Grant papers, 1917-1918 / Douglas Grant

sub-fonds

1917-1918

422596

Digitised : 2014

0.05 metres of textual material (1 box) - manuscript, printed

Douglas Grant, a a mechanical draughtsman of Annandale, Sydney was a full blooded aborigine born in Atherton, Queensland. He enlisted at Scone, New South Wales on 24 Jan. 1916 aged 30 years and embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire, 22 Aug. 1916. He served with the 13th Battalion, Australia Imperial Forces. During the period 1917-1918, Grant, as president of the British Help Committee, supervised the distribution of comforts to Indian prisoners inside the prisoner of war camp Halbmondlager, Wunsdorf, Zossen, Bei Berlin. Grant was repatriated 22 Dec. 1918, returned on the Medic 12 June 1919 and was discharged 9 July 1919

ITEM 01
Douglas Grant papers, ca. 1918

ITEM 02
Douglas Grant receipts and delivery slips, ca. 1918

ITEM 03
Douglas Grant receipts and lists of supplies, ca. 1918

ITEM 04
Douglas Grant receipts, ca. 1918

Note from Mitchell correspondence: "These documents were collected by the soldier from whom we purchased them during the term of his imprisonment in a camp in Germany for Indian troops captured from the British Forces. On account of his colour he, although captured with other Australians of the 13th Battalion, was put with the Indian troops, Mahommedan and Hindoo, in spite of his efforts to explain that he was not of their race & religion, being as he said a Presbyterian. He was placed in charge of the Indians, of whom very few could speak English, and was their interpreter and representative in all dealings with the German authorities, and with the various Red Cross organisations etc. As president of the British Help Committee, Wunsdorf, he was responsible for the receipt and distribution of parcels to the prisoners in the camp."
State Library of New South Wales collection of World War I papers
Microfilm copy available at CY 4885, frames 78 - 258 (MLMSS 2766/Item 1)

Needs re-housing.