I reside and work in Extreme far North Queensland, Australia,
I am a keen history buff and amateur archaeologist armed with a Minelab and Garret Metal detector.
This area was a major encampment and training area for mostly Australian Divisional forces from 1942 till < 1946> ~ while there is no official figure of numbers ~ the overall transitional flow of personal on all levels has been bandied around 500 K from go to woe ~
I have an extensive personal collection of relics ~ including some very unusual and perhaps 'bizarre' items one would have never expected to find in this area.
But reason behind my post here is the fact I have found as an ongoing oddment ~is what turned out to be Great Britain General Service buttons, * we did not recognise the item on the first recovery ~)
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-_nfn ... ynJ_VJgWIi
Since then I have recovered some 10-20 of varying size from great coat to Officer's cap buttons ~
it has taken FIVE years but I very recently found evidence of the British serviceman being HERE ~ attached to the Australian Forces ~ on the Tablelands. QLD Australian. Seems mostly with the 9 th Div,
( And of course as we believe there would have been a lot more purely based on those GB General service buttons ~ )
Even even the most dedicated and interested parties have typically said to me ~ “Nah Stuart~ No Brits ever served here ! Any such buttons would have been stolen by Diggers in North Africa!”
And as I assume there are active and former Military types herein will confirm these fifty officers would have had an entourage in tow ~
(I think I have found on my own some 10-15 such buttons ~ including the very first one ~ an Officer’s cap button ! )
And of course records clearly and emphatically state the presence of the 9 th Division along with many others we KNOW the 9th Div. was extensively based here ~
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CIR4q ... g2ctZGjnVs
Two minute video ~ bloody tough ground!!SHAGGY RIDGE, NEW GUINEA. 1944-01-10.
7308 CAPTAIN H. HOOK, ROYAL DECCAN HORSE (1)
AND CAPTAIN A.J.C. STANTON, 14/20TH KINGS HUSSARS (2)
TWO ENGLISH OFFICERS SERVING WITH "C" COMPANY, 2/9TH INFANTRY BATTALION, PICTURED ON THE TOP OF SHAGGY RIDGE,
THEY BELONG TO A PARTY OF 50 BRITISH OFFICERS FROM INDIA WHO ARE ATTACHED TO AUSTRALIAN UNITS IN FORWARD AREAS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE OF JUNGLE FIGHTING IN NEW GUINEA. *Crt: Aust War Mem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To5kQqOF2oo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Shaggy_Ridge
The challenge I have is the only other record I have found to date is a grave marker ~ Asst. War graves in New Guinea.
Grave Marker PNG ~ http://www.australiancemeteries.com.au/war/lae_s.htm
STANTON, Captain, ARTHUR JOHN CECIL, 73088. 14th/20th King's Hussars. Royal Armoured Corps attd. 2/9 Bn. Australian Infantry. 29th January 1944.
Seem the Hussars posted to Australia 9th div. were the 14th/ 20th.Age 27. Son of Brigadier General F. H. G. Stanton and Hilda Margaret Stanton, of Greys toke, Cumberland. Awarded King's Gold Medal and Sword, R.M.C. Sandhurst, July, 1937. F. D. 1.
My assk here is if any one can point me to an even more detailed record of these UK forces and the history of those UK officers/ force ?
I have emailed the Aust. War. Mem. and they have confirmed my inquiry and have stated that my "Case" wil be handled in the near future. But with all my inquires and reports posted to the AWM , they are a very busy mob and take along time to respond!