Secret WA force still a big wartime mystery

Discussion in 'Australian' started by Recce_Mitch, May 31, 2009.

  1. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Redtail,

    You will have to request a copy of the WX36178 service records from the NAA.

    Search & Retrieve - Session timed out and type in WX36178

    Please post the photos and newspaper clippings.
     
  2. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  3. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    Spider,

    I am nearly onto requesting the records. I will post pictures over the next few days, I will get around to it but have a busy few days coming up so don't think I have forgotten, I won't I'm just so excited about finding people who are as excited about this as I am, and it will give me something to talk to my dear old Dad about(he's a Korean vet)
    Be back soonish with photos etc
    Kate
     
  4. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Kate,

    I will be in Canberra in a few weeks and will have a look at the AWM records and Diaries for the 3 Corps Guerilla Group, if available.

    They did exist and there was a REAL threat at the time regarding Japanese landings/invasion.

    These guys (as well as NAOU) would have been left to their own devices if it eventuated with no support.

    Be interesting to see what is in the service records and if any sections are sealed.
     
  5. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    Thanks for that Spider, I did visit the AWM a few months ago, but wouldn't have known what to look for or where to look then. My main aim was to see my Great Grandfathers and Great Uncle's names up on the wall.....

    I have photos that have "SUN NEWS - PICTORIAL COPYRIGHT" on the back, and my Grandfather has written on some of them, one has "Nor West Guerilla Group"
     
  6. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    here are the pages from "The Australasian, August 28, 1943"

    you will have to bear with me if they are the wrong size, until I resize them, haven't done this for the net for a while:D
    australasian paper 2 rs.jpg

    australasian papter rs copy.jpg
     
    spider likes this.
  7. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Great photos, the only ones I have seen of the unit......they did exist, along side NAOU
     
  8. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    I've got other photo's but they are all copyrighted, so not sure about putting them up here....not sure how long copyright lasts...
     
  9. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Redtail,

    Very interesting information and the newspaper photographs look good.

    Looks like a drop tank jetisoned by a Japanese Plane, being carried by the two soldiers.

    I do not know how standard the japanese drop tanks were but I have seen photographs of the Zero fitted with similar shaped long range drop tanks.

    Good luck with your research.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  10. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    Thanks Tom, the photo I have here, (my Grandfather obviously got copies from the newspaper) has writing on the back it says "belly tank of Jap plane shot down 1943, Nor West Guerrilla Group"
     
  11. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    Sacred Heart School, Beagle Bay, Western Australia

    Beagle Bay is about 120 kilometres north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula.

    The Pearl Alter
    [​IMG]

    3 March 1942 Broome Raid
    One Zero pilot—Warrant Officer Osamu Kudō—was killed by ground fire from a Dutch ML-KNIL pilot, First Lieutenant Gus Winckel, using a 7.9 mm (0.311 in) machine gun he had removed from his Lodestar. Winckel balanced the weapon on his shoulder, and sustained burns to his left forearm, when it touched the barrel of the gun after firing. Another Zero ran out of fuel and ditched while returning to his base, although the pilot survived.
     
  12. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Kate,

    Post away with the photos.
     
  13. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Cpl H C Moore (WX16058), in the newspaper clippings, was also later with the 43 Landing Craft Company as was the CO 3 Corps Guerilla Group MAJOR G D MITCHELL MC DCM.

    His service records show that on the 19/9/42 he was transferred to the Special Independent Company 3 Aust Corps with his receiving unit shown as Guerilla and on the 9/10/43 he left for Queensland and signed off form the unit.
     
  14. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  15. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  16. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    thanks for this Spider, the link to National Archives is interesting, but would be nice to have a bit more info, but I guess I have to start somewhere :)
     
  17. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Peter Bridge's book is nearing completion and he will hopefully give us some more information regarding its release.
     
  18. peter bridge

    peter bridge Junior Member

    3 Australian Army Corps Kimberley Guerilla Warfare Group of 1942-3.
    In the early eighties many old bushmen came to see me for advice on modern gold prospecting. Among them was Ted Edwards who had been one of the early men of Major Mitchell’s proto Guerilla Warfare Group training the Liveringa VDC. He told me of the secret group and his dismissal by Canberra that ‘you never existed.’ I spoke to several other families, finding that personal diaries existed and left it at that. Life changes and a few years ago I realised that all except for a handful of the men involved had gone west. Ads in the ‘Can You Help’ news columns led to many letters from survivors or their families and from this the newspaper interview introducing this series, which energised a few more men.
    Canberra was not helpful and delays of 3 months for copies are the rule. Despite this incompetence and due to the enthusiastic help of the survivors and families of the men involved, letters, diaries, photos, verse and memories flooded in. But many families could not be found. No nominal rolls exist for the GWG, the Special Independent Companies, 101 Field Security, or the Volunteer Defence Corps for WA. Only two files on the GWG patrols were found in the AWM. All the rest have been destroyed.
    I could not justify purchasing all the personal files of the men involved and substantial sums were expended in the hope that a cryptic file title might cover a gem. A biographical note on all who could be contacted has been included. Good old detective work with electoral rolls, contacts, and archival research led to the prizes. Since I met the last men two more have gone and there are only 4 or 5 still on deck.
    The book covers, briefly, the attacks on Broome, 29th Garrison, the VDC, then all that could be found on the Special Duties Group at Broome, the Special Independent Companies, Mitchell’s first forays inspecting the Kimberley and the Liveringa Commando, the deployment of the GWG and its long patrol, activities of the 101FS coastal patrols, arms dumps, and the 1992 donkey patrol.
    Gail Waldron is compiling the new nominal roll. Allan Thomson has written up the proposal for a memorial. Both are children of men of the GWG. Any late information will be either added as an appendix or placed in the errata page of the website.

    Now three or more years on the book is finished and should be out in November this year. About 400pp A4, and published by my Hesperian Press in Perth. Further details will be entered on the website www.hesperianpress.com

    Peter Bridge, Perth.
     
  19. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Thanks for the update Peter and hopefully they will get the memorial going (a job for the Pilbra Regiment)

    Glenn
     
  20. redtail

    redtail Junior Member

    sorry I haven't been around for a while, haven't forgotten just been under the weather. Peter I can't wait to read the book, it will be very interesting, I only found out a while ago my Grandfather had anything to do with the Guerilla Warfare Group recently, from a letter I have addressed to him at said group. I am in the midst of organizing to get more of his records sent to me from the National Archives, it will be interesting to see what they hold :) I'll keep you all informed.
    Kate
     

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