Army Museum of Tasmania

01/09/2026

31/08/2026

Today marks Malaya and Borneo Veterans’ Day, where we commemorate those who served in the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) and the Indonesian Confrontation (or Konfrontasi, 1962–1966).

We pay tribute to the 61 Australians who lost their lives in these conflicts, whose names are listed on the Roll of Honour.

In the Last Post Ceremony for today, we commemorate the life of Private Robert Charles Moncrieff, who was killed during the Indonesian Confrontation in 1966. Watch live at 4.30 pm AEST: https://brnw.ch/21x5jlI

Image: Phillip Oliver Hobson. A Daimler Ferret armoured car escorts unidentified soldiers from 'stand by' platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 2RAR. 1956, Malaya, HOB/56/0751/MC.

31/08/2026

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

Did you know, that before the Blundstone boot became a global fashion statement, they kitted out the feet of the Australian Army?!

In 1939, Blundstone received a substantial contract to provide boots for the Australian Army supplying approximately 500,000 pairs of boots over the war years. A major innovation to the standard boot was the addition of brass "Jungle Cleats" which were attached to improve grip in muddy conditions, proving to be particularly useful on the Kokoda Track.

Beginning in Hobart in 1870, Blundstone has expanded to have global reach, now operating out of six cities world wide.

Come and see this pair of Blundstone boots in our WW2 room!

https://armymuseumtasmania.org.au/

17/08/2026

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY | 18 AUGUST 2026

On Tuesday, 18 August 2026, Australians across the country will come together to commemorate Vietnam Veterans' Day and honour the service and sacrifice of all Australians who served in Vietnam.

Please see below for some of the services that will be taking place across Tasmania.

If your commemorative event is not listed - please utilise the comment section to add your event.
Please keep comments brief and respectful.

17/08/2026

Vietnam Veterans Day 18 August
This is a day for honouring and remembering the 60,000 Australians who served their country in the Vietnam War, Australia's longest military engagement of the 20th Century.
On this 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, we honour all veterans of the Vietnam conflict and reflect on the impact of service on veterans and their families.
Lest we forget.

https://armymuseumtasmania.org.au/

13/08/2026

Have you ever wondered who carved the intricate WW1 Honour Roll Boards on display in your local RSL Club, Town Hall or church?

If you live in Tasmania, it’s very likely that it is the work of Ellen Nora (Nellie) Payne (nee Field) a local Tasmanian woodcarver. You may be surprised just how many of Nellie's works are quite familiar to you - the carved coat of arms above the Speaker's Chair in the House of Assembly in the Tasmanian Parliament is one example!

Born in Westbury Tasmania in 1865, Nellie was the twelfth child of Thomas and Elizabeth Field, a prosperous Tasmanian farming family. After marrying Dr Charles Payne in 1887, the couple moved to Victoria where Nellie undertook lessons in woodcarving. She developed her skills further when in 1899 she enrolled in art at Goldsmiths College at the University of London. Nellie went on to become one of the most prolific female sculptors of the twentieth century, producing over 200 works encompassing honour rolls, furniture, dower chests, fire-screens and church altars.

Nellie carved throughout her adult life, completing her last major work (at the age of almost 90!), for the All Hallows church in London in 1953. Nellie died in 1962 at the age of 97.

AMT is fortunate to be the custodian of two of Nellie Payne’s works (pictured): a plaque for Memorial Rest Home for Nursing Sisters at Lindisfarne in memory of Matron Miles Walker, Royal Red Cross, Sister Janet Radcliff and Sister Isabel Edwards who had all died while on active service during the Great War; and this stunning President’s Chair which Payne carved to mark the amalgamation of the Naval, Military and Airforce clubs into a single Association. These works will be on display in coming months, please call into the Museum and view them!

In 2015 (150 years after her birth), the Westbury community came together to celebrate the life and works of Nellie through a major exhibition. The 2015 celebrations also saw the establishment the "Who was Nellie Payne?" website that catalogues her known works, accompanied wherever possible by photos of the work. You can read all about the extraordinary work of Nellie Payne at the Who was Nellie Payne? website: https://nelliepayne.com

We gratefully acknowledge the Who was Nellie Payne website as the primary source of material for this story.
https://armymuseumtasmania.org.au/

03/08/2026

On this day 144 years ago a Tasmanian hero was born…
On a tiny island in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania, John Whittle was born on 3 August 1882 to parents Henry Whittle, a labourer, and his wife Catherine (née Sullivan).
In 1899, at the age of 17, John enlisted as a private in Tasmania's 4th (2nd Imperial Bushmen) Contingent which he joined in South Africa in April 1901 to participate in the Boer War.
Upon returning to Australia, he joined the Royal Navy where he served as a stoker for 5 years.
He enlisted in the 12th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF, in August 1915, was sent to France, and was made sergeant in late 1916.
Whittle was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery in early 1917 when he bombed an enemy machine-gun post during an attack.
He received the Victoria Cross later that same year for his actions around the villages of Boursies and Lagnicourt around 9-15 April: at one point he "rushed alone across the fire-swept ground" to attack a German machine-gun crew before they could bring their gun into action. He killed the whole German crew and then carried the machine gun back to the Australian position.
For his heroism at Boursies and Lagnicourt he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Wounded again during the German offensive of March 1918, and once more in late July, Whittle returned to Australia in October 1918. Following the Armistice, he was discharged on 15 December and lived in Sydney.
Whittle was awarded the Victoria Cross, DCM, service medals for the Boer War and First World War, the King George V Jubilee Medal, and the King George VI Coronation Medal.

Lest we forget.

Reference:
Image: John Woods Whittle (1882-1946), by unknown photographer, c1919

Stephen Allen, 'Whittle, John Woods (1882–1946)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/whittle-john-woods-9088/text16023, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 3 August 2026.
This article was published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, (Melbourne University Press), 1990

https://armymuseumtasmania.org.au