M.E. on "Tricolor"

[majm]

Line of Communications

 

JM

[majm]

Hi,

You may remember that on an earlier thread I gave you live links to various official
War Diaries. 
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=835525.0

Re knowing what your Uncles were doing daily/weekly etc
Official War Diaries :
2nd AIF
Unit War Diaries 1939-45. – specifically for 2/12 Batt. 

https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/understanding-military-history/unit-diaries then to

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1359733  then to

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1360970   (I chose that option because 2/12 Batt was INFANTRY.    Then from there :
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1359938  (Battalions,) scroll down to
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1361028 which is the 2/12 Infantry Batt.   Scroll down further as see that basically it is in Chronological order, in sets, sometimes two or three months, sometimes one month at a time.   You can download the diaries, or read them online. 

So for example here is the live link for 2/12 Batt in December 1943. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1365050   …. There’s 92 pages just for that live link

…..

Well, there’s also War Diaries for the Military Districts, Commands and Lines of Communications… https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1360067

So March 1943 your Walter was back in Australia – up around the Atherton Tablelands, in Qld. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1361276

April 1943 War Diary for Qld L of C Area is ‘only’ 236 pages …. But at page 8 of 236 theres the entry that reads
1500 hrs Movement of LIDDINGTON personnel from Q’land L of C area to N.S.W. L of C Area and Vic L of C Area.     I am fairly confident that LDD on Walter’s 12 page personnel file is the three letter code for LIDDINGTON.    If so, then the three letter codes used elsewhere and after L of C are representing locations.

For others reading this thread now or in the future :  the Second Australian Imperial Force and the Citizen Military Forces unit war diaries, 1939 -45 War : 
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1359733
This series comprises the War Diaries created by the units of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and Citizen Military Forces (CMF) during the Second World War. While on active service, Army headquarters, formations and units were required to keep unit war diaries recording their daily activities. These diaries were arranged by unit and covered the period of one month at a time.

JM (the Armed Forces board has moved !)

[majm]

Goodenough Island - Operation Drake 22 - 27 October 1942.  It will likely be in the War Diary  - only 68 pages for three months !  https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1362557

JM

[majm]

Walter's B883 12 page personnel file  and your

Hi majm,  I am still having trouble with various letters. eg. the period April 1943 to Nov. 1943 what is M/l....GOD.    and LTD.  IADSC          AMR ....etc.  Cannot make any sense of this section.  He appears to be in NSW and Queensland
I believe he was mentioned in Dispatches on Goodenough Island - have you any idea how I can check this out?
The family says he did a heroic deed to taking out a machine gun nest and that there was no 'standing'officers left so he moved from Private to Acting Sergeant to Sergeant in a short time. Because there was no Officers he was never written up for an award.  How can I  prove or disprove this?
Am I reading it right that on the 27 June, 1943 he was transferred to H.Q.2 Aust. Old.Field Park (AIF) If this is right it would have been when he joined my father - his brother.  Thank you for help

So at page 6 of 12  there’s 1 A.P.S.C. for 31 May 1943  (likely on other pages the scribble could be misread as IADSC)

Reading the details on that same page (red handwriting) there’s  ‘1 Aust Pers Staging Camp’ as in Number 1 Australian Personnel Staging Camp …  (go back a couple of lines above that, read from 24 May 1943 … it seems on EMPIRE DAY 1943, Walter was AWL for less than six hours ! actually only 2 and ½ hours ie 0830 to 1100 hours to and that resulted in him being fined one Quid.  £1)

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx

at keywords enter NX11278

go to the ‘view digital copy’ option and view the 12 pages OR download the 12 page pdf. 

JM

[iwccc]

Hi majm, thank you so much for all these links.  I have , to the best of my ability, gone though all the links and cannot find anything that conclusively links the War Diaries to my Uncles reported Heroic deed.  Is it possible to find a list of those who were Mentioned in Despatches?  Or perhaps someone knows of a particular battle against the Japanese (I believe iActing Serg. to Coy.Commander in one battle.  Sorry but this is all that I have to go on. 
Anyone got any further suggestions as to how I can track this down? I must admit that all the reading of War Diaries has given me a much better understanding of what the soldiers went through.  Maybe some Diaries I read were of the incidence I seek - I just did not recognise it.  I need help from someone who understands the military and military ways.  Thank you

[iwccc]

Well I've tried my hardest....but cannot find a list of names for those who were "mentioned in dispatches' in WW2.  Does such a list exist?  How can I find if my man was ever 'mentioned in dispatches"?  That is my question - in fact the whole reason I am researching him is to find out if it is fact or myth that he received this.  His name is Walter Charles Horsfall NX1128.  I have tried The London Gazette and The Commonwealth of Aust. Gazette but can't seem to find anything there. Am I looking in the right place?   I have looked up War Diaries and Battalion war records but to date cannot find him.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.