Wood, Alan (Historian Services Reconnaissance Department, AIF) Wallet 2 of 22

Collection compiled by Alan Wood in preparation to write the history of Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD) commissioned by the Z Special Unit Association. This wallet consists of correspondence received by Mr Wood concerning the maritime and operations aspects of the SRD unit history. Correspondence includes Colonel Godfrey ‘Bob’ Courtney VB58298 and P Armstrong. This wallet also includes photographs and news cuttings April 1981 to July 1985.
Wallet 2
- List of SRD Files Requested by G. B. Courtney (VB58298) for visit to Canberra Archives September 1985
- Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney VB58298 to Alan Wood about collecting files and personal accounts. Courtney refers to accounts of Kelvin Hallam’s (TX16283) Semut experience, Philip Henry’s (NX84226) evidence and John Thomas (Auster pilot) on relationship with Major Tom Harrisson and Jack Sue, Melbourne, Victoria 24 July 1984
- Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney to Alan Wood about gathering material for accounts including Hallam, Max Wood, Fred Sanderson (QX11361), Melbourne, Victoria, 31 July 1984
- Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood about Driver Henry and his arrest in Labuan. Melbourne, Victoria, 16 July 1984
-Letter from 'Gruff', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood, replying to Wood's letter of 1 June 1984, with the status of AMF and British personnel in relation to SRD, Toorak, Victoria.
-Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood about the case against Philip Henry, Toorak, Victoria, 18 June 1984
-Letter from 'Gruff', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood, replying to Wood's letter of 17 May 1984 and referring to enclosing a list of SRD operations who penetrated enemy territory from Australia, Toorak, Victoria 26 May 1984
-Message from Courtney 'To All Parties' about treatment of Japanese.
-Letter from 'Jumbo', G.B Courtney to Alan Wood offering a copy of SRD operatives' names, dates and locations, decorations and fate, Toorak, Victoria 7 May 1984
-Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood asking for service numbers of SRD operatives for his book, Toorak, Victoria, 10 April 1984 10-Apr-84
-Letter from 'Jumbo', G. B. Courtney, to Alan Wood about a visit to the National Archives and Australian War Memorial including a list of files to examine, Toorak, Victoria, 19 August 1985
- Letter from Godfrey (G. B) Courtney to Alan Wood about his visit to Canberra, referring to Operations Lagarto and Cobra as debacles, Melbourne, Victoria, 6 August 1985
- Letter from M.J. McCann, Honorary Secretary, Z Special Unit Association NSW to Alan Wood enclosing letters from the Department of Defence, Australian Archives and Australian War Memorial regarding availability of files on various 'special force' units, Ashfield, NSW, 3 April 1981
- Letter from Godfrey (G. B) Courtney to Alan Wood about his research including allegations SRD survivors of Timor operations Ellwood and Cashman were subjects of court of inquiry, Melbourne, Victoria 22 July 1985
- Letter from 'Jumbo' (G.B). Courtney to Alan Wood about responsibility for debacles of Cobra, Lagarto and Adder refers to identifying office holders during the period and code symbols, Toorak, Victoria, 14 July 1985
- Letter from Godfrey (Gruff/Jumbo) Courtney to Alan Wood about the 'puzzle' of security breaches in signals to Lagarto and Cobra. Letter canvasses origin of signals and who was running the Timor section at the time, Melbourne, Victoria 8 June 1985
- Letter from Gruff (G.B.) Courtney to Alan Wood about research on Timor operations and H. B. Manderson, mentions Bob Long correlating Semut 1 and Don Harlem and (Jack) Sue progressing with AGAS and the Ranau Death March, Toorak, Victoria, annotated by Wood 'Answered 29/5/85'
- Letter from Michael Piggott, Curator, Australian War Memorial to Alan Wood, thanking him for the opportunity to photocopy SRD nominal roll, Canberra, ACT, 21 March 1984
- Letter from Lesley and Ron Brockie to Nancy and Alan Wood refers to handing over of the Roberts collection to the Australian War Memorial and to the Krait, Eaglemont, Victoria, 22 May 1985
- Letter from Ron Brockie to Alan Wood about his holdings of Major Alan Roberts materials, with a photograph of Plover Force members from 'Double Diamond' February 1974 p 7 and his own service and casualty form, Eaglemont, Victoria, 5 September 1984
- Letter from [Tom] Brown to Alan Wood about showing a film (on the Jaywick and Rimau raids) to the wife of Robert Page, Guildford, NSW, 8 July 1984
- Letter from [Tom] Brown to Alan Wood about a film (on the Jaywick and Rimau raids) to be shown at the War Memorial, Guildford, NSW, 20 June 1984
- Letter from [Tom] Brown to Alan Wood about viewing together Memorial’s curator Michael Piggot, his documentary film on Jaywick and Rimau raids, Guildford, NSW, 29 May 1984
- Letter from Lawrie Black to Alan Wood asking for a copy of a list of members, Beaumaris, Victoria 24 May 1984
- Letter from John F De Roo to Alan Wood about a contact in Netherlands on NEFIS III, Tauranga, New Zealand, 17 December 1983
- Note from Max to Alan (Wood) about files of potential interest on fate of SRD personnel including Rimau and debriefing of escapees from Singapore and elsewhere.
- Compliments slip from [W?] Crawford, Australian Archives, to Alan Wood covering a file access application
- Letter from Alan Wood to The Chief Executive Officer, Archives and Historical Studies Section, Department of Defence, applying for special access to two files, the letter states that, although there is a tentative plan for a history of the unit, the principal purpose is to compile records which will assist members in their dealing with entitlements. Deakin, ACT, 28 April 1983
- Two printed sheets on access and special access to Commonwealth Government records, 4 February 1980
- Copy of letter from Alan Wood to Mrs R. J. Kelly MHR asking her to approach the Minister responsible for the Australian Archives to allow access to files, with attached Archives Search Request slip. letter refers to the files as the basic records as the nature of the units (SRD, Z Special, AIB, FELO, NEFIS, SIA,) did not keep traditional army records e.g. war diaries, casualty returns., Deakin, ACT, 21 March 1983
- Copy of letter from Alan Wood to Mrs R. J. Kelly, Deakin, ACT, 21 March 1983
- Printed sheet from Australian Archives headed General Information - A.C.T. Regional Operations, Belconnen, ACT
- Letter from Marie Alexander to Alan Wood thanking Alan for information on the service of her husband, Gerry, and Z Special. Letter refers to dealing with Department of Veteran Affairs on her husband's health issues, including the Veterans Review Board attributed issues to his accountancy profession and not service-related, Runaway Bay, QLD, 8 February to 14 February [1985]
- Letter from Marie Alexander to Alan Wood enclosing copies of two press cuttings on '200 Flight' and asking for information on her husband's insignia. Press articles are: 'Quiet heroes step forward' Sunday Sun, June 17, 1984 p 23 with a photograph of Neville Brown, Pat Lees, Eric Read and Col Ledger; 'Cloak and dagger crew drops its mask' by Peter Caton and 'Everyone's own Patsy was one and the same' by John Dwyer, Gold Coast Bulletin, Thursday June 21, 1984, p 27 with a photograph of Major Bill Sochon and Wing Commander Eric Reid, Runaway Bay, QLD, 31 August 1984
- Letter from Marie Alexander to Alan Wood thanking him for information and referring to the 1979 reunion of Z Special members and wives, Runaway Bay, QLD, 6 June 1984
- Letter from Marie Alexander to Alan Wood asking for information on her husband's service to assist with a Department of Veterans Affairs enquiry, Runaway Bay, QLD, 8 May 1984
- Sheet headed 'The Sleeping Beauty' describing the motorised submersible canoe, developed by a division of Special Operations Executive ( British Second World War organisation responsible for special weapons) .The sheet states that 30 Sleeping Beauty pilots were trained in Australia, most being Z Special operators. The Sleeping Beauties were being deployed to Darwin and Morotai when the war ended. They were intended to be carried on Snake Class Boats and some deck containers were provided for large submarines.
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about recording SRD vessel activities, Mater Hill Queensland, 9 April 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about his research on SRD vessels Mother Snake and Anaconda, including photographs, Mater Hill Queensland, 31 October 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about his research on SRD vessels, 15 July 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about SRD vessels Krait and Mothersnake, Refers to donation of a photograph of the Krait or a Snake class ship into the Memorial’s collection, Mater Hill Queensland, 20 June 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about history and photos of SRD vessels: Mother Snake, River Snake, Tiger Snake, Black Snake. Letter refers to S.A. Film Corporation interest in Rimau Operation, Jack Sue and Wally Witt, Mater Hill Queensland, 26 April 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood thanking him for Sleeping Beauties notes, Mater Hill Queensland
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about SRD files, Mater Hill Queensland, 30 January and 13 February 1983
- Sheet headed War Diaries A.W.M. showing list of files relating to vessels, annotated with information on vessels
- Sheet with columns headed 'Survey' and 'Signals' showing list of files and content
- Letter from Ros Kelly, Member for Canberra, to Alan Wood advising of access to files in the Australian Archives, with an attached letter from Barry Cohen, Minister for Home Affairs and Environment. The files were records of Services Reconnaissance Division, Phillip ACT 27 May 1983
- Letter from Les Grinham to Alan Wood about medical training for Z Special force operatives. Account of being asked to parachute into Borneo after Armistice, Carlton, NSW, 1 August 1983
- Letter from Les Grinham to Alan Wood about a map donation to the Memorial, Carlton, NSW, 15-June 1983
- Letter from Les Grinham to Alan Wood about memorabilia to be donated to the Memorial refers to Jack Sue, Don Harlem and Doctor Forster, Carlton, NSW, 2 November 1983
- Copy of press item from Commando News July 1982 listing Operation Jaywick and Rimau personnel, July 1982
- Letter from Peter Armstrong to Alan Wood about the history and fate of vessels, a Commando News article and restriction on files, Mater Hill Queensland, 6 March 1983
- Two photographs - one annotated on the front 'Mother Snake' and the other on the reverse 'Mother Snake with two of 66' Footers'
- Sheets headed 'THE LOG World War II - Services Reconnaissance Department Vessels from P. Armstrong'. The article lists details of vessels known to have been associated with the SRD. Five printed pages (8-12 of The Log), 5 handwritten and I diagram of a wooden cargo vessel.
- Sincere Thanks card from the family of the late Michael McCann (died 26 November 1982, aged 60)