Shire of Toodyay > Records

2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION FOOTBALL TEAM

c. 1940 - 1945
Subcollections
Military
Sport
Overview

Photo reproduction of the football team of the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion (WWII), WA unit supporting 8th Division.
Photo shows 19 men in 3 rows, wearing sports uniform.
Typed note at bottom provides names.
The photo itself is a reprint (or possibly a photo taken of a photo) and as such is still in excellent condition, although there has been some loss of resolution in the content.

Historical information

From names in the typed note at the bottom of the photo it can be confirmed that Hunt, Spackman and Ovens were from the Avon region, hailing from Beverley and York respectively.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-37-2012.4
Item type
Photographs
Themes
Sport
Sport > Australian Rules Football
Material
Photo Paper
Width
135 mm
Height or length
190 mm
Contextual Information

The names have been checked against the World War II nominal roll however there is some difficulty in confirming if any members were born in Toodyay as the Western Australian soldiers were often simply listed as being from Perth.
The battalion was sent to Singapore in 1942. With the fall of Singapore the 2/4th suffered heavy casualties, many of the survivors then held in Japanese prisoner of war camps.

Year
c. 1940 - 1945
Statement of significance

The value of the item considered for accession lies firstly in its research value as a visual record of members of Australias military in World War II. This photo also has local social/historical value in its connection to the Dorizzi brothers, who lived at the Newcastle Gaol Museum and were also members of the 2/4th,suffering and eventually dying as prisoners of the Japanese. This item is of local significance but would touch upon the family histories of a great many West Australians.

Shire of Toodyay

Shire of Toodyay

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