AIF Brigades UK Force July 1940 General Staff Branch Diaries

Makes interesting reading especially the supply allocations which were altered through the month many times. From pages 100 onwards, they seemed to be allocating more.

Early in July there were orders for all rifle companies to expect enemy paratroopers and shoot the trooper, not the parachute:smile:

http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/awm52/1/AWM52-1-13-1-002.pdf

 

Interesting stuff - do you know if they plan to put all 2nd AIF diaries online? Would love to read some of the Desert War period diaries.

 

All I get is a blank white screen.
I never knew the Aussie Infantry was in the UK in 1940 until I looked into that campaign as a result of this forum.
Wish I could access that webpage.

From which link Owen?

 

Interesting stuff - do you know if they plan to put all 2nd AIF diaries online? Would love to read some of the Desert War period diaries.

Australian Army war diaries - Second World War

 

Thanks for that - I knew they were adding WW1 diaries to the AWM site, but I didn't know it included 2nd AIF. Most useful! And... puts us to shame in the UK, where not a single WW2 diary is available online. :-(

 

All I get is a blank white screen.
I never knew the Aussie Infantry was in the UK in 1940 until I looked into that campaign as a result of this forum.
Wish I could access that webpage.

The 18th Brigade arrived Firth of Clyde 16th June 1940. The equipped 18th was to eventually take up position to meet the Sealion Invasion.

Brigadier Leslie Morshead, of 9th Division Tobruk fame was in command of 18th Brigade.

This is his cable just before arriving in the UK.

 

Some more details on the AIF in England

 

It's a shame that the UK doesn't post diaries on line like Australia. It would make research much easier for people living outside UK who can't visit Kew.

Cheers
Paul

 

Some more details on the AIF in England

Hi Spider,

Good to "see" you!

I have attached the first page of the PDF that was upside down.



Cheers
mate.

 

Thanks for that, had a feeling it was after I uploaded it.

 

More images of the AIF in the UK including the Forestry Unit
From Pictorial History of Australia at War 1939-1945 (AWM 1957)
Spider
(Right way round this time!!)

 

More images of the AIF in the UK including the Forestry Unit
From Pictorial History of Australia at War 1939-1945 (AWM 1957)
Spider
(Right way round this time!!)

There were plenty of Aussies cutting timber due to the depression before war was declared. Much of this was done up in the "High Country" especially in Victoria. My dad and his mate were up there in knee deep snow freezing their butts off and when they heard that they were calling for volunteers they came back to town and joined up.

The first my mum knew of it was the sound of boots coming down the sideway of my Gran's house.

 

I was reading today that a significant number of Austrailians took part on D-Day. Most of whom you would think were serving in bombing and strafing operations. But a fair few helped get men ashore and a hand full were junior officers attached to the British Army. The figure is reckoned to be around 1 in every 100 men serving on D-Day were from Austrailia.

Cheers
Andy