| Place | Oceania: New Guinea |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | PR03710 |
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: .5 cm; Wallet/s: 1 |
| Object type | Letter |
| Maker |
Wilson, Ian Arthur |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | 1943 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Wilson, Ian Arthur (Major, b.1915 - d.1996)
Description
Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX104013 Major Ian Arthur Wilson, 10 Field Ambulance, Australia, 1943.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Collection consists of one letter from Mayor Wilson to his wife, Beryl Wilson, written from Australia on 19 March 1943. In his letter, Major Wilson writes about a variety of Japanese souvenirs that he was sending home, including medical equipment, currency, a button, a piece of bone, and a cigarette case. He includes details about the circumstances in which he found the items. This letter also includes a Japanese cartoon.
History / Summary
VX104013 Major Ian Arthur Wilson was born on 31 May 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria. He was a medical practitioner and already serving part-time as a captain in the militia when he entered full-time service with the CMF on 18 December 1941, with the 10th Australian Field Ambulance. On 22 July 1942 he enlisted in the AIF, remaining attached to the same unit.
Wilson spent just over a week at the School of Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney at the beginning of October 1942. By the end of the month he had embarked for Port Moresby from Brisbane. Wilson spent almost a year on his first tour to New Guinea. During this time he had several bouts of sickness. He was eventually withdrawn to Australia in October 1943.
Wilson arrived back in Victoria and went on leave. After spending time as a Medical Officer (MO) at various units he became the MO at Headquarters (HQ) of the 1st Australian Corps on the 24 December 1943. On April 12 he was appointed MO at the HQ of 2nd Australian Corps and returned to New Guinea, arriving in Lae at the beginning of May 1944.
Wilson spent just over eight months in New Guinea, returning to Australia at the beginning of 1945. During this time he was posted to several units including the 106th Australian General Hospital. After returning to Australian Wilson served at 115th Australian General Hospital at Heidelberg, in Melbourne, and at the Leave and Transport Depot, Victorian Lines of Communication, where he supervised final medical examinations for men being discharged from wartime service. Wilson was discharged on 18 April 1946.