War History

War History

Remembering Lance Corporal Raymond Slade Thornton

By local historian John Jansson.

21 Apr 2021

War History

Army units

A number of army units were stationed on Phillip Island at Ventnor and Rhyll, and at San Remo, for various intervals during the second world war years, while training exercises and manoeuvres were carried out. The local girls were delighted by their...

Annette Oswin

25 Aug 2020

War History

ANZAC Day in Cowes 1922

An article from the Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 28, 1922.

21 Apr 2021

War History

Army units

Annette Oswin

29 Jul 2021

War History

War time: 1939-1945

The outbreak of World War 2 had a far reaching effect on the Phillip Island population. Residents and the Australian war office were ever conscious of the fact that Phillip Island was at the entrance to Westernport, and that the Cerberus naval base...

25 Aug 2020

War History

Ventnor shelled in World War 2

Worked hard for war effort As a nine year old child living on Phillip Island, Kevin Findlay heard news in 1939 that war had been declared while at the home of his cousin, while behind their dairy, on an electric radio. He raced home to tell his...

25 Aug 2020

War History

Rhyll

Rhyll war effort Like children everywhere in the war years from 1939 to 1045, the students at the local primary school in Rhyll spent one afternoon a week engaged in knitting and making things to be sent overseas for the comfort of Australian...

25 Aug 2020

War History

The story of Nip West

The tragedy of war strikes in Ventnor The death of Nip was a great blow to the little community of Ventnor. He and his older brother (Gordon ) tossed a coin to see who would go to war. One was to stay at home and help their widowed mother run the...

25 Aug 2020

War History

Turning out the light on Cape Woolamai

The light on Cape Woolamai goes out! The late Harry Cleeland’s most vivid memory of the dark days of World War 2 was the night… on December 11, 1940… when a telegram arrived at his father’s Woolamai household from the Ports and Harbours...

25 Aug 2020

War History

Air lookout

Locals manned air lookout 24 hours a day A volunteer Air Observers’ Corps was established in Cowes during the Second World War, and from 1942 was manned 24 hours a day, by local volunteers, in two hour shifts. Women manned the station during the...

25 Aug 2020

War History

Snippets

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25 Aug 2020