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Article and photographs from Parade Magazine, Middle East Weekly, from within a file of Gunner H. Henry Kassman’s correspondence between 1941-1943 compiled by his daughter in 2010. File’s contents are primarily typed letters and other correspondence, occasionally reproduced (often in addition to the typed version), and also include photographs, diary entries from Kenneth Rankin’s book Top-Hats in Tobruk, some other written materials, and some explanatory material. For further information, please see the folder summary. For all posts about this collection, please click on the “H. Henry Kassman” tag in this post.

Pages 15-20 contain pictures of an article and photographs from ‘Parade’ Magazine, Middle East Weekly, of 6^th September 1941 (magazine too fragile to scan).

Page 15: Start of article: “Men of Tobruk”. No author’s name found, but photographs are by Lieut. Norman Smith, Public Relations Unit, and George Silk, official A. I. F. photographer.

Introduction: “‘Parade’ went to Tobruk to get these impressions of the ordinary life of the extraordinary garrison which has lived for five months in sand or in the collection of shattered houses that is all that is left of Tobruk – imperishable name without a town.” Description of Tobruk’s size and current status. Seen from afar, it looks almost untouched; inside, however, it has clearly suffered significant bombing damage and contains guns. Further description of the landscape and the war’s effect upon it, including the remains of downed Italian lorries and planes.

Description of the living conditions of the Tobruk Garrison, which lives dug into the sand. Mention of being able to get to the sea to swim. The primary “pests…afflict[ing] the garrison” are sand, bombing, shelling, fleas, and flies. Bread is described as combing in two varieties: “ordinary” and “blitzbread”, the latter of which is “filled with bomb splinters shrapnel when supply lorries are caught in a raid.” There have been nearly a thousand enemy raids over just the Tobruk area.

Photograph captioned: “Tribute to a Tobruk hero. Australians visit grave of a V.C. comrade. Graveyard in Tobruk is tended by officer and man, who keep it tidy.” Photograph shows two soldiers beside a raised grave with a rough cross-shaped marker reading “NXI5705 C[a/o]. E.H. Edmonson, K.I.A. 14-4-41, CV, 2/17 [illegible].” Other graves visible in the background (markers not legible).

Page 16: (continuation) Additional section, set outside the main article: a note about appreciation for the Tobruk garrison, particularly the British artillery, including a quote initially published in a Tobruk paper of a South Australian brigade from May 8, 1941 (quote by the editor). Also included were congratulatory messages by General Wavell and General Blamey.

Description of warnings of enemy attacks generally being the sound of said enemy’s planes or even the whistle of bombs falling. Transport vehicle drivers have to make do with watching for fellow soldiers taking cover.

Description of various items being made out of materials made available by the destruction of Tobruk, including a concrete house and shoes made of old tire covers and Australian felt hats. Soldiers’ laundry methods are also described.

Description of grim front lines living conditions, about 800 yards away from the enemy. Conditions described as being “much the same as on the Western Front in the last war”, but with the no-man’s land between the posts being empty of anything to destroy.

Photograph captioned: “From field kitchen to a crack at the Jerries. An alarm sends the now-famous “bush artillery” of amateur gunners speeding to their ancient gun”. Photo shows a group of men, half-dressed with cloth wrapped around their waists, most wearing hats or hat-like helmets, running away from where they had been gathered near a wall. On the ground are various implements, including a barrel and some pans.

Page 17: Description of how the Tobruk Garrison keeps up morale. They have an ‘official’ daily news sheet (“Tobruk Truth,”, or “Dinkum Oil”) made by a sergeant and a volunteer assistant; many Australian units also have their own paper, one of which (“Mud and Blood”) is described as printing the news on one side and “humorous items” on the other, including illustrations. There was also a poetry contest, about and for a prize of beer (not easily available in Tobruk). Also described: music, including a composer and librettist for a band called “The Well-wishers Concert Party”, which has seen success. They also have lighting effects. Description of weekly church services held underground in a cavern, complete with the band playing in place of an organ.

The same unit from the band also has a debate society with weekly meetings. Some of the topics are listed.

Further entertainment activities: a spelling bee, and a mock trial complete with costumes. Some mention of the materials being used for part of said costumes. There is also a cricket team, with an officer who has cricket experience to the point of being well known. Description of a match, continued on page 18.

Photograph (portrait) of a mustached man in uniform, gazing into the distance. Captioned: “General Morshead, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O., V.S., G.O.C. Tobruk Fortress”.

Page 18: Continuation of description of the cricket match. Description of further activities to keep up morale.

Separate section titled “Aussies answer ‘surrender’ pamphlet”. It describes the Australian Diggers’ response to a pamphlet from the Germans (pictured on the top of page 5, which is not reproduced here). Quote from an Australian Tobruk unit paper which gives a full account of the incident and then also includes (this is the quoted part) mocking advice on how to word a more effective pamphlet, including promises of beer and luxurious prison camp activities, ending with “‘It’s all yours if you please, please let us take Tobruk!'”

Article ends with: “In these and similar ways the troops in Tobruk, amid conditions that are difficult for anyone who has not been there to understand, continue to fight the ‘blues’ in intervals of fighting the enemy. In its own way this effort is as remarkable as the Garrison’s five months’ resistance against all the enemy can do to it. These men can take it with a smile.”

Photograph captioned: “Perimeter raidsman typifies garrison toughness. Italians and Germans know.” Photograph shows soldier in a hat or brimmed helmet with sleeves rolled up above the elbow, holding a rifle.

Pages 19-20: photographs, all black and white.

Page 19: Top photograph captioned: “Typical sandscape inside war-scarred perimeter. Expert, formidable ack-ack fire often causes enemy to jettison bombs, sea-mines, anywhere, and whole area is pitted with bomb craters, and the shell scars from ‘Bardia bill,’ ‘salient susie'”. Photograph shows landscape and people (likely soldiers) walking along the base of what looks to be an intersection of dirt roads. Photograph seems to cover the width of one page and half of another.

Bottom photograph captioned: “Guns that guard Tobruk in action. Crews work in shifts at twenty-four-hours-a-day job, men take turns for three day ‘leave’ by sea.” Photograph shows a desert landscape, with small bushes, and clouds overhead. In the middle of the photograph, viewed from a distance, is a small group of soldiers clustered around a gun station, two barrels and sight (?) visible.

Page 20: Top photograph captioned: “‘Cavemen’ of Tobruk make net camouflage. One of the ‘queer trades’ that have sprung up in the fortress. Caves serve as concert halls, too.” Photograph is taken from the inside of a cave looking out (entrance visible to the right of the photograph). Shows a small group of soldiers, some shirtless, sitting and standing, as well as two speaking in the entryway. Half of them wear brimmed hats, of several different types.

Bottom photograph captioned: “Dive-bombing attack. Two planes soar after dropping ‘eggs,’ three others (specks on right) make circling swoop.” Photograph shows planes in the sky, two with very visible shapes (small but distinct).

6 pages, reproduced from magazine. Quality is occasionally low, due to tears in the paper or shadows. Dated September 6, 1941.

2.-Gunner-HH-Kassman-6-8.1941-3.pdf