Peter Epps

Hi Hugh

Sorry I missed your post, the computer usually notifies me of posts but not this time.

There are a few books available regards the 2/2 but I don't know about the 2/8.

The Double Reds of Timor by Archie Campbell Published 1995 also available as a digital book on the Double Reds website https://doublereds.org.au/ under the store button at the RH top

Timor 1942 by Christopher Wray published 1987

All the Bull's Men by Cyril Ayris published 2006

A History of the 2nd Independent Company and 2/2 Commando Squadron by C D Doig published 196 reprinted 2009 also available as a digital book on the Double Reds website https://doublereds.org.au/ under the store button at the RH top

Cheers

Peter

Sorry Jacqueline, I have just seen your post, the computer usually notifies me of any replies but not this time.

We would love any photos you have especially if they name any of the men in them. We would like a copy of your dads photo to add to his bio page, as the one we have is the mug shot from his service papers.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Tanya

Many thanks for contacting the association. It is really great to hear Harry is well and approaching 99.

The association is now run by children and grandchildren of members of the unit.

We are conducting our 72nd commemorative service on 21st Nov 2021 commencing at 3.00pm Western Australian time. We do not have daylight saving here.

The service will be live streamed, so hopefully Harry can watch. 

Thanks for the info, I will add it shortly to his Bio page.

Please pass on our very best regards to Harry and next time you see him, could you ask him what Section he served with and who his officers and NCO's were please. If he can supply any other info please  pass it on as first hand accounts are priceless.

We only know he sailed with the unit to New Britain as per his Bio page, info taken from his service papers which are very sparse.

Please keep in touch.

Best wishes

Peter Epps

2/2 Commando Squadron Archivist

Thanks Ed

Can't wait to do the tour next year and your guide is going to be a great asset to tourists to Timor Leste. If the rest of your guide is like this then congratulations 

Hi Robert

When the unit landed in New Britain. they realised they were going to be "Mopping Up' the Jap forces left behind by Gen MacArthur's US troops. The glory would be enjoyed by the Americans and they left the AIF to clean up after them. The units time on New Britain was spent patrolling, with other AIF units,  a 30 Km neck between the Gazelle Peninsula and the mainland of New Britain, as it was estimated that approx. 50.000 Japanese troops were hold up around Rabaul on New Britain. The AIF units only amounted to a couple of thousand troops. They had to keep an eye on the Japs to make sure they stayed in the Peninsula area.

The unit built a camp at Lamarien and an O.P (observation point) at a place called Centre Point.  The unit did 3 to 4 day patrols out to Centre Point and back. The Japanese surrendered on New Britain on 16 Sept 1945, just over a month after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. Your father was in No 4 section, "B" Troop under Lt Eric Smyth.

Cheers

Peter Epps

Hi Christy

The plaque looks like a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) plaque, that is supplied for ex service personnel, who have been deemed to have died as a result of their war service after discharge. My dad was cremated and he has a plaque exactly like your dads on the W.A. War Graves Cemetery wall at Karrakatta.

The plaques are located as far as I know in the state of their last residency. I would suggest you contact the DVA in your state and ask for info on Norman and the plaque.

Hoping I have answered your query sufficiently.

Cheers

Peter Epps

Hi Chantal

Sorry we don't have a list of safaris / reunions, it would be a case of going through the Couriers.

Peter

Hi Christy

Glad to hear from you.

I'm currently adding the info into each mans Bio in the "men of the 2/2" section and am in the "M's" at the moment, if you click on some of the names in the A to L you will see what I'm doing. The info I have is purely 2/2 orientated, so if you or the family wish to add any other info please don't hesitate to let us know. A good example is Alan Luby NX55531, I have his 2/2 info and Ed Willis has added a lot more to his story. We also would like 1 or 2 photos of each soldier for their Bio and the only known one of your dad is this not so good one, so if you can supply any better ones please do.

Kind regards

Peter Epps

Hi Glen

Welcome to the website. When you go to the Nominal Roll page let it download a few seconds and you will get a Word symbol come up, if you click on it you will go to the units nominal roll and see Alfred George Philip PETERS WX16414 served on New Guinea and New Britain with the 2/2nd Commando Squadron. He joined the unit on New Guinea, 25 June 1943. Discharged 3 Apr 1946.

Are you related to Alfred, if so we would love to get a photo????

Cheers

Peter

Hi Gregory

It’s great that you are writing a book on Australia’s commandos in WWII. Theirs is a story that should be better known by the Australian people.

As for photos, our committee’s position is as stated on the footer of our website. The material therein is copyright, except for non-commercial public use, except if otherwise agreed.

Several issues arise from your query:

·                Although we do hold some original photographs, we do not propose to part with them. All of our photos appear on our website. If a photo is to be reproduced for non-commercial public use, the images from the website are those that would ordinarily be used.

·                As you wish to use photos from the website for publication in a book, where would the profit go? If, for example, the whole of the profits was to be used in accordance with our association’s objects , the committee may indeed agree for specific photos to be used in your book.

·                The photo of Chapman and Calvert to which you refer (on this page https://doublereds.org.au/forums/topic/85-brigadier-michael-calvert-1913%E2%80%931998-%E2%80%93-trainer-and-long-term-friend-of-the-doublereds/?tab=comments#comment-133) appears in Paul Cleary’s “The Men Who Came Out of the Ground” (https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4804433). We do not know where else it appears, or where the original is.

·                As for stories or photos that members might provide to you, you are free to use our public forums to ask people to contact you and provide such input. All of the stories that we have, we have published on our website and they are subject to the copyright described above (except where otherwise stated).

I hope that this does not come across as obstructive or unreasonably uncooperative. However, we are an incorporated association and the committee is bound to act at all times in accordance with the association’s objects. If you do have a specific proposal to use photos or other material from the website, please let me know.

Kind regards

Peter Epps

President

Hi Alanr

NX172709 Leslie Keith Richardson is on our Nominal Roll at this https://doublereds.org.au/history/nominal-roll/ we have him serving in New Guinea and New Britain with the unit and Discharged 29 Jan 1946.

He is not in the "Men of the 2/2" as this is still under construction, plus we do not have a known photo of him. Does anyone in the family have a suitable one to add to his bio when I get to it???

Cheers

Peter

Hi Chantal

Thank you for enquiry nice to hear from you. 

Keith Hayes & Jack Hansen are definitely both still with us, have spoken to relatives of both men and they are in good health and spirits. But have not had any word on the well being of Fred Otway since 2016. We can only rely on family members to keep us updated.

Keith is 97, Jack is 98 and Fred will be 99 this year. 

Peter Epps

President

I'm all for this.

Peter

Hi Pam

Depending on the state you live in, I would try the Yellow Business Pages and look up Medal Mounting as most of these supply copy medals.

I would suggest you ask for "Court Mounting" as the medals are held secure were as "Swing Mounting" the medals as the name suggests swing on the ribbon and are not as secure.

We are trying to get a photo of each member of the unit to put in their Bio, is there any one in the family that has a photo of Bill, preferably in uniform, that we can use, please????

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Peter

G'day John

Sadly Archie past away a few years back, we only have 3 unit members with us now. Archie was a gentleman of his time as were all his mates.

Would love to have a photo of Robert for our website, many thanks for the offer.

My address 60 Simpson Dr, Padbury, WA, 6025

Cheers

Peter

Hi Kevin

We don't have Fred Everett NX129380, on our nominal roll. I have checked his service papers and he joined 2 / 6 Independent Company on 30 Sept 1943, transferred out to 2 / 3 Commando on 21 Sept 44.

He embarked for Morotai on 22 Jun 1945 and sadly killed in action on 7 Jul 1945.

I agree with you that it was a daring and courageous adventure but  we have no knowledge of the action. I do know there is a 2 / 3 Commando unit history, you may have to look it up in that publication.

Sorry not to be of more help.

Regards

Peter

Hi Belinda

When I replied to you I didn't have my list with me and now notice we do not have a photo of Robert to add to his bio. Does anyone in the family have a photo of him either in uniform or civilian clothes please???

We are trying to put a photo with each members bio.

Please can you or any family members supply us with any other info you wish to put in his bio, as what I gave you the other day is all we have on Robert??????

Cheers

Peter

Hi Belinda

Sorry for delay in answering you.

As Keith Hayes is the only person alive that knew your great uncle and he is not the best at the moment, the only info we have on Robert Chalmers is the following which is on our website

Quote

 

Robert was an original member of the unit, embarking aboard “S.S. ZEALANDIA” on 8 Dec 1941 for Timor as a Private in “Q” Staff of Headquarters Group.

Robert was Killed in Action, 20 Feb 1042, when the ration truck was caught in an ambush during the first landing of the Japanese on Timor.  He is commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial.

 

If you are interested I can supply URL's for the National Archives for his service papers, which will only have the basic info on him as he died very early in the war. Also you can purchase a PDF copy of the unit history "All the Bull's Men" from our website here: https://doublereds.org.au/store/category/3-digital-books/

Kind regards

Peter Epps

The committee is seeking members' suggestions about further projects that the association should support.

Most of the many friendship groups that support specific parts of Timor-Leste can be seen here. Many of those have projects currently under way.

Some other charities that provide support to the people of Timor-Leste can be seen here.

If you wish to make a proposal that the association support a particular project, or spend money in a particular way, please start a new topic in this section of the forums, including how much you propose be spent, who would benefit and why you think we should support that project.

The committee is more likely to support proposals that will achieve a clear or measurable benefit than proposals that are more general or open-ended.

Hi Jamie

I have no record of him with the 2/2, with saying that I can only go on the info that I have had access to over the years. If you can give more info of your father, I may be able to help.

Peter