harbour, 1941. Japan, 1941. Japanese, 1942. 9 December 11 December 11 December The British Empire Desert Mounted 1RAR begins Operation Fauna in Australian War Memorial expansion Corp occupies Jerusalem, 1917. Korea, destroying Chinese defences, project receives environmental 1952. approval. 21 December 23 December 31 December Australian Light Horse captures El Gen Chauvel’s Mounted Brigade and 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Arish from Turks in course of Imperial Camel Corps capture Regiment sails to South Vietnam on advance toward Palestine, 1916. Magdhaba, northern Sinai, 1916. HMAS Sydney, 1967. 1 January 5 January 9 January The Office of Australian War Graves 80th anniversary of Australian 6th Australian Light Horse captures Rafa established, 1975. Division capturing Bardia, North on Egypt-Palestine border in Africa, 1941. advance on Palestine, 1917. 9 January 11 January 14 January 1RAR in Operation Crimp against Australian Governor-General Australian 8th Battalion inflicts Viet Cong tunnel complex, Vietnam, proclaims end of 11 year heavy losses on Japanese by ambush 1966. involvement in Vietnam, 1973. at Gemas, Malaya, 1942. 22 January 24 January 30 January Australian 6th Division captures First contact between units of 1st Tet Offensive begins during the Tobruk, North Africa, 1941. Australian Task Force at Bien Hoa, Vietnam War, 1968. South Vietnam, 1967. 2 February 5 February 10 February 3RAR recaptures Baria after Tet Rhonnda Vanzella and Glenn Keys The Queen plants tree at Macquarie Offensive, South Vietnam, 1969. appointed to Council of the Place, Sydney, to mark beginning of Australian War Memorial. Remembrance Driveway, 1954. 13 January 13 February 14 February New South Welshmen attacked by National Servicemen’s Day Relief of Boer siege of Kimberley by Boers at Prieska, 1900. (“Nashos”), Last Post Ceremony at NSW Mounted Rifles and Lancers Australian War Memorial. and others, 1900. 15 February 19 February 25 February Fall of Singapore to the Japanese & First Japanese of many Japanese air 3RAR takes Hill 614 in Korean War, surrender of British Commonwealth attacks on Darwin, and northern enabling UN forces to advance forces, 1942. Australia, 1942. northwards, 1951. The Military History Society of NSW Page | 4 RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 The Military History Society of New South Wales Inc visit us: www.militaryhistorynsw.com.au [email protected] Sydney’s leading forum for the discussion of New South Wales, Australian and world military history and heritage The Military History Society of NSW Page | 5 RECONNAISSANCE | AUTUMN 2021 From the Editor Welcome to the Autumn 2021 issue of disaster in British military history until the Reconnaissance. bloodbaths of World War I culminating on the Somme. In books about military stuff ups it tends Most Australians know little about the country’s to be filed under the category ‘underestimating quite substantial military contribution to the the enemy’. In a thorough examination of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. Perhaps this is encounter for Reconnaissance, Steve Hart shows because much of it happened before federation. that the British commander Lord Chelmsford But they probably know at least one thing. That simply could not imagine how natives equipped is the tragic-romantic story of outback horse- with spears, clubs and cow-hide shields stood a breaker cum bush poet Harry Morant, ‘The chance against disciplined modern infantry Breaker’, who along with fellow trooper Peter armed with the formidable Martini-Henry rifle. Handcock was executed by the British high He failed to take elementary precautions and command on 27 February 1902, allegedly for paid a terrible price in lives.