Comments on: Leslie Gordon Price – A Rat of Tobruk

By: Kylie Willison

Kylie Willison — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:05:45 +0000

Hi Shauna, thanks for sharing your Uncle’s story! Reading this has helped to debunk a family myth. It was said that my great Uncle was also a Rat of Tobruk but he didn’t enlist until 1942 and the siege of Tobruk was in 1941. I need to double check his enlistment date when I get his records from the NAA just to be sure.

By: Fi

Fi — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:16:22 +0000

What a fascinating story and a great discovery with the kidney dish. I’m very impressed with the NAA service, having received our records in time for ANZAC day.

By: Shauna Hicks

Shauna Hicks — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:07:24 +0000

Hi Bob yes when I ordered the photocopy I also agreed to have the digital copy online. I wanted the paper copy to give to Mum when I see her in June as I know she will be interested but isn’t into computers.

By: Bob Meade

Bob Meade — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:33:12 +0000

Hi Shauna, your Uncle’s file has now been digitized for viewing at the National Archives of Australia. It seems to me that when a copy of a WW2 service file is requested the NAA officers take the opportunity to scan it for digital preservation and online access. I’m not certain that is their publically stated policy, but I’ve seen many examples of this.

Sometimes sensitive information in the file, usually of a medical nature, is masked from public display.

I took the opportunity to have a look through the file. Believe the photographs to which you refer are pay book photographs. Taken for the purpose of insertion into the soldier’s pay book. These photos were often a little bit indistinct, but the original in the file may be a little clearer than the photocopy I assume you have, and the scanned image.

Interestingly he original negatives of these photos appear to be in the file too. See scanned pages 5 and 14.

He saw plenty of heavy action.