Secret WA force still a big wartime mystery

This was in the paper .

Secret WA force still a big wartime mystery

West Australian 30th May 2009

The Kimberley Guerillas are a bit of a World War II mystery, according to Australian War Memorial historian Karl James.

Official records at the memorial in Canberra give great detail on the North Australia Observer Unit, a bush-hardened group of soldiers given the nickname Curtin’s Cowboys who patrolled the north of Australia during the war. But searches on the Kimberley Guerillas have uncovered nothing.

University of WA Associate Professor Charlie Fox, who teaches Australian history, said it was possible many war files had never been opened. “There is a lot about World War II, especially in WA, which hasn’t been written about at all,” he said. “The Commonwealth archives have a lot of military files, some of which you can see and some of which you can’t.”

Publisher Peter Bridge was recently told he would have to pay $5000 for two files on the 3rd Australian Corps. It was possible that information on the Kimberley Guerillas was in them. “We don’t know,” he said. “There are still many things that will die with the people who knew about them.”

Given the secrecy attached to the files of surviving members Harry Symes and Bob Hawkes, Mr Bridge is not holding his breath.

When Mr Symes checked his discharge papers, he was stunned to read that his time with the Guerillas was under the heading “X-File”. Nowhere were the words “Kimberley Guerillas” mentioned and the words “Broome” and “Derby” could hardly be read after mysteriously being crossed out by hand. Mr Hawkes’ service in the Kimberley was merely referred to as “Special Duties”. “There are no records at all,” My Symes said. “Without us, you would have been in the dark like everyone else.”
• People with information on the 3rd Australian Corps Kimberley Guerilla Warfare Group can contact Peter Bridge on 9361 8667, or at bridge1@conceptual.net.au.

Cheers
Paul

 

I read a transcript of an interview the other week on the net of a fella who served in Bougainville, and he was formerly in the militia Light Horse (would be 10th Light Horse) in Western Australia and doing patrols of northern Western Australia on horseback.

They were later dismounted and sent as reinforcements to other units.

Spider

 

Paul,

It does indeed appear strange that the records have been classified. Perhaps it was a lot more than Home defence.

Are the surviving members still bound by Official secrets Act I wonder.

Let us hope that someone can shed a little more light on the subject as it does sound intriguing.

Regards
Tom

 

Details on how big the Kimberley area of Western Australia really is.

Size

Kimberley (Western Australia) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It covers an area of 423,517 square kilometres (163,521 sq mi), which is about three times the size of England or comparable to the size of California or 15% larger than Japan or twice the size of Victoria or one sixth the size of Western Australia. It has a population of 38,000 est.

Proximity to Indonesia:

 

This is the interview transcript:

The Australians at War Film Archive - Interview
The records should be available and NAOU's activities are well documented (Curtins Cowboys).

Maybe look at the militia units histories (10th LH, 11th and 16th Batt all WA based units).

Spider

 

Noticed Harry Symes was ex 2/12 Cav Commando Sqn

Spider

 

Gen Gordon Bennett GOC 3 Corps raised his own observer/guerilla warfare group under Major Mitchell and deployed north to provide 3 Corps with its own forward surveillance information up to Prince Frederick Harbour (including Yampi Sound, Broome, Derby and Cape Leveque).

The were known as 3 Corps Guerilla Group

 

3rd Australian Corps Guerilla, in Australia during WW2

Sky sign found and rumbling noises heard from Doubtful Bay and Munja areas of Western Australia

MITCHELL, GEORGE DEANE
Service Australian Army
Service Number NX156027 (N84702)
Date of Birth 30 Aug 1894
Place of Birth CALTOWIE, SA
Date of Enlistment 11 Jan 1943
Locality on Enlistment BONDI, NSW
Place of Enlistment MOUNT LAWLEY, WA
Next of Kin MITCHELL, THELMA
Date of Discharge 28 Feb 1946
Rank Major
Posting at Discharge 43 AUSTRALIAN LANDING CRAFT COMPANY

Maj Mitchell MC, DCM was also an ANZAC at Gallipoli

Maj Mitchell's service records: Search & Retrieve - Session timed out

 

Still sealed, wonder whats in there???

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NAAMedia/ShowImage.asp?B=5558290&S=53&T=P

 

http://cas.awm.gov.au/screen_img/084487
LABU, NEW GUINEA. 1944-12-18. MAJOR G D MITCHELL MC DCM, COMMANDING OFFICER, 43 LANDING CRAFT COY, AT WORK IN HIS OFFICE.

 

3 Corps Guerilla Group was also known as the Special Independant Force North West (NW) as per the diaries of 3 Corp (online at the AWM)

HQ was at Broome in 42/43

 

As Major Mitchell was in the CMF till 10 Jan 1943 and then to the AIF on 11 Jan 1943, I would hazard a guess that the 3 Corps Guerilla Group was recruited from Western Australian Militia (CMF) units including the Light Horse.

That would also tie in with my previous comments:
I read a transcript of an interview the other week on the net of a fella who served in Bougainville, and he was formerly in the militia Light Horse (would be 10th Light Horse) in Western Australia and doing patrols of northern Western Australia on horseback.

 

Hi, I found this site whilst searching about my Grandfather, Lieut Wood. I have an envelope addressed to him at the Guerrilla Warfare Group. I sent off to the National Archives of Australia regarding him, and only got back 4 pages of very basic information(compared to what I have on my Great Grandfather, and other people). I found it interesting that I got such little information from them, I guess its all still hush hush. I told Dad and he said it should have mentioned other places he had served up north as well, but it doesn't even mention Broome, where I know he served. I hope one day I get to see what he got up to and where exactly he served it would be interesting.

 

Hi, I found this site whilst searching about my Grandfather, Lieut Wood.


This Lieutenant Wood? (if not, can we have a few more details....)

 

Hi Dave, no not this Lieutenant Wood, although can I ask where this is from?? My Grandfather is Harry Allen James Wood. I'm having great fun ferreting out info, about him and other family members. Please feel free to ask any questions, I'm new to this sort of forum, but am looking forward to spending some time here.

 

Cheers Redtail - I was just ferreting around on the NAA site for related files.

Regarding your Grandfather and the info you got from the NAA, is it possible that you asked for the wrong file?

He had two service numbers, the first (W29844) was only used for a short time and the second (WX36178) was used until his discharge in 1945

I know that army files are basic (and he was attached to some sort of spook unit) but 4 pages still seems slim (I suppose that is the whole point of your query though.......)



Edit: the first serial number file is available on-line and only is four pages long, I wonder what is on the second file.....

 

I have a collection of photos and clippings, from an Uncle who only just passed it on and one of them is a newspaper page from "The Australasian, August 28, 1943" one of the pictures has the caption underneath "driving through the bush: left of the trio in the jeep is Norman Smith, accredited war correspondent (photographer) being driven into the "never-never" to obtain pictures of guerilla patrols at work."

 

thanks for that, I am still new at finding my way round the archives, and other places. I will have a good look over the next few days. Its amazing what info you can miss by not knowing something or not looking in the right areas. I really appreciate your help.

 

The WW2 nominal roll has him as being on the posted strength of 28 AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION at the end of his service.

This is the unit diary for the time of the Japanese surrender (note mention of Lt Wood)

 

excellent, can I ask where you found this??