Winging it thru life. Stonemason, imps fan ,whippet owner and battlefield/SWPA enthusiast. Love a good bike ride too.
Joined December 2015
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19 Jun 2025
Australia will be there. OTD in 1940
As Britain still reels from the Dunkirk evacuation a convoy slips into a Scottish port , its content?
A fighting formation of the Australian Imperial Forces
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Jun 11
Hard as nails.
Thai Burma railway
1943.
George Parfrey, Victorian wheat farmer and 2/30th Battalion member.
Worked 127 days straight on the railway at Sonkuri.
This came to an end when he saw the M.O with 'a bit of a headache '
It was Malaria.
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Jun 8
F Force
Thai/Burma border 1943.
Harry's description of the condition of 27 year old Robert Surtees (pictured)
Bob would go on to survive the railway and live onto the 1990s
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Jun 5
I wasn't quite prepared for how hard this book hits from the start.
The author, part of F Force himself used diaries and recollections of other members.
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Jun 3
"a dull heavy blow on my neck"
Singapore
1942
20 year old Colin Brien of the 2/19th Battalion is lead to a clearing.
He sees Japanese soldiers, a pit and a sword.
Sat down and blindfolded he later came to part buried.
Badly injured, Civilians and police help him reach Changi.
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May 25
Standards.
Mount Pleasant,
Singapore 1942.
Frederick 'blackjack' Galleghan C.O of the 2/30th Battalion is so disgusted with the turn out of a party of Japanese guards that he ordered it to the battalion taylor.
Days later he is invited to inspect them by the local commander.
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May 16
Another astonishing Changi stat.
Daily food provision for 10000 men in 1944.
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May 15
An interesting statistic I've never seen before regarding Australian prisoners in Changi.
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May 13
April 1943
Changi, Singapore.
The battalion history describes the departure of the 2/30th Battalion on F Force, seen off by it's commander 'Blackjack' Galleghan.
8 months later 390 men returned to him.
Stan Arneil's description of the moment is heartbreaking.
ALT Frederick 'blackjack' Galleghan 1945
ALT Stan Arneil's enlistment photo
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May 7
A quote from Nelson Short (RT)
2700 allied prisoners (1900 Australian and 800 British) were held in Sandakan camp on Borneo.
Only 6 Australians survived.
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May 4
Discipline AIF style. This reads like a Monty python sketch.
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May 2
The YouTube gods have directed me to this dead set legend and his legendary all terrain vehicle.
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May 2
Absolutely loving these Australian wartime publications.
A big thanks to @pilbarahearts
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Apr 28
One constant reading pleasure in all WW2 Australian Battalion histories.
The improvisation of drunken recruits.
I present the 2/30th Battalion
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Apr 25
You've broken my heart over the years City but by god you're forgiven
🏆 Your @SkyBetLeagueOne champions!
ALT Lincoln City players and staff behind a champions 2026 banner.
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Apr 23
September 1944.
After attacking a Japanese convoy USN submarines discover Australian and British POWs among the wreckage.
It was through the rescue of these men that the horrific conditions of the Thai Burma railway became known to the allied governments
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Apr 17
A remarkable story about the first VC awarded on Australian soil.
Apr 17
The Victoria Cross awarded to Bruce Kingsbury and the DCM awarded to Charlie McCallum at Isurava in 1942. The Kingsbury VC was sold by his brother in the 1950s in a pub unbeknown to the family, we traced it back to a collector in the 1990s and it was bought back.
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Apr 15
I'm pleased to find this incredibly moving quote attributed to Stan Arneil of the 2/30th Battalion.
When I first listened to it as part of the radio series I couldn't help but cry.
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Apr 15
A superb documentary.
2 young Australians set to walk the route of the Thai Burma railway .
More I read about Japan more it was about frozen mines & horror & that’s if you survived the Hell Ship getting there.
Retirement will be spent visiting POW camps in 🇸🇬 🇹🇭 & 🇯🇵 & if I’m back in shape … former trainer … I’d like to hike it (below)
youtu.be/C4Rrzl_VlYY?si=lMAW…
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Apr 15
An interesting re-appearance of part of the Thai Burma railway. With a bit of detective work it looks like the area F Force worked on.
NEWS |
KANCHANABURI — Sections of the WWII-era “Death Railway” have re-emerged in Thailand’s Rantee River for the first time in 42 years after water levels dropped significantly due to dam maintenance, drawing widespread attention online.
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Apr 9
I've listened to the radio series and most of the POW interviews they collected for it, now I've finally got a UK copy of the book.
Stoked
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