Braun, Leslie William (Private, b.1915 - d.1961)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of Q101926 Private Leslie William Braun, 25 Company Australian Army Service Corps, 152 Australian General Transport Company, 61 Transport Platoon and 141 Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Mobile Battery, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, 1940-1945.

This collection consists of correspondence from Private Leslie William Braun to his sweetheart (later wife), Miss Joan Etta Pechey. The correspondence is dated between 1941 and 1945, and covers the period of his service as a driver with 152 Australian General Transport Company, 61 Transport Platoon and 141 Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Mobile Battery in Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. This collection also contains typed excerpts of letters from Private Braun to Miss Pechey, and typed excerpts of letters from Miss Pechey to Private Braun.

Wallet 1 of 10 – Consists of 59 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his sweetheart, Miss Joan Etta Pechey, dated between late 1941 and December 1942. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 25 Australian Company (Australian Army Service Corps) in Queensland and New Guinea. In these letters, Private Braun writes about missing Joan, attending lectures, participating in training exercises, driving a truck, living conditions in the camp, being ill, transporting supplies, moving between camps, sending and receiving letters, travelling in Queensland, being homesick, sightseeing while on leave, making plans for his future with Joan, travelling to serve in New Guinea, Japanese air raids, irregular mail, his impressions of the local environment, the weather, interacting with local people, and Christmas celebrations. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 2 of 10 – Consists of 79 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his sweetheart, Miss Joan Etta Pechey, dated between January and December 1943. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 25 Company Australian Army Service Corps and 152 Australian General Transport Company in New Guinea. In these letters, Private Braun writes about missing Joan, sending and receiving mail, local wildlife, feeling homesick, the weather, interacting with local people, recreational activities, living conditions, working hard, recovering from malaria in hospital, plans for the future, hearing news of the war from other fronts, moving between camps, living in a tent, and returning to Australia for leave. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 3 of 10 – Consists of 56 letters and one telegram from Private Leslie William Braun to his sweetheart (later wife), Miss Joan Etta Pechey, dated between January and April 1944. These letters were written by Private Braun during his leave in Australia and service with 152 Australian General Transport Company in Queensland. In these letters to Miss Pechey, Private Braun writes about their wedding plans, enjoying their honeymoon, travelling to his place of service, missing her, the weather, settling back into camp, working as a driver, his impressions of the local landscape, living in a tent, sending and receiving mail, recreational activities, interactions with local wildlife, doing laundry, making plans for their future together, being ill with malaria, and recovering in hospital. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 4 of 10 – Consists of 56 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between May and July 1944. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 152 Australian General Transport Company in Queensland. In these letters, Private Braun writes about missing Joan, the weather, plans for the future, Joan’s work as a nurse, feeling ill, sending and receiving letters, working as a driver, being on leave, being on guard duty, having dental work done, recovering from dental surgery in hospital, returning to work, feeling homesick, and returning home for leave. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 5 of 10 – Consists of 63 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between October and December 1944. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 152 Australian General Transport Company in Queensland. In these letters, Private Braun writes about the good time that he and Joan had had together during his leave, returning to his unit, missing Joan, meeting old friends, sending and receiving letters, Joan’s work as a nurse his health, making plans for the future, living in an army camp, working as a driver, the weather, delivering milk, receiving parcels from Joan, doing laundry, being on guard duty, and Christmas celebrations. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 6 of 10 – Consists of 48 letters and one telegram from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between January and April 1945. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 152 Australian General Transport Company in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Solomon Islands. In these letters, Private Braun writes about missing Joan, news relating to friends and family, his health, Joan’s work as a nurse, making plans for the future, sending and receiving mail, living in a tent, feeling homesick, doing laundry, living conditions in the camp, the weather, plans for upcoming leave, travelling to a camp in Sydney after leave, and embarking for service in the Solomon Islands. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 7 of 10 – Consists of 32 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between May and June 1945. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 61 Australian Transport Platoon in the Solomon Islands. In these letters, Private Braun writes about missing Joan, sending and receiving mail, planning for the future, working as a driver, Joan’s work as a nurse, celebrating Victory in Europe day, the weather, maintaining his truck, reading, the lifting of censorship, and life in the camp. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 8 of 10 – Consists of 47 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between July and September 1945. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 61 Australian Transport Platoon in the Solomon Islands. In these letters, Private Braun writes about sending and receiving mail, missing Joan, Joan’s work as a nurse, working as a driver, transporting supplies, living conditions in his camp, his health, current world news, the weather, seeing a Gracie Fields concert, reading, hearing news about the end of the war, feeling homesick, uncertainty regarding demobilisation, delivering water to returning Australian prisoners of war, and looking forward to returning home. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 9 of 10 – Consists of 41 letters from Private Leslie William Braun to his wife, Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey), dated between October and December 1945. These letters were written by Private Braun during his service with 61 Australian Transport Platoon and 141 Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Mobile Battery in the Solomon Islands and Australia. In these letters, Private Braun writes about being posted to another unit for demobilisation, looking forward to his return home, working as a driver, transporting water, sending and receiving mail, his health, daily duties, living conditions in the camp, making plans for the future, being frustrated with demobilisation delays, and returning home. He also responds to news from Joan, asks about events in her life, and sends his love.

Wallet 10 of 10 – Contains three folders of material relating to Private Leslie William Braun and Mrs Joan Etta Braun (née Pechey).

Wallet 10 of 10, Folder 1 of 3 consists of one typed copy of extracts from Private Braun’s letters to Mrs Braun, containing extracts of letters dated between 1941 and 1945. [See descriptions for Wallets 1-9 for details of letters].

Wallet 10 of 10, Folder 2 of 3 consists of one typed copy of extracts from Mrs Braun’s letters to Private Braun, containing extracts of letters dated between 1940 and 1945. In her letters to Private Braun, Mrs Braun wrote about her training as a nurse, working in a hospital, news regarding friends and family members, attending lectures, recreational activities and social outings, her response to world news, doing tests and exams, spending time with family, celebrating the Victory in the Pacific, and looking forward to Private Braun’s return to Australia.

Wallet 10 of 10, Folder 3 of 3 contains reference material relating to Private Braun and Mrs Braun. It consists of three copies of photographs depicting Private Braun during his service [dated c 1940-1945], and one copy of a photograph of Private Braun and Mrs Braun on their wedding day [dated 5 January 1943].