#OTD 9 July 1917, two Scottish munitions workers allowed Horace Nicholls to photograph their tattoos that remembered sweethearts died at the front or at sea. Neither their names nor the factory location were recorded, which is very probably HM Factory Gretna on the Solway Firth.

Who would like a Horace Nicholls photo? A member of the Women's Forestry Corps uses an axe to mark felled tree trunks for sawing c1917-18. Source: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

Thanks everyone for reading/sharing @smoorebofb1940.bsky.social @airpowerhistory.bsky.social @rafhistory.bsky.social [email protected] @karljames1945.bsky.social @rjhammond215.bsky.social @marcusfaulkner.bsky.social @ima-naval-history.bsky.social @airminded.org @alanallport.bsky.social

Have just finished Alan’s excellent 📖 Usefully, he highlights the knowledge transfer with the @AustralianArmy’s experiences in New Guinea & the Indian Army in Burma in #WWII.

Still working on 🇦🇺 in SEAC in #WWII. Bill Cawthorn transferred from the AIF to the Indian Army in #WWI, served on the NW Frontier & was involved in organising different intelligence groups during the war. Later Deputy Chief of Staff in Pakistani Army & a director of ASIS 📚

Our mag "WM" issue 3 is a gallery souvenir, telling the histories behind the new galleries in the recently-opened Anzac Hall. You can find out about "WM" at wm.awm.gov.au

The loss of HMS Auckland is written up in detail here. The Tobruk Run was such a major even in Royal Navy History that it has its own Battle History (World War II - No. 52).

In case you were wondering when the siege of Tobruk ended, we've got you covered now, having reviewed a bunch of primary sources. Special mention of Oz' 2/13 battalion. @karljames1945.bsky.social @alanallport.bsky.social @ima-naval-history.bsky.social @rjhammond215.bsky.social

In about eight months Mom's Uncle will be one of them. bsky.app/profile/sono...

This might interest you. www.nytimes.com/1941/06/24/a...

"A pilot forced down. A soldier captured. A nurse taken prisoner. Across conflicts, thousands of Australians have lived behind barbed wire, cut off from the world and pushed to their limits." The @AWMemorial's new podcast "Through their eyes" is out now🎧 wm.awm.gov.au/podcast/capt...

Paper version available for purchase now. www.ibneditore.it/catalogo/bre...

Current ✍️ project is looking @ a group of Australians who served with the Indian Army between #WWI & #WWII. Have also been binging & replaying old episodes of @forgottenwarpod.bsky.social cramming my knowledge of IA 🎧 What’s not to like? #WeHaveWays

Imagine fighting a fierce war in Moscow with your supply line starting back in London. That was the staggering logistical reality of the Burma Campaign. Our latest episode explores the massive expansion of Allied land & air power that overcame these vast distances. #WWII #Logistics #History

Wonderful to finally meet @1940andy.bsky.social at AWM Poppy's cafe. He mentioned he hadn't found anything good to read so I decided to help him out. A bit of a special copy actually, No. 2 of 500 (David has No.1). Chatted merrily as if we'd known each other for years. Which we have. By email.

My favourite part of the 1st Battle of Alamein is still when the D.A.K. reported Kaponga Box empty, then took over four hours to capture it, and in the evening Rommel reported it as a glorious feat of arms, vanquishing superior forces.

So this is actually happening. @rgpoulussen.bsky.social @garius.bsky.social @cedricmas.bsky.social @ww2tv.bsky.social @ima-naval-history.bsky.social @airminded.org @smoorebofb1940.bsky.social @airpowerhistory.bsky.social @rafhistory.bsky.social @jamiemctrusty.bsky.social @karljames1945.bsky.social

Understanding Attitudes to Australian Military History: Some Air Power Observations open.substack.com/pub/drrossma...

Moving from SWPA to SEAC for a bit. An Australian, Officer served some 30 yrs in the Indian Army, including many years on the North-West Frontier. Later was the SubArea Commander on the LofC in Assam, looking after the only road from the railhead at Dimapur to Kohima. #WeHaveWays

This week we launched the 2026 call the Society's annual Teaching Fellowships. Funds support innovative practice in history teaching in higher education bit.ly/4wbwoDb. Open to UK and international Fellows and Members of the Society. Closing date Friday 10 July 2026 #Skystorians 1/2

Earlier this week, on 4 May, I had the honour of delivering the commemorative address at this year's Ceremony of Remembrance, speaking on Australian & Dutch wartime connections; & remembering those civilians & service members of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who have died since #WWII.

Nazi database takes Germans on personal journey into their families’ dark pasts Die Zeit’s online database of individuals’ Nazi membership is prompting a reckoning as people uncover ties to regime www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Sad news to learn of another #WWII veteran, Bill Grayden of the 2/16th Battalion. There must now only be a few men who fought along the Kokoda Trail still with us. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

The Aus Chinook presence in Afg was the second (but far from last) time in my career I had the privilege of working with the ADF; short version of a long story is when they ripped out for the last time at the end of the 2013 fighting season they needed hangars to do mx on the birds before going home

#Reading “These men looked hard and tough. If there were any criticism on my part it would have been that I seemed to notice a bit of tenseness on the part of the men.” Lieutenant General Robert Eichelberger, August 1943.

It has been a huge team effort over many years, but the Australian War Memorial's new Anzac Hall is open. This includes "Kandahar Workhorse". It was a great privilege to meet many Chinook veterans & family members, & share their untold stories of bravery & loss, professionalism & humour.

We are pleased to launch today a new funding programme for Fellows & Associate Fellows of the Society resident outside the UK & Ireland bit.ly/3PtDQZu Grants support research in UK / Irish archives for our international historians. Deadline 8 May to enable research from summer 2026 #Skystorians 1/2

Call for Papers: To Fight and Win and Sea - 125 Years of Australian Naval History seapower.navy.gov.au/news-and-med... ⚓

With the Candain PM Mark Carney visiting #CBR today, here's a recent piece on Australia's shared wartime bonds with Canada that contributed for Legion Magazine: disq.us/t/4z4g8jv #WeHaveWays

On Holocaust Memorial Day we need more history, not just more memory blog.royalhistsoc.org/2026/01/27/o... @royalhistsoc.org

Phil Craig’s 1945: The Reckoning was my companion on our recent trip to Melbourne & the Great Ocean Road. An excellent Summer read to accompany the many small & independent local beers we sampled. What’s not to like?🏖️ 📖 🍻 #WeHaveWays #HistoryBookChat

A tragic development. The end of mass market paperbacks. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Tobruk, 85 years ago today. Facebook AWM Details in ALT @ubiquevir.bsky.social @karljames1945.bsky.social @ima-naval-history.bsky.social

Back to work after my summer reading having caught up on British generalship & the @BritishArmy ☀️ 🏖️ 📖 Thank you Phil Bradley for the reads!

Today in 'let's make fun of the Italian army, they always surrender at the first opportunity', we have the Bardia edition. Details in ALT. @ima-naval-history.bsky.social @ubiquevir.bsky.social @karljames1945.bsky.social @alanallport.bsky.social @vandawilcox.bsky.social @benskipper.bsky.social

Another day driving the Great Ocean Road from Torque to Lorne, Apollo Bay & the 12 Apostles - truly spectacular!

Toowoomba-based position teaching into the Bachelor of Communications & Creative Industries. Please share!

Very kind of you mate, many thanks 🍻

“Ambitious in scope, rigorously researched & forensics in its assessments”, Misfire is “a must read” for anyone interested in the Malaya Campaign in #WWII & the #history of SOF: says me! Congratulations to @hisbpf.bsky.social on his latest 📖 📚 #WeHaveWays #Historybookposts

#Newbook based on oral histories with Japanese-American @USArmy veterans, this book looks @ their translation & intelligence operations in New Guinea & Bougainville in #WWII. #historybookposts #WeHaveWays

Looking forward to possibly including you in a future issue of the @AWMemorial’s new magazine WM wm.awm.gov.au ✍️ 📖

The first two issues of the new 'WM' magazine by the AWM courtesy of @karljames1945.bsky.social.

On 1 Dec 1941 the NZ Division ceased to participate in the battle for Libya as an organised force. Some elements of it would continue to fight, most notably 5 NZ Bde which fought on the Gazala line before being withdrawn. The remaining 3,500 men and 700 vehicles on Zaafran outside Tobruk withdrew.

Great 📖 find on the weekend. 🇦🇺 war correspondent Wilfred Burchett traveled extensively in China, Burma & India reporting on the war. He was later the 1st Western journalist to visit Hiroshima. Post-#WWII, he became controversial figure. #WeHaveWays #HistBookChat

Issue 2 of our new mag ("WM") arrived on Friday! Some fantastic work inside. If you want to know more, you could always visit wm.awm.gov.au

Can’t wait to see it IRL!