Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 1-1-1996 The 'stunned' and the 'stymied' : The P.O.W. experience in the history of the 2/11th Infantry Battalion, 1939-1945 Mary R. Watt Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Watt, M. R. (1996). The 'stunned' and the 'stymied' : The P.O.W. experience in the history of the 2/11th Infantry Battalion, 1939-1945. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/966 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/966 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. 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EXPERIENCE IN THE HISTORY OF THE 2/l lTH INFANTRY BATTALION, 1939~1945; A COGENT ARGUMENT FOR THE INCLUSION OF NON-OPERATIONAL STRANDS OF WARFARE IN OFFICIAL MILITARY HISTORY BY M.R. Watt B.A. A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Arts (History) at the Faculty of Arts, School of Social and Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Date of Submission: 29th June, 1996 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. Abstract Stimulated by a pronouncement of Joan Beaumont that prisoners of war are a neglected subject of historical inquiry this thesis Landertakes an empirical and analytical study concerning this topic. Within the context of the prisoner of war experience in the history oft he 2/1 I th Infantry Battalion during the Second World War, it puts a case for including non-operational strands of wrufare in the Jody of Australian official military history. To facilitate this contention the study attempts to show the reasons for which historians might study the scope and range of the prisoner of war experience. Apart from describing the context and aims of the study, the paper utilizes Abraham Maslow's theory of a hierarchy of needs to highlight the plight of prisoners of war. Amongst the issues explored are themes of capture, incarceration and recovery. Suggestions are made to extend the base of volunteer soldiers curriculum in favour of a greater understanding of the prisoner of war and an awareness that rank has its privileges. In addition to the Official Records from the Australian War Memorial, evidence for the study has been drawn mainly from the archive of the 2/l lth Infantry Battalion, Army Museum of Western Australia, catalogued by the writer as a graduate student, December 1992, and military literature that were readily available in Perth. At every opportunity the men are allowed to speak for themselves thus numerous and often lengthy quotations are included. ii Declarafa,n I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text. Signature. ' Date .. 1':r. ~.. Jt~_. ,..... m Acknowledgement Thanks are due to the staff of the School of Socia_[ and Cultural Studies, in particular Dino Gava and Geoffrey Bolton; the Faculty of Arts Librarians, and the Post Graduate Research Scholarship Committee of Edith Cowan University. To the Australian War Memorial, the Army Museum of Western Australia, the l lth and 2/1 lth ALF. Battalions Association, the veterans of the 2/1 lth Infantry Battalion· and their relatives and my colleagues for their assistance and support in the preparation of this thesis. IV Frontpiece European Prisoner of War Camps. ITAU.G II O II.ta STALAG IX C . • • • J.. 11 LA.&. JO ""4 JI .. UI STAI.AO Ill O . f,14 ,.........., ....... DUI.All LUJ'T • • • , L S STALAG IV A J.IS STALAG IX C: • • • • • • J. t STALAG LUJT I • • A, IJ STALAG IV I L14 STAI.AG XI A • , • • • • G.11 STALAG LUJ'T Ill • • N.1' STALAG LUJ'T IV • , N,IT ST.lta..t.a IV C Ll4 STAI.AG XI I • • • . • L I STALAG XI c; . • Ne - u..... ,........ ~ IT.u.\11 IV D 1.11 ITAL.AO XIII C . L.. I STALAG IV f Ll4 ITAi.AG XVII A • • LlO ST~::: t,~'l.:!. .:.._a: .,~ STAI.AG IV O I. IJ ITAi.AG XVII I • • Q.11 .MAIILAG UND .Mii.AG .. II. 1 STAI.All IV D •• LU STALAG XVIII A • • U.IT OfU.G IV C: • • J.IJ STAI.All IY D/Z N.14 •ST.u.\G XVIII I • • U.11 STAI.All VI .• LS ST.A.I.AG XX A . • • . D.l..l ~=::!: ~. ~ ·:. t ; STALAG V C: ••• • ,. s STAUfi XX e , . ,. A"' OFU.G VII I . • P,10 •ITAL.A.• YI I .. , . L 1 ST AL.t.0 lOU A , • • , , • H..21 o,uo IX A . L 1 ITA&...UI YU 4 •••• 0,11 STAI.AG XXI D .. .. , , ,.20 OAAG UC A/N , , ).. 7 IT.AU.fl Vitt 4 ••• • J.11 STAL.AG JIT CXVIII CJ .. Ll.l OfLAG IX A/%. • • J. 1 MCIT11 RUUIAH Of'11ft1Vl ""'T STALAG VIII I .. IUJ STALAG J44 IVIII II . , IUI OfU.G XII I . • • . L 4 NA VI JOIICIII TUNS,U Of CAMPI STAI.All VIII c; • • • • i.n ST Al.Ml IST • • . • 11.ll •OfLAG ft IVIII fl . IL t It- ,OU.ND AHD I.UT ,11UUIA. STA&.Ae Ill I .••••• 1. s STAI.AG JII IOf, Ill C:I 0.11 ...................... "• .,,,,.... ,........ ., ,,...,.,. ............ -.... ,. ,...... Source: Australian Red Cross Society Bulletin, 11 August 1944. Il!ustrations Page Frontpiece European Prisoner of War Camps. •., Fig. L Lieutenant-Colonel T.S. Louch MC, ED.CO 2/1 Ith 10 Battalion, 13 October !939 • 10 August 1941. Fig. 2: The 2/1 ! th Battalion march through Perth, 17 April l 940. 14 Fig. 3: The troopship Nevasa loaded for departure, from Fremantle, 16 20 April 1940· Fig. 4: Movements of the 211 lth Battalion in the Middle East 20 Campaigns, 10 November 1940 • 10 April 1941. Fig. 5: The 2/11 th Battalion in Bardia, 5 January 1941. 22 Fig. 6: The fan-shaped disposition of the 19th Brigade, Tobruk, 25 21 January 1941. Fig. 7: Right Honourable, R.G. Menzies visiting·troops, Tocra, 28 26 February 1941. Fig. 8: The Pathway of the German Invasion, Greece, 6 April. 33 25 April 1941. Fig. 9: Kalabaka defile where the 2/l lth Battalion covered the 35 retreating British Armoured Division. Fig. 10: The withdrawal of the 211 lth Battalion, 17 April 1941 • 37 25 April 1941. Fig. II: Brigadier R.L. Sandover, D.S.O. CO 2/1 lth Battalion, 39 14 August 1941 • 4 May 1943. Fig. 12: Roads and Airstrips, Crete, 1941. 45 Fig. 13: Keeping busy, Crete, 4 May 1941. 47 Fig. 14: Waiting and writing, Georgeoupolis, Crete, 10 May 1941. 48 Fig. 15: The 2/1 Ith and 2/lst positions, 20 May 1941. 51 Fig._ 16: They came in over the sea, 20 May 1941. 52 ,i Page Fig. l 7: Unsuccessful descent. SJ Fig. 18: Perhaps amongst these was one of Skillen's 'red ones'. 55 Fig. 19: Caring for the wounded, 23 May l 941. 59 Fig. 20: The war had finished for me (anon). 63 Fig. 21: Rounding up the prisoners. 66 Fig. 22: Flying the seriously wounded out. 67 Fig. 23: Escaping this way, 11 June 194 l 70 Fig. 24: Gamely making their way back from Sfarkia. 76 Fig. 25: In the hands of the Germans, I June 1941. 77 Fig. 26: Maleme: their first camp as prisoners of war. 81 Fig. 27: The Australians put them to rest, June 1941. 82 Fig. 28: Lieutenant 'Katie' Johnson as the men of his platoon 85 knew him, June 1941. Fig. 29: Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Le Souef, Crete, May 1941. 86 Fig. 30: Site of the sewer incident, Salonika, August 1941. 89 Fig. 31: A number explained it all. 90 Fig. 32: A much anticipated event. 94 Fig. 33: Looking and recalling, Gordon Williams and a mate. 96 Fig. 34: Private B.A. Skillen, a Gold fields volunteer. 99 Fig. JS: An old Digger remembers, R.D. (Blue) Heron, 1991. JOI Fig. 36: Staff Sergeant RE. Ryan, before Salonika. \OJ Fig. 37: Pfivate L.D. (Laurie) Ryan, the poet. 105 Fig. 38: Sergeant Roland L. Hoffman, the diarist, London 1945. 106 Fig. 39: Private Alfred Passfield: the Escape Artist. 109 vii Page Fig. 40: Passfield's rough plan, Stalag VIIA Moosburg, Germany.