Bringing your Diggers back to life: a defence service records seminar

In partnership with the National Archives of Australia and the Genealogical Society of Victoria, the RHSV presents a seminar on defence service records.

In this seminar, Patrick Ferry and other staff from the National Archives’ Victoria State Office will examine the range of resources available to help you discover more about the military service and sacrifice made by members of your family or local community. Key series in the National Archives’ collection will be highlighted, including WW1 and WW2 service dossiers and Repatriation / Veterans’ Affairs case files, together with records about civilians during wartime. The seminar will also point you to other valuable sources of information including Unit War Diaries (held by the Australian War Memorial) and Soldier Settlement records (held by PROV). Research methodologies will also be discussed.

This seminar will be of great interest to family historians, local historians, military history buffs and people with a general interest in learning more about Australia’s priceless military service records.

Patrick Ferry is State Manager, Victoria for the National Archives of Australia. Patrick is a professional archivist who is passionate about local history. Patrick is the author of three publications about the wartime service of Pakenham district residents, including Blood, Toil Tears and Sweat: Remembering Pakenham & Districts World War 2 diggers 1939-1949 (with Wally Nye), which was the winner of the 2020 Local History Project Award, Victorian Community History Awards.

This free seminar is delivered via Zoom. Please register your interest below and Zoom details will be sent to you 24 hours before the event. 

Please note, we are also presenting a seminar by Dr Charles Fahey on 11th November on Victoria’s Soldier Settlement Scheme. Click here for more information.

Image caption: Service photo of Private Albert Edward Kemp, who served in France + Belgium in World War 1 and was killed in action in 1917. Courtesy of Museums Victoria website. 

PLEASE NOTE: this seminar was originally advertised as being on Sat 23 Oct at 2:30pm – it has moved to Fri 22 Oct at 2pm.