| Accession Number | S05011 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Sound |
| Object type | Oral history |
| Physical description | digital variable disc-recordable (DVD-R); invert; wave; 48kHz; 24 bit; stereo |
| Maker |
Bannister, William John Edgerton Shire of Carnarvon |
| Date made | 3 November 2009 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright |
| 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. |
Mr Alan Long interviewed by John Bannister for the Shire of Carnarvon
Description
During this interview Allen Long recalls his childhood recollections of World War Two and his life in Geraldton Western Australia. In late 1941 while walking along the beach after school, he would witness what he later described as two distinct shock waves on the horizon. At the time he described them as looking like two small shuddering rainbow shapes coming up from the sea. Speaking with a long career of army service Allen looks back to describe more fully what he saw 61 years ago.
00:00.00 Born Bridgtown WA 1934
Memories of early war years
Urch street Geraldton
00:08.05 the enemy - Germans?
Air raid sirens at school
Cadets and a career in the army-experiences may help
00:10.00 Memories of sightings in 1941 from the beach
Collecting wood from the beach after school
North of North Island
Two flashes - "look at the lightning"
Small rainbows ' hand span apart
North west
Colours seen
Explained from a soldier's point of view - Gunfire on the horizon
Time of the day
Climatic conditions - time of year
00:20.09 Knowing about the Sydney
Views of sighting and subsequent knowledge of the sinking of HMAS Sydney
Different opinions
A transcript of this recording may be available. For further information please contact the Sound section.