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Philip Dulhunty, OAM, has lived a life packed with adventure, narrow escapes from death and truly remarkable achievements in the realms of business, aviation and sailing. A self-taught engineer, his technical innovations and entrepreneurial drive have helped transform the face of the global electricity supply industry.
This autobiography traces Philip's story from his idyllic childhood at Port Macquarie through to his current role as a doyen of the power industry. Not only does it chart his highly successful career as a businessman, it also covers his Army service during World War II and the unforgettable period that he spent in atom bomb devastated Japan with the Allied Occupation Forces.
During World War II while bases in Sydney, Philip witnessed the Japanese flying boat flying across Sydney Harbour the night before the Japanese Midget submarines attacked the harbour. Many years later Philip helped to locate this Japanese flying boat which had been scuttled after it was damaged when landing beside the Japanese mother submarine off Sydney.
Philip was attached to the 16th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery in Townsville at Mount St John. He later moved to Magnetic Island with this unit. After this he retrained at Bathurst camp for entry into Australian Infantry Intelligence.
In recent years, Philip was also involved in a project to purchase and refurbish a Catalina in Portugal and fly it back to Australia. For more information on this book.
For more information and details on how to order your copy of this book click here.
At approximately 4.10am on Friday 14 May 1943, the hospital ship A.H.S. Centaur, ablaze with lights, was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-177 south east of Cape Moreton. The Centaur was struck in an oil fuel tank on the port side behind No. 2 Hatch. Centaur caught fire, and sank within two or three minutes .
Of the 332 persons on board, only 64 survived. Of the 12 Army Nurses on board, Sister Ellen Savage was the only survivor.
Late on the evening of Saturday 12 December 2009, the search for the hospital "Centaur" started in earnest when renowned shipwreck hunter David Mearns and his team left Brisbane, Queensland on board the 72 metre search vessel "Seahorse Spirit".
After months of research, David Mearns and his team were finally on their way to solve the mystery of the resting place of "Centaur". $4 million have been provided by the Australian and Queensland governments to fund the search for the "Centaur".
For full details of the search visit this link.
This entry to my "Australia @ War" Blog has been provided by Gordon Clarke of ADF Serials:-
On this day 10th December 2009, it is the 90th anniversary of the arrival in Darwin of one Vickers Vimy G-EAOU, crewed by Ross and Keith Smith, Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers, after their epic flight from England. The Vimy of course was a twin engined bomber from World War 1 and was purchased as surplus in 1919 and then fitted out for the flight. They were met by hundreds of people at Darwin eager to get a glimpse of these intrepid or foolish airmen.
Another significant event on this date, but this time the location was Brisbane, was the departure in 1934 of the first Qantas air mail service from Brisbane to London. There was not the fanfare or turn out for this event as there was for the arrival of the Vickers Vimy, but a very significant event all the same.
This entry to my "Australia @ War" Blog has been provided by Gordon Clarke of ADF Serials:-
On this day (19th November), 69 years ago 3 Squadron RAAF was engaged in its first aerial combat of WW2. At 1340 four Gloster Galdiator IIs took off from Gerawla led by F/L Blake Pelly (260226) on a tactical reconnaissance operation of enemy positions (ie. the Italians). F/L Pelly was in Gladiator N5753 and had as escort S/L Peter Heath (87) in N5750, F/O Alan Rawlinson (386) in L9044 and F/O Alan Boyd in N5752. As they approached the township of Rabia they spotted Italian Fiat CR.42s strafing British troops and tanks that were engaged in a battle with Italian artillery.
At 1300 hours 18 Fiat CR.42 from 13 Gruppo took off from Gambut and comprised of 12 aircraft led by Secondo Revetria with an escort of 6 aircraft led by Guglielmo Chiarini which were some 6,000' higher and behind the initial group of CR.42s. They came across the battle between the Italian artillery and British tanks and Revetria led his formation on a strafing attack of the British positions.
When the Australians led by Pelly saw the Italian Fiats they turned around and headed for their base as per their orders. However, before they had managed to fly any distance they were jumped by the 6 Fiats led by Chiarini, who had estimated the Australian strength at 8 Gladiators. In the ensuing combat the Australian formation was broken up and the other Italian formation entered the fray. In the opening moves of the combat F/O Boyd was attacked by 3 CR.42s, presumably from the section led by Chiarini. By manoeuvring desperately Boyd managed to shoot down two of his attackers and damage the third, unfortunately during the engagement his guns jammed though he managed to free two of them. Then he saw Pelly, who was attempting to land, being attacked by two CR.42s. He went to Pelly's aid. Boyd managed to shoot down one before his two remaining guns jammed again. He took off, hotly pursued by the remaining Fiat at low level, before the latter eventually gave up. Boyd joined up with Pelly, but the latter had to land early when his engine gave out.
The Italian pilots claimed 6 Gladiators shot down with a seventh shared probable and the eighth seriously damaged, which is interesting given there were only 4 in the combat. Of the Australians as already mentioned Pelly landed early due to a damaged oil tank, while Alan Boyd and Alan Rawlinson both landed back at their base. S/L Peter Heath was shot down and killed and it appears buried next to his aircraft by Libyan army personnel, who claimed to have confirmed the six aircraft shot down by the Italians. F/O Boyd claimed four destroyed, but was given three destroyed with the fourth that was last seen trailing black smoke and spinning towards the ground as a probable. F/L Pelly claimed he shot down a CR.42 but was given no credit, while F/O Rawlinson claimed a damaged. Perhaps Pelly did shoot down a Fiat and that is what the Libyan's counted on the ground - one Gladiator and five CR.42s.
Holidaying on the Continent
The Journey of an RAAF Volunteer: 1940-45
460 RAAF Squadron
by Richard Munro
When Jim Munro wanted to join the RAAF he had a medical problem with his kidneys so he arranged another person to provide the test sample and Jim was soon training for his Pilot's wings. Like many others, he was "scrubbed" as a pilot and became a bomb aimer and was soon on his way to the United Kingdom.
After further training, he was sent to 460 Squadron RAAF flying Lancasters and then the night raids over German occupied Europe began.
Over the following months Jim and other members of the crew became a tight-knit team, raiding targets such as the notorious Ruhr Valley, Turin in Italy, Cologne, Hamburg, the previously secret Peenemunde rocket works and finally Berlin.
The raid to Berlin was one too many and they were singled out by the famous German night fighter ace, Wilhelm Herget. Using his innovative upward-firing cannons Herget attacked their Lancaster and, on his fourth pass, it was all over.
The Lancaster was in distress, and as it headed down, the crew frantically tried to exit the burning aircraft. Only three of the crew survived when the aircraft suddenly exploded throwing them clear and they parachuted to the ground. The rest of their mates were dead and the three survivors were too badly injured to attempt an escape from the Germans.
After weeks in hospital they were sent to prison camps and Jim Munro became a resident of Stalag IVB.
This excellent book tells the story of Jim Munro, his crew mates, the Lancaster they flew in and the way of life, fears and hopes that the young flyers experienced.
Hard Cover with General and People indexes
251 pages
135 Photographs and Sketches
13 Maps
4 Appendices To order you copy of this excellent book, send a Cheque
or Money Order for $45:00 (includes postage) to:-
Richard Munro
PO Box 273
Beecroft
NSW 2119
Australia
For overseas orders please contact Richard Munro to determine extra postage charges
Make sure you tell Richard Munro that you found
out about his book on Peter Dunn's "Australia @ War" web site
http://www.ozatwar.com/
IN JUST FIVE YEARS
THE RAAF & NHILL
IN WORLD WAR II 1941 - 1946
The operational history of the RAAF during WWII – its aircraft, battles and heroes – has been well documented. Less well known are the extraordinary contributions of the training systems set up in Australia to support the war efforts not only of Australia but of the Commonwealth.
Kevin O`Reilly has indeed provided a valuable historical reference for RAAF operations in Nhill: its establishment as a training base with No 2 Air Observers (Navigators) School, the early presence of No 1 Operational Training Unit and No 97 Reserve Squadron and finally Air Armament and Gas School. But it is much more than that. The book draws you in with its recollections of a childhood in Nhill in the lead up to and during World War II.
A 208 page pictorial collection of reminiscences, RAAF records, news reports, photographs and official documents covering life in Nhill and the RAAF base in the War years between 1941 - 1946.
Contents include Nhill and District citizens who served in the RAAF and the names of over 800 personnel who served at Nhill either as Trainees, Instructors or Base Staff.
of this excellent book
Please let Kevin O'Reilly know
you found out about his book on
Peter Dunn's "Australia @ War" web site
Philip Dulhunty, OAM, has lived a life packed with adventure, narrow escapes from death and truly remarkable achievements in the realms of business, aviation and sailing. A self-taught engineer, his technical innovations and entrepreneurial drive have helped transform the face of the global electricity supply industry. 
