Tiger-pie

The winter/autumn side is much closer to the original German pattern. Even the cut of the clothing is very similar to the German winter uniform of WW2.

Spring cold weather? I guess it still gets a bit frosty even in early spring.

Drab side out.

I do remember a US Normandy veteran saying;"I used to shoot at guys dressed like that!", when he first saw the new uniform that was worn in Grenada by US forces. I will post some more shots here, there is a reversible spring/autumn cold weather version aswell. The autumn pattern is much more like the German version. This is not an official pattern, this is a commercial pattern called "Partizan" ironically. It has however been adopted by Special Forces for its effective pattern. See below. Regards; Johnsy

From the front, side and rear.

More from Beslan.

Some shots from Beslan.

Here are two "swatches" of the material in its summer varient. For those who don't immediately recognise what it resembles, this pattern is very much like the Eichlaub (oak leaf) series of patterns developed by and for the use of the Waffen-SS combat troops, usually in the form of a simple pullover smock. I guess you could call it spring and summer variations, you simply turn your uniform inside out for the drab side.

I had no idea where to put this, but as I first saw this pattern during the tragic siege of Beslan I thought this was as good a place as any. Couldn't really put it under Third Reich fakes, though I could see someone trying to palm it off as a "rare SS para pattern". Being a collector of all things military and having many reference books on camouflage, I can't but wonder why the Russians would choose this pattern, but as the pictures show it is very effective. I can't remember every source I got these shots from, but I have included as many as I can remember. Regards; Johnsy Sources: http://www.russiancombatgear.com/product_d..._Suit_(SSO).php http://www.sposn.ru/summer.html http://www.sposn.ru/ http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/home/home.aspx

Woops...here is the link to the Long Service Medals section. Regards; Johnsy http://www.defence.gov.au/medals/Content/+...rvice%20Awards/

I had to add a couple of photos of the old DFSM. It is known, though not commonly, as the "Pizza Cutter". When I was comparing my DLSM with some old school Warrant Officers in the Army, I referred to theirs as the Pizza Cutter, they were very amused and hadn't heard it called that before. These are courtesy of Defence Honours and Awards. Regards; Johnsy

I stumbled across this site this morning, I have been here before but it wasn't as well laid out as it is now (see link at bottom of page). I have been searching for ages to find an image of the Federation Star that goes on your long service medal riband after 40 yeras of effective service. I have only seen two of these in the flesh, one to my WEEO on HMAS Success, (his first medal is the GSM 1962 with clasp "BORNEO", I think he has about 10 or 11 gongs ), and his boss on there too, the MEO. Both are still serving. I recommend this site for general overview of Aussie awards. In the past DH&A produced some booklets on Australian awards, though the only place I have seen them for sale was at the Australian War Memorial. Here is the image of the riband with the star on the Defence Force Service Medal riband, this indicates 5 clasps. With recent changes to age requirements it would be possible to earn 6 clasps if you joined at 17 and retired at 65, as an officer only. Non-commissioned ranks are required to retire at 60 unless they have a special kill set, and if they are still able to pass health and fitness requirements. Regards; Johnsy http://www.defence.gov.au/medals/Content/+010%20Home/

It is not only time dependant, it is depends on the area served. I have a group that I will post at some stage to a gent who served in a transport section. He was allowed to wear the Africa Star riband when he was in the zone, but this didn't automatically entitle him to the medal. I have the correspondence that was forwarded on his behalf by a officer. The reply states the area, I can't remember it off the top of my head so I will have a look later, so despite the fact that he was able to wear it, he had no entitlement. I would however expect that a member of the forces that has served overseas would be entitled, but it is not unusual to find groups without the 39-45 Star. You just have to do a bit of research to find out where they served and get a copy of the times and zones required for medal entitlements. A word of warning here too, don't go off unit histories. A good example of this would be one of my uncles, he fought with the 2/12th Battalion AIF. This unit was not on strength for the Battle of Crete, but he was captured there. Regards; Johnsy Further; The 1939-45 Star was awarded for a period of six months (180 days) operational service for RAN and Army personnel and RAAF non-air crew personnel and two months operational service for air crew personnel during the period from 3 September 1939 until 2 September 1945. In addition, Australian Defence Force personnel who served in operations during the last six months of the war, but due to the end of the war did not qualify with six months service are eligible for the award.

Its over-rated mate, or why else would you spend two-thirds of your life pushing it back up your own arse... Regards; Johnsy

I knew I had a decent shot of the battle tanker somewhere. She ain't pretty but I enjoyed serving on her for the most part, and it was challanging work. It was also the first time I had served with sailors of the opposite sex, though the way some of them swear and drink it is a bit hard to tell us apart except they look better in a high-heels. I had some great trips and experiances on her. Went to East Timor as part of the initial task group, RIMPAC 2000, South East Asia and a trip up to North East Asia. Loved China and seeing the Great Wall, though they could do with the Great Escalater of China... We did a heap of smaller trips off the coast of Oz, we seemed to be away from our home-port for long periods. After serving on patrol boats this thing was heaven, no more geting thrown around in your rack, sleep deprivation or struggling to move around because it was so rough. They used to put all the "sickies" on there because they couldn't handle roughers which was great when it was rough because the SCRAN line was short or non-existant. I used to wake some mornings and wonder if we were actually underway!! SCRAN=S##t Cooked by the RAN.

It must be the difference between your screen and mine mate, the pictures seem to be fine when I check them, but I have noticed that if I log onto different computers that the phots seem a bit on the dark side. Regards; Johnsy

For Rick Research's benefit... and all those future collectors. Here are my medals mounted. They were mounted by me, not perfect, but it gave me a sense of satisfaction that I attempted it and they turned out looking reasonable. If I only had two then it would have been a much better job.

This is not a very good photo, but you can see my old rate badges, and other assorted bits and pieces. Regards; Johnsy

We will see... Story from The Bulletin I've found HMAS Sydney Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Sensational claim by British researcher thickens the plot of World War II maritime mystery. By Roy Eccleston. A British researcher has sensationally claimed to have solved Australia's greatest naval mystery, the location of the World War II wreck of HMAS Sydney. The cruiser is lying on the seabed off the coast off Western Australia, marine archeologist Timothy Akers says, citing satellite imagery. His claims are likely to again raise questions about why successive Australian governments have failed to find the resting place of the more than 600 crew who went down with the Sydney. Akers insists his radical technique works, and that he's prepared to provide the location to the Australian Government for no charge. However, bad blood between wreck hunters and red tape is slowing progress on the search for the Sydney. The cruiser Sydney and its 645 crew were last seen around midnight on November 19, 1941, limping away ablaze after a battle with a disguised German raider, Kormoran, which also sank. Neither wreck has been found. No Australian survived, but 317 of nearly 400 Germans did. A prominent British naval historian and an internationally lauded underwater archaeologist are among those to tell The Bulletin that Akers has some evidence to back his claims that he can use x-ray, infrared and ultraviolet light bands to see the seabed. Akers also says he's found Kormoran and Japanese vessels near to the Sydney, even though Japan was not in the war at the time of the battle. His claim has been rejected as nonsense by the Perth-based company HMAS Sydney Search, which has engaged the successful British-based wreck-hunter David Mearns to conduct a search. But so far HMAS Sydney Search has failed to raise the $5m it says is needed. The company's general manager, retired navy Commodore Bob Trotter, blames Canberra for his own non-profit company's lack of funds. He says a $1.3m grant for the hunt announced by John Howard in mid-2005 hasn't been accepted because of "onerous" and "unrealistic" conditions imposed as part of a long and complex contract. The search company may have to shut down without more Canberra cash, its directors warn. Trotter says Canberra recently spent $8m retrieving a Black Hawk helicopter and soldier lost near Fiji in deep water, and asks why it won't spend the estimated $5m needed for a search the group believes has a strong chance of finding Sydney and its crew of more than 600. HMAS Sydney Search chairman Ted Graham says the key is to bring "closure" to the families, including some widows still alive. But to contract a ship for the summer of 2008, the government will have to agree to boost its funding to around $4.5m by the end of next month. But the government is unmoved. A spokesman for John Cobb, the assistant minister for the environment and water resources, says the contract offered to Sydney Search is a standard one, and won't be changed. Cobb's spokesman says other donors need to step up to fill the shortfall, and that extra money is unlikely to be available.

I thought I had better add his Service Record. Service Record Name JOHNS, CECIL LESLIE HERBERT Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 89041 Date of Birth 26 Feb 1915 Place of Birth MANGANA, TAS Date of Enlistment 12 Apr 1944 Locality on Enlistment FINGAL, TAS Place of Enlistment HOBART Next of Kin JOHNS, ETHEL Date of Discharge 5 Dec 1944 Rank Aircraftman 1 Posting at Discharge 6 RECRUIT CENTRE WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display Prisoner of War No When I did a search using his name rather than his number, I found this. Service Record Name JOHNS, CECIL LESLIE HERBERT Service Australian Army Service Number T2868 Date of Birth 26 Feb 1915 Place of Birth MANGANA, TAS Date of Enlistment 8 Feb 1941 Locality on Enlistment FINGAL, TAS Place of Enlistment FINGAL, TAS Next of Kin JOHNS, H Date of Discharge Unknown Rank Unknown Posting at Discharge Unknown WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display Prisoner of War No I think he was released from service in the Army because his brother was captured at Crete and was given the option of leaving. It was an interesting twist to my research. Regards; Johnsy

Very nice piece of emphera. Not much has changed then, even in the modern Navy you get a Watch and Station card or a DC (Damage Control) booklet which includes your stations. Even the stations appear to be the same (given my limited German). Regards; Johnsy

G'da Kev; The link below will take you to the WW1 Nominal Rolls, and the one below it the Embarkation Roll. To save you some time he appears on File No. 48-069. As a long time collector of Aussie medals, I can't recall seeing any with "AUSTRALIA" marked on them. Usually if it is there at all, it would be "A.I.F." Though one thing I have learned as a collector, there are always exceptions to the rules, but without provenance I would avoid it. Regards; Johnsy http://www.awm.gov.au/nominalrolls/ww1/index.asp http://www.awm.gov.au/nominalrolls/ww1/embarkation/index.asp PS: TO Pylon, A.E. Smith was a well regarded violin maker in Australia who worked briefly with Carl Rothhammer in the US.

Paperwork. The paper isn't blue, just the lighting the photo was taken under.

Engraving.

Reverse