Vassilis Papadopoulos’s story of his personal experience during the Battle of Rethymno, May 1941, as recounted by him in May 2016 Introduction – by Susan Bessell-Browne In 2016 my brother Guy and his wife Nicola, my partner Ross Hall and I visited Rethymno in Crete where Guy’s, our sister Anne’s and my late father Major...Read More
The Story of Major Ian Bessell-Browne MBE Ian Joseph Bessell-Browne was born into a military family in South Perth on 30 October 1910. His father Brigadier-General AJ Bessell-Browne served in the artillery in the Boer War, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in WW1. Ian enlisted on 23 October 1939 with the rank of...Read More
GEOFFREY EDWARDS OAM The following story of Geoff Edwards’ life and that of the creation of the Prevelly Chapel in the small town of Prevelly near Margaret River WA has been provided by his daughter, Marilyn Sadleir nee Edwards. PRIVATE GEOFFREY EDWARDS WX778 Of the many thousands of Australian soldiers who served in WWll,...Read More
Ronald GloverRuwoldt WX1695 Ronald Ruwoldt WX1695 was born in Perth on the 19th of October 1915 and spent much of his early life working on farms in Western Australia. He enlisted for service in Subiaco and was sent to the Middle East with the 2/3 Australian Field Regiment on RMS Empress of Canada on the...Read More
Pte Frederick Edward White, NX4726 (Enlisted 12 October 1939) The following article from the Cooma Express was forwarded to the Committee by Frederick White’s daughter and she noted that:- on the 18 March 1941 he embarked for service in Greece with 2/3rd, he was a signaller. His service record gives few details, but he was...Read More
Sadly Norm passed away on the 15th of May 2021 at the age of 101. He was one of the very few remaining survivors of the Battle of Crete. The following interview was recorded in 2020 during which Norm talks about the German Paratroopers and their involvement in the Battle. Obituary The following Obituary appeared...Read More
Escape from Crete The following letter from Sgt Ronald Pratt to his family was forwarded to the Committee by his son, Stephen. Ronald was a member of 2nd/11 Battalion that fought in the Battle of Crete. The letter to his family describes the period from his escape from the island to when he is finally...Read More
VX 8876 CPL D L MILLER 2/1st MACHINEGUN BATTALION AIF Don Miller was born in Glenferrie Victoria on 22 March 2012 and was enlisted into the 2nd AIF on 27 November 1940. He joined the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion at Puckapunyal for training & departed for the UK in May 1940. His unit embarked for...Read More
WX5 MAJOR RAYMOND LADIAS SANDOVER 2nd/11th BATTALION AIF Ray Sandover was born Richmond, England on 28 March 1910 and was educated at Rugby School and the University of Bonn in Germany. In 1929, he joined the East Surrey Regiment as a Territorial (Reserve) Infantry Officer. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he went to work...Read More
