AuthorWritten by Norman Cramp, Director Darwin Military Museum.  Roydon Richard Budgen’s memorial plaque at the Mt. Thompson Memorial Gardens, Brisbane. (Source: Genealogical Society NT collection) The Budgen brothers, William Ernest and Roydon Richard were born in Darwin, NT (at that time South Australia) some 6 years apart. William was born in Darwin, NT in 1894, while Roydon arrived on the scene in 1900. The brothers were the two sons born to Sydney Richard and Florence Alice Budgen.
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A Luger with provenance23/5/2018 AuthorWritten by Craig Wharton.  Unveiling ceremony, Second Australian Division Memorial, Mont St Quentin, France, 30 August 1925. (Public domain) I purchased a Luger from the Australian Arms Auctions in May 2015. What intrigued me about this particular Luger was the fact that the Digger who captured it actually wrote on the holster flap his rank, name and battalion as well as where he acquired it. According to the catalogue description he was a Sergeant ‘JC’ Robinson of the 23rd Battalion. Preliminary research through the Australian War Memorial (AWM) archives and the 23rd Battalion unit history nominal roll did not reveal a ‘JC’ but there was a Joseph George Robinson in the battalion and he was a Sergeant. Not only that, he was a Military Medal recipient. It appears that he went by the name of George so that is how I will refer to him in the text of this article.
AuthorWritten by Craig Wharton.  Mention Martinis and one of two things will spring to mind: either "shaken, not stirred", with a bloke in a tuxedo wielding a Walther PPK or an image of the British Empire at its zenith in the late 19th century. An empire that stretched across the globe and on which, it was said, "the sun never set". Which was true. Being a global empire the sun was always shining on one part or another of that vast area over which Queen Victoria ruled supreme.
AuthorWritten by Norman Cramp, Director Darwin Military Museum.  Private Matthew Garr circa 1915. (Source: National Archives of Australia, Discovering Anzacs website – Profiles, Matthew Garr, SERN 428). Matthew Garr, also spelt Ga, Gar and Gah, was one of five children: four boys and one girl, born to Filipino/Australians Carlos and Mary Anne Garr on Thursday Island, Queensland in 1889. Matthew was the twin of William and was most likely residing on Bathurst Island prior to enlisting in the 1st AIF in September 1915.
There is some confusion as to Matthew’s date and place of enlist, as one form on his file, his ‘Application To Enlist In the Australian Imperial Force’, records he enlisted at Darwin on 18th September 1915, while another form states he was enlisted, or at least sworn in at sea aboard the HMAT Demostheues (Ship A64) while enroute to England. This form records he enlisted at Brisbane on 20th October 1915, however, that has been ruled through and the details of him being enlisted at sea written in. The Japanese Type 44 Cavalry Carbine2/5/2018 AuthorWritten by Craig Wharton.  Following the Russo- Japanese war of 1904-05, Japanese cavalry units saw an expansion in numbers and an elevation to the status of elite troops. This continued through the campaigns in China and up to the start of the war in the Pacific.
During this 30 odd year period, the cavalry of Imperial Japan had carried the Type 30, 38 and 44 cavalry carbines in 6.5x50 Japanese calibre. These carbines were also issued to Transport and Artillery troops. The designation, Type 44, was the year of adoption, 1911, which was the 44th year in the reign of the Emperor Meiji. Likewise the Type 30 translates to the year 1897 and the Type 38 to 1905, the 30th and 38th year respectively of the Emperor Meiji's reign. Production of the Type 44 started in 1912, a year after its adoption. Darwin Military Museum
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