C15 Wireless Van (aust )

[Pedr]

"7th AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY DIVISION
(A.I.F.) ®

This division, along with the 6th, saw active service in the Middle East and Greece as part of the Commonwealth Forces. One of its Brigades the 18th also took part in the Defence of Tobruk. The division also fought against the Vichy French in Syria before being recalled to Australia in 1942. The division was then sent to New Guinea, were it was involved in battles at Finschafen, and Lae as well as operations in the Markham and Ramu Valley’s and in the Madang and Hansa Bay areas. The original formation sign, authorised by the Department of the Army on 20th June 1940, was a Kookaburra on a Boomerang in white and brown on a black background.

Note should be made of the fact that this stencil was originally made in two parts, one for each colour, when finally made as a single stencil (second recognized sign) the person applying the sign was meant to touch up the appropriate areas with brown paint. Due mainly to a lack of time, materials, and tradesmen the sign was normally applied in outline only, white on a black ground (third recognized sign).

The fourth sign is an unauthorised stencil depicting a Kookaburra in flight above a boomerang, both in white on a black background, and is based on an actual photograph, (AWM Negative No. 071312). The sign was painted on a few of the vehicles belonging to the divisional headquarters as a joke. The reason for this is thought to be connected with the fact that for a short period, during operations in the Markham Valley of New Guinea, the division commanded the American 503rd Parachute Regiment. Who along with a small section of divisional artillery took part in an air insertion operation at Nadzab; full details of this operation can be read in the official war histories of the period."