Masonic Jewellery

Photographer Sandra Williamson, Masonic chain with emblems, undated, 2017, digital image, personal collection

 The chain is 15.5 cm long but there are no jewellery marks evident other than the 9ct stamp.

A decorated chain with Masonic emblems was found amongst my Aunt’s belongings when she passed away. The chain was tucked away in a small box with a lady's watch that has now been passed to my aunt's daughter Andrea Buckley nee Todman.[i]    

My Aunt had kept the chain safe for many years but had not shared or known who the original owner was.  So my cousin and I began to ponder on the original owner's identity. 

We identified the following possibilities:

1. An ancestor of my Aunt [who I am related to by marriage] – As of 16 September 2024 no ancestor of Judith Flux has been identified as a Freemason.
2. An ancestor of my Uncle who was a member of his local Camperdown Lodge in country Victoria. She may have become the default custodian of the piece when her husband entered a local nursing home before she died. Possible candidates are [ancestors of my Uncle] who are also been identified as Freemasons:

1. his paternal grandfather Walter Todman who left a watch when he died (which I have discussed elsewhere) for which no anchoring chain or ribbon had ever been found, could this be the missing anchor? 
2.  his maternal James Bassett, great grandfather, James Bassett born circa 1833 in Cornwall, England.  See below as to why I think this may have belonged to James.

Close-up Detail

Figure 2 Photographer Sandra Williamson, Face of Square & Compass medallion, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

Figure 3 Photographer Sandra Williamson, Reverse of Square & Compass medallion, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

Square & Compass medallion is attached to the end of the chain with an 9ct Yellow Gold Albert Swivel Jewellery Catch Clasp

Figure 4 Photographer Sandra Williamson, Side 1 of Crimping bead, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

Figure 5 Photographer Sandra Williamson, Reverse side of Crimping bead, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

At the end of the triple chain is a crimp bead that holds the chains in place. The only marking to be found on the entire piece can be found on one side of this bead.  The marking is “9ct”, the reverse side of the bead has no marking.

Figure 6 Photographer Sandra Williamson, Sliding bead on enclosing the three chains, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

Figure 7 Photographer Sandra Williamson, powder horn charm, undated, 9ct Gold, 2017, digital image, personal collection

The iconography on the bead and powder horn charm pictured above appear to be Masonic in nature, but not ceremonial, according to a (2017) Australian Lodge member; this jewellery piece “is not part of Lodge regalia but it could be something that members of the lodge may have made up for themselves and possibly used as a watch fob chain or to attach to keys.”

The Circumstantial Evidence

The Funeral notice of James Bassett identifies him as a member of a Masonic Lodge.[ii] 

"EAGLEHAWK MASONIC LODGE 1,203, E.G. THE Officers and Members of the above and Sandhurst Lodges are requested to Attend a Meeting of this Lodge, at three p.m. This Day, at the Masonic Hall, for the purpose of proceeding to the internment of our late Brother JAMES BASSETT. H.E.TOLHURST, Hon. Secretary. Eaglehawk, 22nd March 1879."

According to Lane's Masonic Records, the Eaglehawk Lodge was probably around as early as 15 June 1865 but was formally recognised in 1867, and was wound up on 5 June 1889 becoming part of the Grand Lodge of Victoria.[iii]

As a member of the Eaglehawk Lodge James Bassett would have attended meetings in the following locations[iv]

• 1865 Catherine Reef Hotel, Eaglehawk (Bendigo), Victoria, Australia
• 1869 Camp Hotel, Eaglehawk (Bendigo), Victoria, Australia

 “At Eaglehawk (Victoria) 16 of the ‘Contributing’ members of the Masonic Lodge, No 1203, in its first six years, from 1865 to 1871 were miners, out of a total of 44.”[v]  One of those miners would have been my 2x great grandfather.  According to the Eagle Hawk Freemasonry Membership Register James Bassett was initiated on 4 January 1876 into the lodge at the age of 46, sadly only 3 years before he died on 20 March 1879.[vi][vii]  

Useful links for background

WikiTree profile for James Bassett (1834 - 1879)

Related Posts: 

• Locating the family through their children's baptisms talking about James' family of origin.

Blogpost Meta Data

The URL for this post is: https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2024/10/masonic-jewellery.html  originally published 5 October 2024.

Author 2024, Sandra Williamson

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[i] Andrea Buckley, in personal discussion with author, 2017

[ii] "Notices," Bendigo Advertiser, 22 March 1879, p. 3, col. 7; digital images, TROVE (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88224693  : accessed 29 Aug 2017), Digitised newspapers and more

[iii] ‘Eaglehawk Lodge’, Lodge Number (1863): 1203; Lane's Masonic Records, version 2.0 (<http://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane>, 2020). Published by The Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield: accessed 5 October 2024

[iv] ‘Eaglehawk Lodge’, Lodge Number (1863): 1203; Lane's Masonic Records, version 2.0 (<http://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane>, 2020). Published by The Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield: accessed 5 October 2024

[v] Bob James of Newcastle, NSW, Creating Social Capital - Chapter 6 - Fraternal Secrets. (2017). Fraternal Secrets. Retrieved 20 August 2017, from https://www.fraternalsecrets.org/they-call-each-other-brother/creating-social-capital-chapter-6/  Accessed 29 August 2017

[vi] Ancestry, Membership record for James Bassett. Library and Museum of Freemasonry; London, England; Freemasonry Membership Registers; Description: Register of Contributions: Country and Foreign Lodges, 1121-1235. Accessed 16 September 2017 [The Eagle Hawk Lodge];

[vii] Death Certificate James Bassett died 20 March 1879 Registry of Birth, Death and Marriages, Victoria, Australia 1108/1879

Moving to Sailors Gully during the Gold Rush

Family legend has it that John Bassett[Jnr] [my 2nd great granduncle] came out to Australia during the gold rush in the 1850s. After financial success, he went back to England and brought his brothers and their families to Australia.

The Context of the Early Mining Environment in Victoria

There was a lot of regulatory upheaval in the early 1850s caused at first by Victoria's separation from New South Wales, and soon after by the discovery of gold and the subsequent gold rush.

“From early 1852, news reached London of much richer Victorian gold finds at Buninyong, then Ballarat, Mount Alexander and Bendigo. These discoveries triggered a rash of nearly 40 British-based Australian gold mining companies in 1852, twelve in January alone, including the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company”[i]

Many miners were brought out to Australia by British-based Australian gold mining companies. The miner’s contractual employment obligations included:

• working for the company for a five-year period.
• not participating in any other business or speculation during their contract.

Once the contract term was completed, many were also entitled to a return trip home to England.

The newly separated Victorian Colony government was accused of being ‘pro-digger / anti-company’ and favouring smaller mining enterprises. [ii] Although many suspected that the companies “failed at this time, as their funds were squandered through poor management or on futile ventures.” [iii] 

Consequently, many contracted miners were let go by the companies that had bought them out to Australia or did not have their contracts renewed when they expired.[iv]

Sorting the fact from fiction - The Reconstructed Story

Before arriving in Victoria, John Bassett, a miner, had been living in Horse Downs, Crowan, Cornwall, in England, with his wife Catherine(27 years) and three children Francis(7), John(4) & Catherine(2).  In the same village next door was his married sister, Anne (24), and her husband Stephen Davey (30, Miner) and their three children Jane(7), Elizabeth (5) and John(2).[v] [vi]

In March 1853 he left England on the SS Marco Polo and arrived at Hobson’s Bay on 29. He was in the employ of The Colonial Mining Company.[vii] [viii] [ix]  [x]

John Bassett and Mr Nicholls, who were both working for The Colonial Mining were “sacked” along with all the other staff, soon after arriving. They were experienced miners, so became business partners, and took out a claim on the reef for themselves. On 20 August 1856, he applied with three others for a lease of 60 yards on a reef at Surface Hill Sailors Hill.[xi] They successfully obtained 30 ounces of gold to the ton of quartz.[xii]

A travelling reporter, William Kelly published a description of his travels through Victoria in 1860. He describes his meeting with two “youthful Cornish, who came out in humble employ, on the staff of the Colonial Gold Mining company, and were sent to Sailors’ Gully … in a partial disembodying of the staff and N—c—s and B—ss—tt commenced on their own hook, making out a claim on the very reef assigned to the company”[xiii]

In 1861 John who “had been in possession of the ground for 5 years” in Sailors Gully applied for a new mining lease on the same land.[xiv]

1855 'Advertising', Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), 12 September, p. 3. , viewed 09 Sep 202, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88047447

John & his associates “prospered rapidly and steadily. A fine steam-mill soon supplanted the simple horse concern; substantial brick and stones houses arose on the sites of the calico tenements … [John] had come home a richer man than many in that company under whose auspices he emigrated as an articled labourer.” [xv]

Figure 2 1856 'Advertising', Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), 29 January, p. 3. , viewed 09 Sep 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88048716

After his success, John returned home to England on the “Montmorency” departing on 14 October 1856. [xvi] Eight months later he was on his way back to Australia aboard the “SS Royal Charter”.  He Liverpool, England on the 16^th May 1857 and arrived in Hobson’s Bay on 18 July 1857. [xvii] On board were John Bassett, 36 yrs, Miner, wife Catherine and children Francis, John, Catherine and Martha.[xviii]  Also onboard were William Bassett, 40 yrs, Miner John’s brother and Stephen Davey, his brother-in-law.[xix]  Additional extended family followed later.

After returning to Australia, John applied for several mining leases both in his own right and as a member of The Bassett Brothers joint company. The Bassett brothers included amongst their numbers John Bassett Jnr, Francis Bassett(John’s brother), William Bassett(John’s brother), James Bassett(John’s brother), Stephan Davey(John’s brother-in-law). Note that all, except his younger brother James, were aboard the Marco Polo in 1857.

It was not until new lease regulations were issued in 1859, that a lease was secured by the Bassett Brothers.[xx] Records show that the original lease application was received by the Mine’s Warden on 24 August 1854, although it is not clear why the lease was not granted or acted upon. Perhaps this was the Colonial Company's original application, which John Bassett took over when the Colonial Company failed in their bid to secure the land for mining.[xxi] 

By 1858, John and his former business associate Nicholas were operating independent Steam Mills, on the opposite side of Sailors Gully.[xxii] [xxiii]

John became ill in 1861 and passed away on 17 November 1865 from “miner’s complaint” after going bankrupt in the same year. [xxiv] [xxv]

Useful Links and Background

WikiTree profile for John Bassett (1820 - 1865) 

Blogpost Meta Data

The URL for this post is: "https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2023/09/moving-to-sailors-gully-during-gold-rush.html" originally published 14 September 2023

Author 2023, Sandra Williamson

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X (Twitter), Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email via the Contact Form on the Blog.

Sources

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[i] Woodland, R. H., 2002, Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, PhD Thesis, School of Historical and European Studies, La Trobe University, (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1  : accessed 6 September 2023) page 8

[ii] Woodland, R. H., 2002, Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, PhD Thesis, School of Historical and European Studies, La Trobe University, (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023) page 19

[iii] Woodland, R. H., 2002, Bland and the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company, PhD Thesis, School of Historical and European Studies, La Trobe University, (https://doi.org/10.26181/21841971.v1 : accessed 6 September 2023) page 19

[iv] Kelly, W, 1860, Life in Victoria, or, Victoria in 1853 and Victoria in 1858 : showing the march of improvement made by the colony within those periods, in town and country, cities and diggings, London : Chapman and Hall ; Melbourne : George Robertson, (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Life_in_Victoria/N84NAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP2&printsec=frontcover : accessed 6 September 2023)

[v] 1851 England Census; John Bassett (30, Born in Breage) head of household in Crowan in Helston registration district in Cornwall; Class: HO107; Piece: 1913; Folio: 486; Page: 26; Household schedule number: 97; (Ancestry.com :accessed 9 September 2023)

[vi] 1851 England Census; Stephen (30, Born in Gwinear) head of household in Crowan in Helston registration district in Cornwall; Class: HO107; Piece: 1913; Folio: 485; Page: 25; Household schedule number: 5; (Ancestry.com :accessed 9 September 2023)

[vii] Schedule A Passenger List for “Marco Polo” signed 12 March 1853 VPRS 947/P0000, Apr - May 1853    https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3402227A-F96C-11E9-AE98-FF6251ADC8F4?image=272  accessed 6 September 2023 Images 266 to 275 [of 387]

[viii] 1853 'VESSELS AND PASSENGERS REPORTED.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 30 May, p. 4. , viewed 09 Sep 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4793045

[ix] 1853 'SHIPP[?]', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 30 May, p. 4. , viewed 09 Sep 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4793048

[x] Kelly, William, 1860, Life in Victoria, or, Victoria in 1853 and Victoria in 1858 : showing the march of improvement made by the colony within those periods, in town and country, cities and diggings, London : Chapman and Hall ; Melbourne : George Robertson, (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Life_in_Victoria/N84NAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP2&printsec=frontcover : accessed 6 September 2023) p.199

[xi] O’Donohue, A & Hanson, B.,1995, Eaglehawk & District Pioneer Register 1850-1880 Vol A, B & C., Publisher Annette O’Donohue, Bendigo

[xii] Birrell, Ralph Winter, 2005, The Development of Mining Technology in Australia 1801 - 1945, PhD Thesis, Department of History, The University of Melbourne, University of Melbourne. (http://hdl.handle.net/11343/36521: accessed 2023) page 56

[xiii] Kelly, William, 1860, Life in Victoria, or, Victoria in 1853 and Victoria in 1858 : showing the march of improvement made by the colony within those periods, in town and country, cities and diggings, London : Chapman and Hall ; Melbourne : George Robertson, (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Life_in_Victoria/N84NAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP2&printsec=frontcover : accessed 6 September 2023) p.199

[xiv] Bendigo Lease Register, Department of  Energy and ……. Registery of Applications, photocopy provided by Noelene  Wild

[xv] Kelly, W, 1860, Life in Victoria, or, Victoria in 1853 and Victoria in 1858 : showing the march of improvement made by the colony within those periods, in town and country, cities and diggings, London : Chapman and Hall ; Melbourne : George Robertson, (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Life_in_Victoria/N84NAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP2&printsec=frontcover : accessed 6 September 2023) p.201

[xvi] Outward Passengers to Interstate, U.K. and Foreign Ports, Sep - Oct 1856, Passenger List “Montmorency” , bound for Liverpool, London; VPRS 948/P0001, Sep - Oct 1856, ( https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/236E662A-F7F0-11E9-AE98-71788719474E?image=237 [Images 237-240 of 271] accessed 13 September 2023) Unnumbered page [image238]; ]; [research note: this is a passenger departure list-created in Australia] Passenger entry for John  Bassett, aged 36

[xvii] 1857 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 20 July, p. 4. , viewed 19 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7135589

[xviii] Inward Overseas Passenger Lists, British and Foreign Ports, Jul - Sep 1857, May 1857 , Passenger List [Schedule B] “Royal Charter”, bound for Melbourne, Australia; VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857, (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=107  [images 107-115 of 342]: accessed 13 September 2023) Unnumbered page [image 113]; [research note: this is a passenger departure list-created in England] Passenger entry 256 for John  Bassett, aged 36, miner and family, Catherine(33), Francis(11), John (10), Catherine (8), Martha (6) travelling 2^nd Class

[xix] Inward Overseas Passenger Lists, British and Foreign Ports, Jul - Sep 1857, May 1857 , Passenger List [Schedule B] “Royal Charter”, bound for Melbourne, Australia; VPRS 947/P0000, Jul - Sep 1857, (https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B05F129-F96C-11E9-AE98-27F6998F8082?image=107 [images 107-115 of 342]: accessed 13 September 2023) Unnumbered page [image 109]; [research note: this is a passenger departure list-created in England] Passenger entries 152 for William  Bassett, aged 40 & 1853 Stephen Davey, aged 36, miner, travelling 3rd class

[xx] Birrell, Ralph, Anatomy of a Failed Miner – The Colonial Gold Company 1852-1857, Journal of Australasian Mining History, Volume 9, September 2011; (BirrellFinal (mininghistory.asn.au) : accessed 6 September 2023) page 136

[xxi] Leases 102 & 103 in 1859 in the Registrar of Applications for Gold Mining Leases Unit 195 Sandhurst Bendigo, 1-200 VPRS 7842/0002

[xxii] Tulloch, Thorold (Compiler); 1859, The Bendigo district general directory : with calendar (1859), Melbourne, W. Fairfax  & Co., (FamilySearch Film # 008138964 [Images 150 - 180 of 621] ); Street Listing, Sailor’s Gully – Right Side:- Bassett, and Bros., John, crushing; & Davy, Stephen, engineer, steam crushing mills, & Left Side:- Nicholas and Co., steam crushing mills, Page 37; (Image 170: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK3-6TRJ?cat=219278  : Accessed 13 September 2023)

[xxiii] Tulloch, Thorold (Compiler); 1859, The Bendigo district general directory : with calendar (1859), Melbourne, W. Fairfax  & Co., (FamilySearch Film # 008138964 [Images 150 - 180 of 621] ); Avocation[Trade] Listing, Bassett, and Bros., John, crushing, Sailor’s Gully, Page 50; (Image 177: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK3-6TG6?i=176&cat=219278 : Accessed 10 September 2023)

[xxiv] Insolvency Proceedings for John Bassett, PROV VPRS759/P Insolvency's, Unit 91 Documents relating to John Bassett's Insolvency Proceedings

[xxv] Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria, Australia; Death Certificate of Stephen Davey, Registration number 9587/1865

William Bassett’s War Service in WW2

 William was single and living with his parents in Balaclava when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 27 May 1940. He trained at Puckapunyal in Victoria. On 27 July 1940, during his training and not long after enlisting, William married Nance Scott. The wedding took place at his local church the Holy Trinity Church, not far from his parent’s home in Balaclava.[i] A few months later he travelled by train to Adelaide with the newly formed and recently renamed 2nd/12th Field Regiment. They embarked on the transport ship “Stratheden” on 17 November 1940, headed for the Middle East.

 

Photographer unknown, William Bassett fourth from the right-back row with Ern Flux standing behind, were both members of the 2/12th Australian Infantry Battalion Australia, 1940, Puckapunyal, Victoria, Australia. (Ern was a witness at William Bassett’s wedding on 27 Jul 1940 in Balaclava, Victoria, Australia) [B265]

Service Overseas

The Middle East December 1940-January 1943

The 2nd/12th Field Regiment disembarked on 17 Dec 1940 and moved to Julis Camp area in Qastina, where their theoretical and physical training continued from 9 January 1941 until at least 12 April 1941. Soon after the completion of training, on 1 July 1941, William was promoted to Sergeant.

Wounded in Tobruk

Thirty days after his promotion, on 31 July 1941, William was wounded during the siege of Tobruk. He had injured his right forearm, and became one of the many Australian casualties from the 9th Division between 8th April to 25th October. 749 were killed, 1,996 wounded and 604 were taken, prisoner. During recovery William was moved to several hospitals:

• 31 July 1941 – evacuated to No. 4 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in Tobruk
• 2 August 1941 – moved to No. 11 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in Tobruk
• 9 August 1941 – moved to No. 2 Australian General Hospital (AGH) in El Kantara on Suez, Egypt

William was then moved to the 1st Australian Convalescent Depot on 22 September 1941 in Kafr Vitkin, Palestine and his name was moved to the X List.

“The X Lists recorded personnel who were absent from their regular units for one reason or another” It could be from any “All ranks evacuated on medical grounds beyond Regimental First Aid Post. Personnel so evacuated cease to be on the effective strength of their units.”[ii]

However, by 29 September 1941, William was moved to the artillery training Regiment in preparation to re-join the action on 4 October 1941 in Palestine.  It had taken a little over two months for William to be ready for duty. He was able to join his old regiment that had arrived in Palestine on 1 October as part of the garrison force in Syria.

On 24 January 1942, William was evacuated again in the 2/3 Australian Field Ambulance suffering an upper respiratory tract infection but returned only one week later. 

Training was continual and on 18 May 1942, Willliam began attending the 9^th Australian Division P.R.T. school courses. He returned to his unit on 2 June 1942 at Jdaide, El Alamein.[iii] The following month, on 6 July 1942 the unit moved from Amiriya to battle position in Tel El Shammama, 22 miles from the war front of El Alamein, The following day, they engaged in a ferocious battle to take and defended the high ground at Tile l Elisa.[iv]  A few days later on 9 July 1942 they were in El Alamein.[v]

“The regiment subsequently undertook … the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. These were punctuated by a period of garrison duty in Lebanon between January and June 1942, where the regiment formed part of the occupation force established there after the defeat of Vichy French forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign.”[vi]

But by 29 January 1943, William had left the Middle East with his Regiment aboard the transport Ile de France . They were part of the final transference of Australian ground troops from the Middle East to the Pacific and he arrived in Sydney Australia on 28 February.

Australia April 1943-July 1943

After arrival in Australia, the regiment was allowed a brief period of leave. The 2/12^th Regiment was re-formed at Kairi, on the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland for training in jungle warfare. By 28 July 1943 the 2/12^th it was on the move again and embarked at Cairns on “Van Heutz” bound for New Guinea.

New Guinea August 1943 – February 1944

The 2/12th arrived and disembarked in Milne Bay, New Guinea on 4 August 1943 where they trained once again but this time near Port Moresby. The regiment was part of a successful counter-attack against Japanese invasion forces between 31 August and 4 September. They subsequently took part in landings around Lae and then Finschhafen in September, and saw action during the Huon Peninsula campaign.

William sustained a knee injury on 21 September 1943 and was evacuated for medical treatment. He caught malaria on 27 September 1943 and was sent to the 2/9 Australian General Hospital. Like before he moved from one medical facility to another until he recovered.

He was finally discharged on the 8 October 1943 to the 113^th Australia Convalescent Depot in Port Moresby, and was sent from there on 24 November 1943 to the 2/2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station [CCS] Depot in Tobruk, New Guinea.

Back to Australia in February 1944

William returned to Australia with his  Regiment on 28 February 1944  on the "Cape Perpetus"  from Finschhafen in New Guinea and disembarked in Brisbane on 7 March 1944. After a well-earned short period of leave, he proceeded to Ravenshoe military camp where the 2nd/12th Field Regiment remained for over a year before seeing action once more.[vii] William did not go back overseas and was discharged on 22 March 1945 at the age of 36 years.

Research Notes

William’s army regiment, the 2nd/12th Field Regiment, was part of the 9th Australian Infantry Division which had been Raised from May to October 1940.[viii]

There are several gaps in William’s World War 2 Army Personnel record possibly when his regiment was engaged in heavy battle. Details have been gleaned from secondary sources listed below: [ix]

• Order of Battle details for his regiment as outlined on the Australia Government Department of Veteran’s Affairs website.[x]
• Australian War Memorial page for “2/12th Australian Infantry Battalion” which summarised description & links for further information.[xi]
• 2/12th Australian Infantry Battalion’s War diaries [xii]
• Wikipedia page for "2/12th Field Regiment (Australia)"[xiii]
• The development of Australian Army jungle warfare doctrine and training, 1941-1945.[xiv]

There is also a book entitled “Of Storms and Rainbows: The Story of the Men of the 2/12th Battalion – Volume 1 and Volume 2” by A.L. Graeme-Evans,  1989 (Vol I published 1989 & Vol II published 1991) which is currently out of print but occasionally available online from second-hand dealers and eBay which I have not read but may give a more complete picture of what William experienced.

2nd/12th Field Regiment is an Australian Army artillery regiment and part of the 9th Australia Infantry Division of the Australian Army. 

2/12 Regiment served in action longer than any other Australian Field Regiment in World War II

Formed in 1940 – dissolved in 1946 Served in Second World War, 1939-1945 

Originally known as the 2nd/2nd Medium Regiment, however, became the 2nd/12th Field Regiment 

The regiment participated in the following campaigns as part of the 9th Division AIF: 

• North African campaign in Libya: the Siege of Tobruk, 1941 
• Syrian-Lebanon campaign: the battles of El Alamein, 1942 
• New Guinea Campaign: in Lae & Finschhafen, 1943-44 
• Borneo campaign: Labuan, British North Borneo, 1945 – William did not participate in this campaign

William received the following medals: 1939/45 Star, Africa Star with 8^th Clasp, Pacific Star, Defence Medal & A.S.M

Useful links for background

WikiTree Link William Bassett (1908 - 1980) 

Blogpost Meta Data

The URL for this post is: https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com/2022/04/william-bassetts-war-service-in-ww2.html.html originally published 25 April 2022 and revised on 26 April 2022

Author 2022, Sandra Williamson

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email via the Contact Form on the Blog. 

Sources

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[i] Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria; Marriage certificate of William Bassett & Nance Charlotte Scott married on 27 July  1940 in the Holy Trinity Church [Church of England], Balaclava , Registration number 11407/1940.

[ii] ‘X’ Lists 1939 -1945 | ͏. http://www.commandoveterans.org/x_lists. Accessed 23 Apr. 2022

[iii] Who Was There? A Complete List. Great Reference Tool. http://diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/ww2/pages-2aif-cmf/who-was-there.htm . Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

[iv] #OTD: 9th... - On This Day - Australian Military History. https://www.facebook.com/OTDAustralianMilitaryHistory/photos/a.2318156748224025/3409650112408011/?type=3. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

[v] AWM52 4/2/12/10 - [Unit War Diaries, 1939-45 War] Royal Australian Artillery, 2/12 Australian Field Regiment, July - September 1942. //www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2659408 . Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

[vi] Wikipedia contributors, "2/12th Field Regiment (Australia)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2/12th_Field_Regiment_(Australia)&oldid=1007487555  (accessed April 25, 2022).

[vii] Science, jurisdiction=Queensland; sector=government; corporateName=Department of Environment and. ‘Place’. Queensland WWII Historic Places, 30 June 2014, https://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au/place.

[viii] Larry Maddison member of 2/12th Field Regiment Interviewed on 14th April 2004 Australians at War Film Archive. https://australiansatwarfilmarchive.unsw.edu.au/archive/1802. Accessed 24 Apr. 2022.

[viii] Siege of Tobruk | Australian War Memorial. https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/tobruk. Accessed 23 Apr. 2022.

[ix] William Bassett Service record SERN VX21203 NAA: B883, VX21203, National Archives of Australia

[x] Affairs, Department of Veterans’. ‘Infantry’. CLIK, https://clik.dva.gov.au/history-library/part-3-order-battle/ch-1-order-battle-army/s-5-headquarters-1-australian-corps/infantry . Accessed 23 Apr. 2022.

[xi] 2/12th Australian Infantry Battalion summarised links & description. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U56055  . Accessed 23 Apr. 2022.

[xii] Australia War Memorial, Unit War Diaries, 1939-45 War for Royal Australian Artillery, 2/12 Australian Field Regiment from October 1940 to 1945 https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?collection=true&facet_type=Digitised%20Collection&facet_related_units=2/12th%20Field%20Regiment . Accessed 23 Apr. 2022.

[xiii] Wikipedia contributors, "2/12th Field Regiment (Australia)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2/12th_Field_Regiment_(Australia)&oldid=1007487555 (accessed April 23, 2022).

[xiv] Threlfall, Adrian (2008) The development of Australian Army jungle warfare doctrine and training, 1941-1945. PhD thesis, Victoria University. [https://vuir.vu.edu.au/19393/ : accessed 24 April 2022]