MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. SCENE AT A DINNER HELD IN THE OFFICERS' MESS OF THE STAFF OF SIGNAL ...

MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-04-05. SCENE AT A DINNER HELD IN THE OFFICERS' MESS OF THE STAFF OF SIGNAL OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES, AT ST. KILDA ROAD, AT THE TERMINATION OF THE FIRST COMBINED OPERATIONS EXERCISES HELD IN AUSTRALIA BY AMERICAN ARMY AND NAVY AND THE RAAF. THE FUNCTION WAS HELD TO ENABLE THE TOP RANKING OFFICERS OF THE AMERICAN AND AUSTRALIAN SERVICES TO MEET SOCIALLY AND TO BECOME ACQUAINTED, WITH THE OBJECT OF CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE VARIOUS FORCES. IT WAS APPROVED BY GENERALS MACARTHUR AND BLAMEY AND WAS ATTENDED BY ALL SENIOR STAFF OFFICERS OF BOTH ARMIES, AND BY ALL SENIOR FORMATION COMMANDERS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF GENERAL SIR THOMAS BLAMEY, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES, AS WELL AS BY SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE U.S. NAVY, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY, THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE AND THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE. SEATED AT THE TABLE IN THE BACKGROUND, ARE LEFT TO RIGHT:- LIEUTENANT-GENERAL H.D. WYNTER, CB, CMG, DSO, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTRATION, ALLIED LAND FORCES; LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN LAVARACK, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING FIRST AUSTRALIAN ARMY; ARMIRAL SIR GUY ROYLE, KCB, CMG, RN, CHIEF OF THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL STAFF; MAJOR-GENERAL C.H. SIMPSON, CBE, MC, VD, SIGNAL- OFFICER- IN- CHIEF, ALLIED LAND FORCES; IN THE FOREGROUND, SECOND FROM THE LEFT IS MAJOR-GENERAL S.R. BURSTON, CB, CBE, DSO, VD, DIRECTOR-GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES, HEADQUARTERS, ALLIED LAND FORCES; AND ON HIS LEFT IS BRIGADIER S.B. AKIN, CHIEF SIGNALS OFFICER, U.S. ARMY IN AUSTRALIA. THIRD FROM THE RIGHT IS MAJOR-GENERAL J.E.S. STEVENS, CB, DSO, ED, GENERAL-OFFICER-COMMANDING 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.