Descrizione
In this instalment of the Australian Diary series, two very different branches of Australia's defence forces showcase the modern methods and technologies shaping military service in the mid-twentieth century.
The film begins aboard HMAS Moresby, the Royal Australian Navy's purpose-built survey vessel. Equipped with advanced navigation systems, helicopter operations and specialised survey equipment, the ship played a vital peacetime role in charting Australia's coastline and supporting maritime industries, including Queensland's sugar trade.
The story then shifts to Williamtown Air Base in New South Wales, where a group of recruits undergo intensive training at the Australian Army's Basic Parachute School. Through rigorous ground drills, practice jumps and their first descent from a Hercules transport aircraft, viewers gain a rare insight into the physical and mental demands placed on Australia's airborne soldiers.
Combining contemporary training with wartime footage from the New Guinea campaign, this fascinating documentary highlights the evolution of airborne warfare and the important role paratroopers played in Australia's military organisation.
From coastal surveys to combat readiness, this episode captures the professionalism, technology and determination of Australia's defence forces during a period of rapid change.
The Australian Diary Series (1947–1970) records aspects of everyday life, industry and production in mid‑20th‑century Australia. To watch more Australian Diary films visit:
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:17 HMAS Moresby survey vessel
00:38 Advanced technology and navigation systems
00:52 Ship-to-shore survey operations
01:04 Helicopter support and coastal mapping
01:22 Radar and electronic equipment
01:27 Crew training and navigation skills
01:49 Surveying Australia's coastline
02:07 HMAS Moresby's peacetime mission
02:14 Paratroop training begins at Williamtown
02:31 Aircraft procedures before a jump
02:40 Learning to land safely
02:50 Ground training and jump towers
03:05 First jump from a Hercules transport
03:27 Wartime airborne operations in New Guinea
03:50 Modern airborne equipment and tactics
04:08 The qualities of a paratrooper
04:21 First jump successfully completed
From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Title: Australian Diary No. 127
NFSA ID: GJQH16C7
Catalogue ID: 12913
Year: 1965
Credits:
Production Company: Commonwealth Film Unit
Producer: R Edwards
Narrator: Roger Climpson
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