3 Squadron Memorabilia On-Line  
in the Australian War Memorial Collection

 The Australian War Memorial has a lavish collection of items related to 3 Squadron.  Below are some hints on how to access this material via the Internet using the AWM's Collections Search page:

Old RE8 "S", Struck Off Strength after 10 Months' Service
- Depicts an RE8 aircraft on the No.3 Squadron airfield at Poulainville, France, stripped of engine cowling and wings.  
Watercolour by Arthur Streeton.   [AWM Copyright ART03508]

AWM Historical Images

There are more than 800 photographs and 30 paintings and sketches of 3 Squadron in the AWM collection.  Some of these images were created by now legendary Australians such as:

·        Frank Hurley.  Who made his name with his magnificent coverage of the 1915 Shackleton Antarctic expedition, and who photographed No.3 Squadron in both world wars!

·        Damien Parer.  Who later won an Oscar for the iconic documentary Kokoda Frontline.

·        Arthur Streeton.  The impressionist master who was an official War Artist in France in WW1. 

Mustang Dawn

AWM Picture Themes:

To break the huge AWM collection down into more digestible chunks, the following eight themes are recommended for  displaying interesting sets of 3 Squadron photos in roughly chronological order:

[Note 1] Once the first page of search results has displayed, click the ‘Long Information’ option at the right of the page to see the full captions.

[Note 2]:  AWM pictures can also be searched through "Picture Australia", which is straightforward to use and also searches other Australian Library collections, but has less fine-control than the AWM's own Search Engine.

a) World War 1. 

For photos of 3 Squadron aircraft and personnel serving in World War One:

(Click): http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=3+squadron+afc&conflict=first+world+war%2C+1914-1918  

This search-string was obtained in the following way:

Go to http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections,  and enter the phrase:

3 squadron afc

Before hitting the “Search” button, select the option: ‘First World War 1914-1918’.]

 

b) The Last Fighting Biplanes. 

For images of Gladiator operations in 1940-41: 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=gladiator&conflict=all

                                                                    

c) Hurricanes Against the Storm. 

Hurricane pictures from 1941: 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=hurricane+silk&conflict=all

 

d) New Planes, New Challenges.

Photos of Tomahawk operations in 1941, a dramatic period with battle successes in Syria and Cyrenaica but also some serious losses.  Damien Parer gives the boys the full Hollywood treatment! 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=tomahawk&conflict=all

 

e) Kittyhawk Operations 1942. 

Images, including a Nelsonian "Never mind the fighters..." quote from a grinning Bobby Gibbes: 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=3+squadron+kittyhawk+1942+&conflict=all

 

f) Kittyhawk Operations 1943  /1944.

An impressive number of images, including some pretty impressive flak damage and the eerie sight of German flares lighting up the sky during their bombing strike on Agnone airstrip. 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=3+squadron+kittyhawk+1943&conflict=all

The 'friendly fire' incident at Cutella (below) features in the 1944 Kittyhawk images:
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=3+squadron+kittyhawk+1944&conflict=all

 
Kittyhawk burning after a mistaken "friendly fire" attack by USAAF fighters at Cutella.

 

g) Shiny New Planes and Winning Smiles. 

Late-war images 1944-45. 
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/collections/?q=3+squadron+mustang&conflict=second+world+war%2C+1939-1945

 

Local Colour

There are many other excellent paintings in the AWM collection showing the areas that 3 Squadron travelled through.  These artworks convey the colours and atmosphere of each theatre in a way that monochrome photographs cannot.  It is recommended that you search the following artists and click "Art" to see the collection of their images:

Harold Herbert 1941

Dargie North Africa

Dennis Adams Italy

(Many other searches are of course possible, for instance based on specific dates, individual personnel or place names, etc.)

[NB. The New Zealand Government has a similar online war-art gallery, with brilliant depictions of the much of the landscape that 3 Squadron operated over e.g. http://warart.archives.govt.nz/search/node/crippen.  These images are also available in generous large formats suitable for framing.

Another interesting gallery of modern-day photos showing the colours of the African battlefields is Western Desert Battlefield Tours.]

 

AWM Interview Transcripts

The AWM has an amazing collection of taped interviews with 3 Squadron WW2 veterans (mostly recorded in 1990).  The transcripts are each up to 30 pages long and contain a wealth of information.

To see one of the 3 Squadron transcripts, click on a name highlighted below.

Reading all of these transcripts may be something of a long-term project, but it is very interesting to hear the story of 3 Squadron related in the veterans' own words.  (Beware - these interviews are quite addictive!)   The interviewers have sought out a wide diversity of subjects, including aircrew, ground crew and several squadron commanders.  In alphabetical order the interviewees are:

Wilfred 'Woof' Arthur.  Pilot 1940-42. DSO, DFC, MID.	Nicky Barr.  Pilot - Squadron Leader 1941-42 / POW / Escaper. OBE, MC, DFC and Bar.
Wally Bottin.  Transport Driver 1940-42.	Rod Butler.  Pilot 1940-41.
Jack Donald.   Pilot 1942 / POW.	Jack Doyle.  Pilot 1943-44 / Forward Air Controller.  Led 450 Sqn.  DSO, DFC and Bar.
Brian Eaton.  Pilot - Squadron Leader & 239 Wing Commander.  1942-45.  CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC, AMERICAN SILVER STAR.	Fred Eggleston.  Pilot 1941 / POW / Escaper.
Bobby Gibbes.  Pilot – Squadron Leader 1941-43. DSO, DFC and Bar.	Leon Henry.  Airframe Fitter 1942-45.
Peter Jeffrey.  Pilot 1937/ Signals Officer / Squadron Leader 1940-42.  DSO, DFC MID(2).	Wal Mailey.  Pilot 1941-42.  Desert rescue. DFM.
Dick Hickson.  Equipment Officer 1940-42.	Ken McRae.  Engineering Officer 1942-45.  Awarded MBE.
Fred McKay - Padre.  1943-45.
Marcus 'Mac' MacInnis.  Supply Officer 1939-42.	Slim Moore.   Engine Fitter 1942-45.  Mentioned in Despatches (MID) for Bravery.
Ted Medhurst.   Radio Operator 1940-41.	Tom Russell.  Pilot 1942-43.
Bert Pearson.  Radio Operator / Mechanic  1940-42.	Harry Silk.  Admin. Clerk 1940-42.
Bill Shoesmith.  General Hand / Canteen Sergeant 1942-45.	Reg Stevens.  Pilot / Squadron Leader 1942-43. DFC and Bar.
Bob Smith.  Radio Mechanic 1943-45.	Jock Thom.  Airframe Fitter 1941-42.  Wounded.
Allen Wand.  Airframe Fitter Sergeant 1942-45.	Clarence Wilson.  Post-war Mustang Airframe Fitter in Canberra.  Suddenly posted out at the start of the Korean War.
AVM Henry Wrigley, who flew with 3 Squadron AFC in WW1 and later visited 3 Squadron in WW2 as a very senior RAAF officer.

 

Other AWM Reference Articles 

The AWM also has more than 50 other web-pages and reference articles referring to 3 Squadron, ranging from scholarly papers to pages with data and photographs of the Squadron and its key personalities.  Click:
http://www.awm.gov.au/search/?q=%223+squadron%22+-record+-sas+-item#918

One example which should not be missed is AVM Peter Scully's excellent  historical paper "The Sandgropers" , about 3 Squadron's early days in the Egyptian Desert in 1940-41, and the outstanding results achieved despite the privations that they suffered.

Another delightful story tells of Henry Marston's WWI "lucky charm"  that really worked!   (This charm is now displayed in the AWM's excellent "Over the Front" exhibition, along with the restored Albatros fighter shot down by 3 Squadron AFC.)
 

 

No.3 Squadron AFC - World War I "War Diaries"

The Australian War Memorial has recently made available the complete set of 3 Squadron AFC War Diaries from the First World War.  Click: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diaries/first_world_war/subclass.asp?levelID=1430  to download.

 

Medals and Awards

The AWM has an excellent Honours and Awards Database showing the 3 Squadron members who received medals for exceptional service: 

WW1:

If one selects "Distinguished Flying Cross" in the Search box and types in "3 Squadron", the 3AFC awards for WW1 will be displayed (several mentions in the database for each individual). 

- Don't miss the "Digitised PDF Record" of the award citation (which is usually included).   

[Some WW1 3AFC aircrew received French and Belgian decorations that are not listed by the AWM.]

WW2:

To search WW2 awards, use "3 sqn raaf" (including quote marks) as the unit. 
(But you'll see that you still have to pick through other Squadrons ending in "3".)

The "Recommendation" records tend to have a citation attached, but the filing is not perfect, so it is also a good idea to check the "Award" record too. 

Unfortunately, in some cases there is no citation attached (possibly the Orderly Room Clerk had to retreat from Rommel, or some such thing, at the time!).  However, try searching for a press article about the award in the National Library ‘Trove’ database. 
eg. http://trove.nla.gov.au/result?q=chinchen+dfc
Or the London Gazette (searchable by date-range and citations are sometimes listed, but it often shows just a surname) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/

Also check the "Bar to DFC" records, which are listed separately.  (Such as Bobby Gibbes.) 

Finally, don’t forget the gallant Sergeant Pilots who won DFMs, and the MBEs and MiDs awarded for various other brave acts. 

[Text by James Oglethorpe]