Australian War Memorial collections search
Search on ‘2/3rd Light Anti Aircraft Regiment’ without the quotation marks.
Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial
Located at the Ballarat (Victoria) Botanical Gardens
Anti-aircraft artillery defences in Australia during WW2
Returned & Services League National Office
RSL National Office
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Department of Veterans’ Affairs, The Australians At War Film Archive
12,000 hours of interviews about Australia’s wartime history. 2,005 interviews, 1,000,000 stories. Told by the people who lived them. Includes interviews with some former members of the 2/3 Aust Lt AA Regt.
National Archives of Australia
Service records of the members of the Regiment. And see the associated page Abbreviations used in World War I and World War II service records.
National Library of Australia
Search on ‘Australia Army Light Antiaircraft Regiment 2/3rd’ without the quotation marks.
Office of Australian War Graves
Picture Australia
Search on ‘2/3 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment’ and ‘2/3 Anti Aircraft Regiment (Composite)’ without the quotation marks.
Royal Australian Artillery Association (NSW Branch) (WW2 Composite Regiments)
Australian Artillery Association
The real Bluey and Curley: Australian images and idioms in the island campaigns (URL temporarily unavailable)
Victorian Branch of the RSL
Bofors 40 mm, Wikipedia Entry
World War Two Nominal Roll
Anti-aircraft Warfare: Wikipedia Entry
Australian War Memorial Second World War galleries
Includes ‘a unique Chevrolet lorry and Breda anti-aircraft gun combination used by Australians during the siege of Tobruk’: 8th Battery, 2/3 Aust Lt AA Regt.
Second World War Official Histories
Available online in searchable full text.
Reflections of an Ordinary Aussie Soldier: Philip John Hurst
Philip John Hurst VX5862 served in the Regiment and also in the 2/7th Infantry Battalion. This is a detailed account of his war-time experiences, posted online by his great-nephew who explains that ‘He [Phil Hurst] wrote the following document a few years ago for family members. Apparently he then tried to get it published but was not successful. Being interested in military history, I thought it was a good read, so here it is.’
Pancretan Association of Melbourne – Australia
The Pancretan Association’s main aim is to sustain and promote moral, cultural and historical traditions as well as the language of the birthland of Crete through the creation and support of social events, celebrations of historic anniversaries, lectures, play performances, exhibitions, dancing performances as well as other educational activities. The 7th Battery of the 2nd / 3rd played a major role in the Battle of Crete in May 1941, and is well qualified to be a participant in the celebrations of historic anniversaries.
The Royal Australian Artillery Association (Victoria) Inc.
‘…our aims are really quite simply to maintain and support the traditions of the [Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery]. Our membership consists of Gunners, other gunner associations and other interested parties such as historians or persons with an artillery affiliation.’
Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (Australian Army official site)
‘You are now entering Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery Webpage. This page will be a dynamic area of interest for all Gunners, who through their relative Associations and the School of Artillery can provide items of interest for all Gunners.’
Australian Air Defence Artillery Association
‘This site is published & administered by the Australian Air Defence Artillery Association Incorporated, designed for serving and ex-members of all Australian Air Defence Artillery Units to register their contact details and keep in touch with Regimental news and functions.’
Machine Gun Fires Shells
‘War-time short film of British soldiers manning Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns on a beach. Fighters dive over them to give them aiming practise and then they practise firing the gun against towed aerial targets.’ Also at YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roYQwSqKcO8 .
Authoritative information about matters concerned with Anzac Day; media style guide
Mascall-Dare, S 2012, Anzac Day media style guide 2012. This guide has been written and compiled by Sharon Mascall-Dare, an independent researcher based at the University of South Australia. It draws on interviews with more than 30 Anzac Day reporters, broadcasters and commentators across Australia. A highly recommended information source.
Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company
The Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company is a public company and a volunteer not-for-profit organisation of members. The Company’s core purpose is to promote the significance of Australia’s Artillery, its history and heritage.
ANZAC Prisoner of War (POW) Free Men in Europe
A website built by Bill Rudd documenting the experiences of WW2 POWs who escaped captivity in Europe – including five members of the 2/3 Aust Lt AA Regt. And see the valuable Facebook page of Bill Rudd’s colleague, historian Katrina Kittel, who is researching the POWs in Italy during World War 2: https://www.facebook.com/KatrinaKittelAuthorResearcher
Rats of Tobruk Association, Victorian Branch
The Association operates from Tobruk House, 44 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park, Vic. 3206. ‘The Rats of Tobruk Association, Inc, Victoria was formed in September, 1945. The Association was open for those Servicemen who had Served at, and during, the Longest Siege in British Military History – the Siege of Tobruk – 241 Days, between April 10th and December 7th 1941 in WW2 and who were fortunate enough to return to Australia at the end of hostilities. ‘Of approximately 14,000 Australians involved in the Siege of Tobruk, 559 KIA, 2450 WIA and 941 POW. “Lest We Forget”.’
Light Anti-Aircraft Memorial
The Light Anti-Aircraft Memorial is situated at the 16th Air Land Regiment’s Woodside Barracks, in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills. The Memorial consists of a Mk 12 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun (in the deployed position).
Anti-Aircraft and Air Defence Memorial
The Anti-Aircraft and Air Defence Memorial is situated at the 16th Air Land Regiment’s Woodside Barracks, in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills. The Memorial recognises the sacrifice of Australian Anti-Aircraft and Air Defence gunners who have given their lives in past conflicts whilst serving on anti-aircraft guns and air defence missiles, on radars and in searchlight batteries. The Memorial also recognises those Air Defence Gunners who have deployed in Peace Keeping, Peace Making, Humanitarian Assistance and International Stability missions.
The Forgotten Flotilla: the craft of heroes, Greece, Crete and North Africa, 1941
Michael James Bendon is a passionate archaeologist and researcher currently based in Sydney. He dicovered the wreck of a TLC: Tank Landing Craft in Crete. That was the start of a fascinating journey of discovery about these WW2 vesssels and the men who manned them. He has written an important book on the topic.
Australia @ War
In the opinion of the Association’s Research Officer, this is the best website for information about Australia’s involvement in the Second World War. Incredibly comprehensive, highly recommended. Do consider purchasing the ‘WWII Self Help Research Tool for Australian Military Records’ which is available from the site. A really useful resource.
Pandora archive of this website, National Library of Australia
During 2014 the Association provided a submission to the Research Centre of the Australian War Memorial for our website to be included in the National Library of Australia’s Pandora archive. The Association is delighted to report that our application was successful: ‘2nd/3rd Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment was selected for preservation by the Australian War Memorial. This title is scheduled to be re-archived regularly…Achived 30 Oct 2014 14:10.’
Military Historical Society of Australia
Welcome to the Military Historical Society of Australia’s web site. If you – Have an interest in military history – army, navy or air force – Collect militaria – Want to find out more about your relatives’ active service – Want to meet others with similar military interests – Have general interests in Australian military activities The Military Historical Society of Australia may be for you !
Customs and traditions of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
A fascinating QnA page provided by the Australian Artillery Association, Inc. Some of the topics covered are the artillery colour patches, the origins of Saint Barbara (the patron saint to gunners), the history of the appointment ‘Master Gunner’, gun carriage use at funerals, artillery badges, special artillery customs & traditions, etc.
Descendants of The Rats of Tobruk Association
‘The Descendants of The Rats of Tobruk Association was formed at the request of our living Veterans to honour the mighty Rats of Tobruk. As the veterans’ numbers decline, it is up to descendants and friends to keep their memories alive for future generations and to share photos, stories and memorabilia.’
