onetrack
20th Dec 2013, 03:12
This seems like an appropriate time of year to bring this up - and to bring back some memories for all the old Vets, like myself - the SVN Christmas message films. There's quite a number of aircrew speaking in the messages.
I recently discovered that the AWM has made freely available for download, the "Christmas message" films made by Aussie troops in SVN between 1967 and 1970.
All corps and all ranks are included, and it appears the camera crew just roamed around a lot of workplaces, recreation areas, and through the Dat and Vungers camps.
It appears the collection is incomplete, possibly because AWM staff are still in the process of converting and placing the remaining Christmas message films on the AWM website.
The AWM staff are also apparently in the process of installing an upgraded search engine on their site.
I was quite stunned to find these films, and to see the number of blokes I worked with, that I went to rookie training with, that I went to corp training with - as well as all our NCO's and officers that I knew, sending their Christmas message to families.
I missed out on sending a Christmas message - I didn't even know they were making the films - and anyway, I was out in the J, beating back our local disagreeable NVA and VC, until the 24th - when we were choppered back in to the 'Dat, for Christmas day.
Sent the links to a few mates, who were stunned to see themselves again, as young men from 43 to 46 yrs ago.
Sadly, there's a double-digit percentage of these blokes who are no longer with us - quite a number having met an unfortunate demise, via accidents and nasty diseases - and just plain old age!
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1967 - [Christmas messages 1967 - Western Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04686/)
Christmas messages from SVN (NSW version) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - NSW version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04697/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Victorian version) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969] Victorian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04699/)
Christmas messages from SVN (South Australians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - South Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04698/)
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - Western Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04700/)
Christmas messages from SVN - (Tasmanians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - Tasmanian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04719/)
Christmas message from SVN (General version) - 1970 - [Christmas messages 1970 - General version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04702/)
Christmas messages from SVN (NSW version) - 1970 - Christmas messages - 1970 NSW version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04703/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Queenslanders) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Queensland version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04704/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Victorians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Victorian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04707/)
Christmas messages from SVN (South Australians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - South Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04705/)
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - West Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04708/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Tasmanians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Tasmanian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04706/)
Children's Christmas party and messages to Vietnam 1970 (Duntroon - Army Wives) - Children's Christmas party and messages to Vietnam 1970 | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04723/)
Check the file sizes before download - some of the files are huge (around 300MB) and take a considerable length of time to download, even on ADSL.
There's a considerable amount of errors in the recorded names, home locations, regimental numbers, and even rank, that goes with the film, for the ID of the speakers.
It's not helped by the fact that the listings are just compressed into one continuous line of text.
Cheers - OT
I recently discovered that the AWM has made freely available for download, the "Christmas message" films made by Aussie troops in SVN between 1967 and 1970.
All corps and all ranks are included, and it appears the camera crew just roamed around a lot of workplaces, recreation areas, and through the Dat and Vungers camps.
It appears the collection is incomplete, possibly because AWM staff are still in the process of converting and placing the remaining Christmas message films on the AWM website.
The AWM staff are also apparently in the process of installing an upgraded search engine on their site.
I was quite stunned to find these films, and to see the number of blokes I worked with, that I went to rookie training with, that I went to corp training with - as well as all our NCO's and officers that I knew, sending their Christmas message to families.
I missed out on sending a Christmas message - I didn't even know they were making the films - and anyway, I was out in the J, beating back our local disagreeable NVA and VC, until the 24th - when we were choppered back in to the 'Dat, for Christmas day.
Sent the links to a few mates, who were stunned to see themselves again, as young men from 43 to 46 yrs ago.
Sadly, there's a double-digit percentage of these blokes who are no longer with us - quite a number having met an unfortunate demise, via accidents and nasty diseases - and just plain old age!
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1967 - [Christmas messages 1967 - Western Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04686/)
Christmas messages from SVN (NSW version) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - NSW version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04697/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Victorian version) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969] Victorian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04699/)
Christmas messages from SVN (South Australians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - South Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04698/)
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - Western Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04700/)
Christmas messages from SVN - (Tasmanians) - 1969 - [Christmas messages 1969 - Tasmanian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04719/)
Christmas message from SVN (General version) - 1970 - [Christmas messages 1970 - General version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04702/)
Christmas messages from SVN (NSW version) - 1970 - Christmas messages - 1970 NSW version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04703/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Queenslanders) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Queensland version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04704/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Victorians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Victorian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04707/)
Christmas messages from SVN (South Australians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - South Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04705/)
Christmas messages from SVN (West Australians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - West Australian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04708/)
Christmas messages from SVN (Tasmanians) - 1970 -[Christmas messages 1970 - Tasmanian version (Soldiers greetings from Vietnam) | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04706/)
Children's Christmas party and messages to Vietnam 1970 (Duntroon - Army Wives) - Children's Christmas party and messages to Vietnam 1970 | Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F04723/)
Check the file sizes before download - some of the files are huge (around 300MB) and take a considerable length of time to download, even on ADSL.
There's a considerable amount of errors in the recorded names, home locations, regimental numbers, and even rank, that goes with the film, for the ID of the speakers.
It's not helped by the fact that the listings are just compressed into one continuous line of text.
Cheers - OT