AJSAHistory Vol 7 Iss 2

ISSN 2206-2572 (Online)

Volume 7

Issue 2

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History is published by The Salvation Army, Australia

Eastern Territory Historical Society. September 2022

SPEC2016IAL SYMPOSIUM ISSUE

Issue 2 September 2016

Edition The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 1

storical Symposium

Call for Papers
The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History

ISSN: 2206-2572 (Online)
The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History is a multi-national journal that fosters a dialogue on all aspects of the
history and development of The Salvation Army. Articles are encouraged to be glocal, that is, both local and global in
consideration. All articles in this journal have undergone editorial screening and peer review by at least two reviewers. The
aim of the journal is to publish timely, useful, informative, original and honest historical research which will be of value to
both a general audience and those interested in Salvation Army history.

The journal is published by Cross and Crown Publications and seeks to promote the interest of Salvation Army history
by increasing the knowledge and understanding of the Army’s formation and development.

The journal publishes research papers and historical papers in any areas relating to the history and development of
The Salvation Army, including, but not limited to:

-Aged Care -Biographies of Salvationists & employees -Buildings/Architecture -The Booth family
-Education of Salvationists -Education by Salvationists
-Brass Banding -Corps history -Genealogical studies -Health work & ministry
-Internationalism, -Leadership styles
-Emergency relief -Gender & Cultural Diversity -Policy development -Religion Studies
-Social justice -Social Work
-Holiness Movement -Hymnology -Unemployed -Uniforms
-Welfare State -Young Peoples’ Ministry.
-Literature Studies -Orders and Regulations

-Salvationist theology -Signs & Symbols meaning

-Social Welfare -Social Impact

-Urban ministry - Vulnerable people

Papers presented at Salvation Army heritage meetings will be welcome. Where possible, primary sources should be
used and presumptive statements avoided. Images and graphics will be accepted if the contributor or The Salvation Army
holds the copyright and they are visually clear for reproduction. All articles contributed must be original, the contributor's
own work and referenced throughout. Articles previously published in either Army or non-Army publications will be
considered on a case-by-case basis.

Interested contributors are highly encouraged to submit their manuscripts/papers to the executive editor via e-mail at
[email protected]. Please indicate the name of the journal (The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History) in
the cover letter or simply put ‘Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History’ in the subject box if submitting by e-mail.

AJSAH is inviting papers for Vol. 8, Iss. 1. The online publication date is March 2023.
Submission deadline: 30 January 2023.
For any additional information, please contact the executive editor at [email protected]
Blessings,

Garth R. Hentzschel
Executive Editor - The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History

© The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History 2022 Cross & Crown Publications
Cross & Crown Publications
PO Box 998
Mt Gravatt Qld 4122, Australia
ISSN: 2206-2572 (Online)

The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of The Salvation Army, the AJSAHistory,
executive team or peer reviewers. Every effort has been made to obtain and publish reliable
information. The journal, however, accepts no responsibility for incorrect information or advertising
content. The journal is not an official publication or representative of The Salvation Army.

Cover: The Salvation Army tricolour ribbon on a black background. An historical crest of The Salvation Army as the
journal’s logo. The picture was created by Garth R. Hentzschel from War Cry drawings as the logo of the Symposium.

Executive Team The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history was formed in
Executive Editor Mr Garth R. Hentzschel 2016 and is prepared by a group of historians as well as others who
Associate Editor Dr David Malcolm Bennett are interested in researching, writing, and displaying Salvation
Associate Editor Major Kingsley Sampson Army history. Contributors are Salvationists and non-Salvationists
from Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. It is published by
Peer Reviewers Cross & Crown Publications and peer reviewers represent Australia,
Dr. Glenn Horridge, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States
Professor Emeritus R. David Rightmire, of America.

Major Ron Millar

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 2

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2 2022

Editorial Note. of the Chapter to explore its ability to uncover and promote
Salvation Army history and culture.
This issue of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history
(AJSAHistory) is published as the proceedings of The Salvation The final paper in this section is by Dr Lyndon Armstrong.
Army History Symposium that was held in Ipswich, Queensland Armstrong uses both everyday stories and specific grand events to
on 1 to 3 July 2022. The Symposium was the fourth held and build the historic narrative of the Mann and Will families and their
AJSAHistory joined with the Ipswich Corps (Qld) and The historic links with The Salvation Army.
Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter to host the
event. Ipswich was the location of many historical events related to As with previous issues of the AJSAHistory, the middle section
The Salvation Army, some of which are outlined in the papers of the journal houses information that will be of interest to
presented. It is hoped that the next Symposium will be held in 2024 researchers or readers of Salvation Army history and its
and that more international readers of the AJSAHistory may be able development. It includes: the continuing listof books related to The
to join with us. Salvation Army; a paper to introduce the Australian author, Dawn
Volz; several book reviews; and advertising. With the Promotion
Due to Covid issues, this was only the second Symposium not to Glory of Envoy Dr. George Hazell O.F. the AJSAHistory
to have international delegates represented. However, interstate includes a tribute to his life and ministry, especially in connection
representatives were present. International delegates presented to Salvation Army history.
papers via ZoomTM and lived streamed the papers via FacebookTM.
The final section of this issue contains the remaining
The first paper is a report on the Symposium and the presentations from the Symposium. From his research, Garth R.
Symposium Dinner. These pages include the introduction to the Hentzschel unpacks the specific grand moments of
weekend, an outline of the program, and award notes from the commencement narratives of The Salvation Army. Using
dinner. It acknowledges the people who made the Symposium a everyday stories and a stream approach to historical research, his
reality. Copies of advertising for the events and images of activities paper reshapes the understanding of the commencement of The
during the weekend are also included. Salvation Army.

The next paper is by the special guest presenter for the Building on the preceding paper, Hentzschelwasable to follow
Symposium, Dr Ian Townsend. This paper introduces the story of the work of earlier, neglected Salvationists and identify their
the 2/22 Battalion in Rabaul during WWII. The band in part was stories. He uses the psychogeography methodology to identify the
made up of Salvationists. The paper exploreswhy Australians have locations of events. This paper was the foundation for the
forgotten these events. This paper was the keynote address for the Symposium Heritage Walk; it introduces the specific grand
Symposium. moments and everyday stories that created the Ipswich Corps
(Qld) of The Salvation Army.
Throughout Saturday of the Symposium, short snapshots of
specific grand moments and everyday stories were presented. This Using hisresearch in preparing the video, A cup of compassion,
paper, by Garth R. Hentzschel and Major Glenda Hentzschel and his experience in publications, Major David Woodbury
combines these short talks into a debate, arguing the case that both answers the question, “History, What’s the point?”
the specific grand moments and everyday stories are important to
the historical narrative of The Salvation Army. The final paper from the Saturday of the Symposium is
presented here by Dr David Malcolm Bennett. Using primary and
In the fourth paper for this issue, Major Cecil Woodward secondary sources, Bennett outlines the discussions between the
outlines the early history of The Salvation Army’s Riverview Church of England and The Salvation Army during 1882. Bennett
Farm, Queensland. The focus then turns to the farm during the time concludes with a discourse on the formation of Wilson Carlile’s
it was a ‘training farm for overseas boys’, 1926-1933. The paper Church Army.
uses one boy’s recollections to outline the benefits of the Army’s
training program. The Sunday of the weekend commenced with a Holiness
Meeting led by Major Kevin Hentzschel. The theme of the
The first paper to be presented online at any of The Salvation meeting was “By the grace of God I am what I am”. The outline of
Army History Symposiums was presented by Major Kingsley the meeting and the message are included here.
Sampson of New Zealand. Here Sampson presents this paper on
his namesake, Kingsley Edward Mortimer. From deep research, This issue of the AJSAHistory concludes with history news,
Sampson introduces Mortimer and the subject’s life entwined with requests from researchers, and letters to the editor.
The Salvation Army.
Finally, I would like to thank the presenters and all the people
One of the celebrations over the Symposium weekend was the who assisted with the Symposium, as well as the peer reviewers.
tenth anniversary of The Salvation Army Historical Society, We know you will enjoy this issue.
Brisbane Chapter. Major Glenda Hentzschel analyses the activities
Blessings,
Garth R. Hentzschel

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 3

The Australasian CONTENTS
Journal of Volume 7
Salvation Army Issue 2
History 2022

Title/Author Page Title/Author Page

Editorial note 3 Book review, The gentle giant 130
Garth R. Hentzschel Reviewed by Garth R. Hentzschel

Contents 4 Book review, Under two flags
Kingsley Sampson
134

Contributors 5

Introduction and report on The Salvation Army Advertising, resources, and books 136
147
History Symposium and Symposium Dinner 2022 Tribute – George Henry Hazell BA, MEd,
DipEdAdmin, PhD. 1931 – 2022
Garth R. Hentzschel 6 David Woodbury and Garth R. Hentzschel

Keynote address: Lest we forget: The Salvation The streams of time and how their investigation
Army and the battle for Australia’s memory

Ian Townsend 40 may reshape Army history: Finding the everyday

stories in the specific grand moments

Specific grand moments versus everyday stories Garth R. Hentzschel 158
in the history of The Salvation Army
Garth R. Hentzschel and Glenda Hentzschel 54 A walk-through Ipswich Salvation Army history:

A collection of everyday stories and grand

Riverview training farm for overseas boys moments

Cecil (Cec) Woodward 71 Garth R. Hentzschel 170

Kingsley Edward Mortimer: The Man who History, what’s the point? 209
married Fighting Mac’s Daughter David Woodbury

Kingsley Sampson 79

The Church of England’s Proposal and its Child

The Brisbane Chapter: Specific grand moments of David Malcolm Bennett 215

collecting everyday stories

Glenda Hentzschel 88 Holiness meeting: By the grace of God
I am what I am
The Mann and Will legacy Kevin Hentzschel 227
Lyndon Armstrong
102

AJSAHistory news 237

A bibliography of Salvation Army literature in Request for information to assist with
English 1980 – present. Books discovered or research

published since the previous issue of AJSAHistory 239

Garth R. Hentzschel 116

Meet the author: An interview with Dawn Volz Review, comments, feedback, and letters
to the editor on the AJSAHistory
Garth R. Hentzschel and Dawn Volz 120 Volume 7, Issue 1 240

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 4

Contributors - Vol. 7 Iss. 2 territorial headquarters appointments. He has a degree in
leadership and certificates in dental protheses. He enjoys
Dr Lyndon Armstrong achieved a PhD in chemistry reading Salvation Army history relating to brass bands and
at James Cook University in 1975. He then worked for over presented a paper on the history of The Salvation Army
35 years as a research scientist or manager in various Emergency Services at the first Symposium. He is a keen
industrial research and development centres within CSIRO, supporter of the Brisbane Chapter of The Salvation Army
Ampol, QAL, Alcan and Rio Tinto both in Australia and Historical Society.
overseas. Lyndon retired in 2011. Family re-locations for his
professional career coincided with family worship and service Major Kingsley Sampson is a retired Salvation
in various Salvation Army Corps – Gladstone, Townsville, Army officer living in Christchurch, New Zealand. He has
Footscray, Carina, Belconnen, Gladstone, Centenary and qualifications in history, theology, and education. Apart from
lastly Bayside (Salvos) Community Church, Redlands. two corps appointments in New Zealand, most of his officer
Lyndon has always had a keen interest in history including service was in education and education administration roles in
family history. One goal for his retirement is to write the New Zealand and Zambia. This included sixteen years on the
family history, ably supported by his wife Kathy, including staff of The Army’s Booth College of Mission, Upper Hutt.
his families’ service with The Salvation Army from its early He both edited and contributed to Under two flags: The New
days in Australia. Zealand Salvation Army’s response to the First World War in
2018 and has had articles published on Salvation Army
Dr David Malcolm Bennett is an evangelical writer, history in the Hallelujah! magazine and the online
who conducts thorough and painstaking research and presents Australasian journal of Salvation Army history. He is
the results in a readable form. He is one of the world’s leading currently working on a biography of his namesake, Dr
authorities on William and Catherine Booth, and he has Kingsley Edward Mortimer. Sampson is a Fellow of The
written biographies of each of them. He has also written The Salvation Army Historical Society.
Altar call: Its origins and present usage, his M.Th thesis
(awarded with merit), which examines the practice of inviting Dr Ian Townsend is an author and former
people forward after a presentation of the Gospel, and The investigative journalist with ABC Radio National. He’s won
origins of left behind eschatology, his PhD dissertation, which four Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for science and
examined the origins of the ideas behind the Left Behind medical journalism and an Australian Human Rights Award
books. Among his other books are biographies of D. L. for journalism. He also has a PhD in History and has written
Moody, Charles Spurgeon, C. T. Studd, Hudson Taylor and two historical novels. His non-fiction book, Line of fire, is the
John Wesley. Bennett is a Fellow of The Salvation Army true story of an Australian family executed after the 1942
Historical Society. Japanese invasion of Rabaul, New Guinea. Ian is currently
writing a novel about a Cold War spy.
Garth R. Hentzschel is currently conducting research
for a PhD in history. He has been a lecturer and held Major David Woodbury is a retired Salvation Army
leadership roles in the areas of Social Sciences, Education, officer. He ministered in corps and THQ appointments.
and Humanities in tertiary education. He has degrees in Woodbury was the secretary for communication and editor in
education, leadership, and counselling (BEd, BAdminLead, chief. During this time, he was the founding editor of the
MEd [SGC]). Hentzschel is the director of Cross & Crown Pipeline, and developed promotional material for the Self-
Publications, president of The Salvation Army Historical Denial appeal for Australia, visiting several overseas
Society, Brisbane Chapter, and series editor of They took up territories to produce promotional material. On his retirement
their cross. He has published works and presented papers on he produced a history of The Salvation Army: Hallelujah, The
school chaplaincy, education, and Salvation Army history. story of The Salvation Army in the Western South Pacific,
His publications include; With a smile and a cuppa (2007), covering the territories in the Australasian area. He also
The bag hut tabernacle (2012), contributions to the magazine, served as the consulting editor for a publication covering the
Others, the Bulletin of The Methodist Historical Society of 150th anniversary of the Army. Woodbury served for four
Ireland and AJSAH. Hentzschel is a Fellow of The Salvation years as the president of The Salvation Army Historical
Army Historical Society. Society, Sydney Chapter. He currently runs a YouTube
channel. Woodbury is a Fellow of The Salvation Army
Major Glenda Hentzschel is a retired Salvation Historical Society.
Army officer who served for over 30 years in corps,
divisional, and territorial headquarters appointments. She has Major Cecil (Cec) Woodward served 45 years as an
a degree in leadership. In retirement, her interest in Salvation active officer of The Salvation Army, the majority in SE
Army history has increased. She enjoys research and the Queensland. Thirty-one of those years were at either social
opportunity of looking at the early developments of The centres or divisional and territorial social appointments. This
Salvation Army. Hentzschel is married with three children provided opportunities to contribute to various Salvation
and three grandchildren. She has written, A servant leader – Army publications and to represent the Army at national and
Envoy Bram Hoepper in the series “They took up their cross”, international events. He holds a Social Work degree, Master
co-authored several booklets on Salvation Army history, of Social Welfare – Administration and Planning, and Master
written a number of papers for The Australasian journal of of Business Administration. He is currently a member of the
Salvation Army history and presented several papers at the Territorial Moral and Social Issues Council and a member of
meetings of the Brisbane Chapter of The Salvation Army the Caloundra Corps leadership team. His primary historical
Historical Society. interests are around the development of responses to the social
needs within a community, what Booth identified to as a plan
Major Kevin Hentzschel is a retired Salvation Army for ‘temporal salvation’.
officer who served for over 30 years in corps, divisional, and

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 5

The wall at the back of the platform in Ipswich Citadel. Historical text painted by Fred Shaw,
Salvation Army flag and cross.1

1 Photograph courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 6

INTRODUCTION AND REPORT ON
THE SALVATION ARMY HISTORY SYMPOSIUM

AND THE SYMPOSIUM DINNER 2022

Garth R. Hentzschel

Friday 1 July to Sunday 3 July 2022 saw the fourth Salvation Army History Symposium. This year
the Symposium was held at Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. The Symposium was co-hosted by: The
Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter; the Ipswich Corps of The Salvation Army; and
The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history. The following is a report on the weekend which
outlines the program and lists people who made the Symposium possible. It also includes some of the
scripts read during the introduction on Friday evening and throughout Saturday night’s Symposium
Dinner.

Pre-Symposium

Much work took place prior to the weekend with organisation and planning. Before the event, Garth
R. Hentzschel developed eflyers and the committee of the Brisbane Chapter, especially Secretary
Major Glenda Hentzschel advertised the event via email, mail, and social media. She also
communicated with heritage and other groups within Ipswich, and across Queensland. Additional
eflyers were produced for individual papers and appeared in emails, newsletters and on Facebook.
For the first time, an email tag was developed, and people were encouraged to display this at the
bottom of their emails again to assist with the advertising of the event. Facebook pages, including
those of the Ipswich Corps, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, and The SA
Historical & Philatelic Association all displayed eflyers to promote the Symposium. The event was
also advertised in The Salvation Army’s Queensland Divisional Newsletter, Under the tricolour, and
Others online.2

Examples of early eflyers used for to promote the Symposium3

Reference citation of this report: Garth R. Hentzschel, “Introduction and report on The Salvation Army History
Symposium and Symposium Dinner 2022”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 7, 2, 2022, 6 – 39.
2 See for example “History Symposium”, “Book it in”, Others online, (16 May 2022),
https://others.org.au/news/2022/05/16/book-it-in/, accessed 1 July 2022.
3 eflyers developed by the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 7

Email tag developed for advertising the Symposium4

Several meetings occurred between Garth Hentzschel and the corps officers at the Ipswich
Corps, Lieutenants Ashley and Rita Biermann, who assisted greatly with the planning and organising
at the Ipswich site. It must be stated that the Biermanns gave more assistance than any of The
Salvation Army officers at the previous locations of the Symposium. The Biermanns organised and
led the ‘Ipswich City Salvos Support Team’ who assisted with ICT, set up of the hall, equipment,
directions and much more. The support team consisted of Lt. Ashley Biermann, Lt. Rita Biermann,
Melody Ravenswood, Cosgrove Fleming, Linda Clarke, and Ruth Alback. Their work, friendliness
and assistance throughout the weekend cannot be more highly praised.

It should also be noted that, as in previous years, there was a Symposium Bookshop. This year
the bookshop was run by Treasurer Robert Marshall. The organisation of the bookshop commenced
well before the event with the collection of books, LP records, CDs, as well as other new and second-
hand items donated to the Brisbane Chapter. There were several new books sold that had been written
by those who presented at the Symposium. One of these books was the one launched during the
weekend. The sales of several of these new books as well as the proceeds of the second-hand items
went to the work of the Brisbane Chapter.

In addition to the email tag, there were three more initiatives for the Symposium this year.
Firstly, there were activities set up in the hall designed for young people and people with specific
learning needs. Major Glenda Hentzschel prepared these activities and along with the Ipswich Corps
provided equipment. Secondly, livestream was available through Ipswich Corps’ Facebook page and
monitored by people from the corps. Thirdly, ZoomTM5 was used to host presenters who were off site.
Major Kingsley Sampson was ‘beamed’ into Ipswich Citadel from New Zealand for his presentation
and Garth Hentzschel appeared on screen so people who were less mobile could remain in the hall
and view the heritage walk.

On Friday 1 July 2022, the halls were set up by the Brisbane Chapter committee and the Ipswich
City Salvos Support Team. Delegates from Queensland and New South Wales arrived from 6:30pm.
It was only the second Symposium that did not have international delegates present. Covid-19 and
travel restrictions, or health concerns, inhibited several overseas and inter-state people from attending.
Each delegate was welcomed by Major Kevin Hentzschel at the registration desk, and each delegate
received a Salvation Army lanyard and mini program for the weekend. The full program had been
sent to attending delegates as well as people who may have viewed the Symposium online.

4 eflyers developed by the author.
5 Zoom is a cloud-based video communications app that allows people to set up virtual video and audio conferencing,
webinars, live chats. This app has been used by the Brisbane Chapter and AJSAHistory during online meetings but
never previously at a face-to-face meeting or a Symposium.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 8

Welcome and official opening

Introduction – Garth R. Hentzschel
President – Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter
Executive Editor – The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history

Following is the introduction presentation that was given by Hentzschel;

This is the fourth Salvation Army History Symposium held by the Brisbane Chapter and The
Australasian journal of Salvation Army history. The first Symposium was held in Tweed Heads,
the following two in Maroochydore, and now we thank Ipswich Corps for co-hosting this event.
The secretary reported there were 22 apologies, which included people from Australia, Canada,
New Zealand, UK, and USA.

The Symposium has been, and we hope will be, a gathering of people interested in the
history, traditions, and culture of The Salvation Army. It seeks to foster dialogue on all areas of
history of The Salvation Army and its people. The presentations, as proceedings, will be published
[here] in The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, Volume 7, Issue 2, September 2022.
Make sure you are on the email list to get your copy!

The theme for this weekend is
History: A record of specific grand moments or a collection of everyday stories?
This theme is inspired by a bronze statue located at South Bank, Brisbane. The statue is titled,
The world turns, by New Zealand artist, Michael Parekowhai. Parekowhai is known for his use
of dry humour, popular culture, art, literature, and history. The world turns depicts an elephant on
its head, which represents the change in the world. A native water rat, a kuril, goes about its
business, unaware that it was the creature that changed the world. The plaque at the statue states,

The World Turns reminds us that history is often recorded to highlight specific grand
moments, but, as the world turns, there are many other stories – and these are central to our
understanding.

The sculpture also includes a chair, inviting the viewer to sit and contemplate.

The world turns showing the elephant, the Kuril (right), and the chair6
We have all just lived through COVID-19, no doubt, an event that future historians will
use as a specific grand moment. But will future historians ‘get it right’? Will they capture our
story? For example, we are told by historians that the 1960s saw the sexual revolution, full of sex,

6 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 9

drugs, and rock and roll.7 My parents would tend to disagree, as I think other Salvationists and
Christian youth would of the time. Are we aware of the “other stories”, those outside the ‘grand
narrative’, external to the specific grand moments?

If we are aware, do the other stories even matter? Do ordinary individuals change history,
or is this left to the grand individual? Should the stories of the ordinary person, shown in the
sculpture as the kuril, be used to create the meaning of our past; or should they be confined to the
study of genealogy, or used as a case study when they support specific grand moments? Like the
kuril, is the ordinary person even aware of what is going on around them?

Why contemplate such ideas? When we look at the published historical narratives, even in
The Salvation Army, there has become a shift away from the grand narrative, towards self-
published autobiographies, biographies and histories. This change needs to be investigated and
analysed in relation to its impact on the construction, meaning, and understanding of history as it
could also have an impact on how we frame our future. A question such a change raises is: What
do we miss when we focus on the everyday story? For example, what does the story of a Salvation
Army bandsman in Bougainville tell us about WWII? What does the neglect of this narrative tell
us about Australia’s story telling? What does it say about us?

The grand narrative, with its specific grand moments, has driven history for a long time.
Will the move to the individual unravel the grand narrative in a way Marxist history and its tale
of conflict theory could not? These histories have, as we are seeing, created their own grand
narratives, and have done little but attempt to shift power structures. What do we miss when we
only investigate the grand narrative? For example, what do we miss by calling Catherine and
William Booth the founders of The Salvation Army? What does this corporate memory say about
our story telling? What does it say about us?

Madan Sarup described the traditional or ‘total’ history as that which

… inserts … grand explanatory systems and linear processes, celebrates great moments and
individuals and seeks to document a point of origin.8

Sarup then outlined the opposing idea of history where it

attempts to analyse and preserve the singularity of events, turns away from the spectacular in
favour of the discredited, the neglected and a whole range of phenomena which have been
denied a history.9

As we are seeing however, this approach has created a great deal of conflict and in fact has isolated
many.

Although the church has become anti-individualist,10 Christian historians Herbert
Butterfield and C.T. McIntire proposed another way of creating history. Not to focus on the
singularity of events but on the interconnectedness of individuals. They believed that knowledge
arises from an understanding that individuals have their own free will to do right or wrong and
have areas of consciousness and decision-making unseen by the historian.11 Butterfield and
McIntire wrote,

…history is an intricate network formed by all the things that happen to individuals and all
the things that individuals do. In other words it is “the essence of innumerable biographies”;
and even the “history of thought” may lead to deception unless we regard it as rather the
history of people thinking.12

7 See for example, David Allyn, Make love, not war. The sexual revolution: An unfettered history, (Milton Park, UK:
Little, Brown and Company, 2000).
8 Madan Sarup, An introductory guide to structuralism and post-modernism, (USA: Pearson Education, 1993), 53.
9 Sarup, An introductory guide, 53.
10 See for example Garth R. Hentzschel, “A historical investigation into the myth of The Salvation Army as a
community of believers and the death of in·di·vid·u·al·ism”, The Salvation Army Historical Symposium, theme
‘History: A collection of memories of a collective myth?’ Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia, 27 – 29 July 2018,
The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 3, 2, 2018, 108 – 132.
11 Herbert Butterfield and C. T. McIntire (ed.), Writings on Christianity and history, (New York, USA: Oxford
University Press, 1979), 21, 72.
12 Butterfield and McIntire, Writings on Christianity and history, 18.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 10

From this idea, Douglas M. Newton, another Christian writer took the idea of the
interaction of individuals and applied it to the specific grand moments. Newton wrote,

Most great moments in history are made up of minimoments. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,
they fit together to form a whole picture.13

Is there a war between the grand moments and everyday stories? Can they link together as Newton
suggests? Papers this weekend may explore some of these ideas.

Returning to the motivative statue of our theme. Who does the kuril represent in the history
of The Salvation Army? What is the elephant in the room of Salvation Army history? What is
hidden by taking different approaches? What can we learn?

As the Symposium presentations sculpt the ideas of specific grand moments and everyday
stories, we invite you, as in the sculpture, to sit and contemplate how The Salvation Army World
Turns.

Official opening – Lieutenant Ashley Biermann
Corps Officer – The Salvation Army Ipswich Corps

Opening prayer – Major Ray Proud
Symposium Chaplain

The delegates were welcomed to Ipswich and the Corps by Biermann, who then officially opened the
Symposium. Mj Proud opened the event in prayer. Hentzschel then introduced the keynote presenter,
Dr. Ian Townsend.

Townsend is an author and former investigative journalist with ABC Radio National. He’s won
four Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for science and medical journalism and an Australian Human
Rights Award for journalism. He also has a PhD in History and has written two historical novels. His
non-fiction book, Line of fire, is the true story of an Australian family executed after the 1942
Japanese invasion of Rabaul, New Guinea. Ian is currently writing a novel about a Cold War spy.

13 Douglas M. Newton, Fresh eyes on Jesus’ miracles, (UK: David C Cook, 2018), Chapter 6.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 11

(L) Advertising for the keynote address and (R) Dr Ian Townsend during presentation14

Keynote address

Townsend’s paper was titled “Lest we forget: The Salvation Army and the battle for Australia’s
memory”.15 He gave a deep and insightful description of the context, including the historical period,
and the location of Rabaul, PNG. The paper looked at the 2/22nd Battalion brass band, which was
made up of members of The Salvation Army’s Brunswick Citadel Band. To look at the wider impact
on Australians living under occupation, Townsend also discussed the topic of his research, a boy
killed for espionage. After these stories were investigated, the paper posed questions as to why most
Australians have forgotten the band, the battle on Australian territory, and the trauma of the young
boy shot by the Japanese Imperial Forces.

A question time was then chaired by Hentzschel, with much focus on the questions of memory
and history. There was a reasonable crowd, especially with the rain, accidents on the motorway, and
the cold temperature.16 The evening was concluded with a prayer by Proud and supper provided by
the Chapter, under the direction of Vice-President Major Heather Drew. Many people remained for
fellowship.

Saturday 2 July 2022

The Saturday registration was again organised by Major Kevin Hentzschel and commenced from
8:30a.m. Throughout the day the setup and organisation of events were shared between the committee
of the Brisbane Chapter and the Ipswich City Salvos Support Team. Each paper, including the keynote
address, were accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation. All papers were either lived-streamed or
recorded and later placed on the “History Symposium 2022” group17 embedded in “The Salvation
Army Ipswich” Facebook page.18 Although the weather was cold and wet, and some who had
registered were unable to attend due to sickness, there was still a good crowd in attendance.19

14 Images courtesy of the author.
15 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
16 See end of report for numbers of the events.
17 For the recordings and photographs go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/526901869174538
18 To view the page, go to https://www.facebook.com/The-Salvation-Army-Ipswich-405187583579296
19 See end of report for numbers attending the events.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 12

Welcome and outline
Garth R. Hentzschel gave an outline of the day’s events. He stressed the need to keep to the time
allocated, information on the layout of the Citadel, and the COVID-19 considerations were given.
The Symposium bell was rung by timekeeper Major Kevin Hentzschel to let the people know the
sound it made. The morning prayer was given by Symposium Chaplain, Major Ray Proud.

The Salvation Army History Symposium Bell20
Grand moments/Everyday stories – One
Throughout Saturday, Garth R. Hentzschel and Major Glenda Hentzschel gave 5-minute talks as a
debate focused on grand moments versus everyday stories in the framing of the history of The
Salvation Army. Each offered a snapshot of some element in developing their argument. The first of
these topics was by Garth and titled, “International Congresses as specific grand moments”.21 Using
William Booth’s aims for holding an International Congress, Garth argued that International
Congresses were grand moments and impacted the international Salvation Army. Therefore, they
were in support of his case that grand moments matter!

(L) eflyer for the debate and
(R) Mj Glenda Hentzschel and Lt Rita Biermann during the timbrel debate22

20 Courtesy of the author.
21 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory
22 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 13

Session one

The first session was presented by Major Cecil (Cec) Woodward, a retired Salvation Army officer.23
The title of the presentation was “Training farm for overseas boys,” which looked at one man’s
experience of his time at Riverview, Queensland.24 The paper first gave an overview of the location
of The Salvation Army’s Riverview farm, and an outline of the Army’s use of the land until it became
a training farm for young men from England. Using the transcripts typed by the author, the paper then
presented sections of the script, to show the experience of one of the people who was at Riverview
during the time it was a training farm. The question time was led by Don Ford who also chaired the
session.

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Woodward during the presentation25
Grand moments/Everyday stories – Two

The second talk of the debate was titled “Timbrels an everyday story” and was presented by Major
Glenda Hentzschel.26 Hentzschel argued the importance of the timbrel to Salvation Army history by
using a poem and a demonstration. This was the first of the everyday stories from Army history she
presented for her argument. Lieutenant Rita Biermann, who had not played a timbrel prior to the talk,
was used in the demonstration of playing a timbrel and did extremely well. Hentzschel argued that
the everyday story of the timbrel is an important element in understanding the work and history of
the Army.

Session two

The second session was the first time the Symposium had a presentation via Zoom. Zoom had been
used during shorter meetings of the Brisbane Chapter during Covid lockdowns, but not in a session
where there was a live audience. There were some unexpected technical matters, and the program
was slightly altered to fit in with the situation. Retired New Zealand Salvation Army officer, Major

23 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.
24 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
25 Images courtesy of the author.
26 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 14

Kingsley Sampson27 gave his paper titled “Kingsley Edward Mortimer: The man who married
Fighting Mac’s daughter”.28 In part, Sampson decided to research Mortimer, as Sampson was named
in Mortimer’s honour. The research in the presentation was from the preparation for a book on
Mortimer. Using numerous sources, Sampson outlined important events in the life of Mortimer, from
medical Salvation Army officer to lecturing and training in public institutes. Treasurer Robert
Marshall chaired the session, and several questions were given to Sampson on the life and ministry
of Mortimer. A ‘sign-up’ sheet was located in the Symposium Bookshop for people interested in
receiving information on Sampson’s upcoming book.

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Sampson during the presentation via Zoom29
Grand moments/Everyday stories – Three

Although scheduled here, Garth R. Hentzschel presented this talk a little earlier and without
PowerPoint slides to give time to the efforts of organising the Zoom presentation for Sampson. This
was the third short talk in the ongoing debate. It argued for grand moments in history and was titled
“1878 & 1929 as specific grand moments”. The talk looked at the importance of the 1878 War Council
and the 1929 High Council. It argued that these were the ‘bookends’ of autocratic leadership in The
Salvation Army and that the instigation of this method of leadership was well planned. There was
evidence shown that the cessation of this mode of leadership was not universally accepted as it had
major impacts on the Army. For these reasons these events were grand moments and imperative to
understanding Salvation Army history.30

Morning tea

A light morning tea was organised by the Brisbane Chapter, under the direction of Drew. It saw
people share in fellowship with some discussion on the presentations, and general catchup with old
and new friends.

27 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.
28 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
29 Images courtesy of the author.
30 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 15

Session three

From research she had conducted in relation to the anniversary of The Salvation Army Historical
Society, Brisbane Chapter, retired Salvation Army officer Major Glenda Hentzschel31 presented her
paper during the third session. Hentzschel’s paper was titled, “The Brisbane Chapter: Specific grand
moments of collecting everyday stories”.32 The paper reflected on the importance of history to a
movement such as The Salvation Army. Twelve points were used in the paper to investigate how the
Brisbane Chapter had assisted in the understanding and promotion of Army history. Public meetings
held by the Chapter were given as examples for each point discussed. Special events co-ordinator
Rachel Hentzschel chaired the session, and a few questions were directed to Major Glenda
Hentzschel.

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Hentzschel giving her presentation33
Grand moments/Everyday stories - Four

The fourth in the series of small debates was given by Garth R. Hentzschel and titled “The great
people of history as specific grand moments”. Hentzschel first asked people to think about their
heroes in Salvation Army history and outlined a few of his own. He then used an outline from the
area of business to press home the important points of why we need to research grand people. This
talked concluded with a challenge for each person gathered to become the next grand person in
Salvation Army history.34

Session four

All presenters to this point in time had previously presented at an earlier Salvation Army History
Symposium. Dr Lyndon Armstrong was new to the History Symposium in 2022.35 Armstrong’s

31 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.
32 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
33 Images courtesy of the author.
34 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
35 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 16

background was in chemistry, however his skill in research has been shown in this study on his
family’s history. This fourth session was titled “The Mann and Will legacy” and included everyday
stories and some specific grand events from the lives of two Salvationist families.36 The paper
outlined the strong links the families had to The Salvation Army and the number of officers who came
from these families. Vice-President Mj Heather Drew chaired this session and Armstrong made
connections with a distant relative at the Symposium, who will assist with additional information.

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Armstrong during his presentation37
Grand moments/Everyday stories – Five

Major Glenda Hentzschel presented the fifth talk in the series on the debate, specific grand moments
versus everyday stories. The title of her talk was “Buttons, an everyday story” and Hentzschel
commenced by showing an example in her hand of a Salvation Army button. The talk included
information from the research she has commenced on the buttons, and it outlined benefits of button
selling as well as stories connected with button wearing.38 The topic effectively built upon her
ongoing argument.

Session five

Through research on commencement narratives on The Salvation Army, Garth R. Hentzschel
presented a paper titled, “The streams of time and how their investigation may reshape Army history:
finding the everyday stories in the specific grand moments”.39 There were three parts to the paper.
First, an outline of identified issues with the traditional ‘official’ commencement narratives was
given. Second, an introduction to an ideological framework for investigating commencement
narratives was explained. Finally, a mapping exercise of the traditional narratives revealed that the
form of commencement narratives commenced at the first narrative of William Booth’s formation of

36 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
37 Images courtesy of the author.
38 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
39 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 17

The Salvation Army. Don Ford chaired the session and a few questions on the foundation stone in
Melbourne and the formation of the Army were asked.

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Hentzschel during his presenation40
Grand moments/Everyday stories – Six
Major Glenda Hentzschel presented the sixth short talk in the ongoing debate related to the grand
moments and everyday stories. The title for her talk was “Choruses as everyday stories”. In this talk,
she spoke about the importance of chorus to the learning of Christian ideals and used choruses from
her Primary (junior Sunday School) days to stress her point. Each of the choruses contain the word
“little” or “small” to emphasize her argument. The piano for this talk was played by Major Cec
Woodward.41
Launch of new book
Rachel Hentzschel introduced the author of the new book Dr. Helen E. S. Ashwell.42 There were
connections between the two, Ashwell had nursed Hentzschel’s mother after her mother had been
stung by a scorpion on missionary service in Africa. Ashwell launched her book by outlining the
motivation for writing her book, and some of her life experiences that appear in the publication. The
book is titled A promise fulfilled: An autobiography of challenges and great achievements. Passages
from the book were read by the author after which Major Ray Proud prayed a prayer of dedication.
The book went on sale after the launch, with opportunity for delegates to purchase an autographed
copy.

40 Images courtesy of the author and Rachel Hentzschel.
41 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
42 For biographical information on the author, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in the previous issue of
AJSAHistory, Volume 7, Issue 1.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 18

(L) eflyer for the book launch and (R) Ashwell reading from her book43

Session six – Heritage walk

After the delegates made their own arrangements for lunch, they gathered for a heritage walk.
Through technology there were two options to engage with the walk. Those less able remained at the
citadel to watch a portion of the event via Zoom. Unfortunately, the battery in the technology died
and the entire walk could not be viewed by the people in the hall.

Delegates willing to walk met on the corner of Brisbane Street and d’Arcy Doyle Place,
Ipswich. Three people from the public also joined in the experience. Garth R. Hentzschel44 led the
walk, which was titled “A walk-through Ipswich Salvation Army history – a collection of everyday
stories and specific grand moments”. The history presented throughout the walk was divided into
three sections; prior to the Army’s establishment, the establishment of a permanent presence in the
city, and the ‘official’ commencement narrative. Former sites of Army Barracks, shops owned by
Salvationists and places where William Booth preached were all visited.45

(L) eflyer of and (R) image from the heritage walk46

Session seven

Session seven, titled “History, what’s the point?”, was presented by Major David Woodbury, a retired
officer from Sydney.47 The paper came from reflections on history after he produced a video to
celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Salvation Army on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Woodbury

43 Images courtesy of the author.
44 For biographical information on the presenter, see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
45 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
46 Images courtesy of the author.
47 For biographical information on the presenter, see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 19

used clips from the video, multi-media segments on biblical concepts of history and his reading of
the paper. He pointed out that his experience in history reminds us to regularly recall God’s goodness
to us. This was evidenced in the production of the video as history showed how God supplied the
needs to The Salvation Army. Rachel Hentzschel chaired the session and after the presentation there
was opportunity to purchase the video developed by Woodbury, A cup of compassion and to sign up
for his YouTube channel. The channel posts a devotional 30-minute video each Sunday. 48

(L) eflyer for the session and (R) Woodbury during his presentation49
Grand moments/Everyday stories – Seven

The final talk in the series of debates on the grand moments and every day stories was titled “Festival
weekends as specific grand moments”. This short presentation was for the case of grand moments
and was presented by Garth R. Hentzschel.50 Firstly, Hentzschel outlined that festivals had strong
links to the history of religion. He then used information from contemporary research to argue the
importance of festivals to a community, building his point for grand moments in history. Ideas such
as boosting the economy, training, and social capital, were included in the debate. Each point was
given an example from festivals throughout the history of The Salvation Army.

Session eight

The final paper for the Saturday was presented by Dr. David Malcolm Bennett.51 Bennett’s
presentation was titled “The Church of England’s proposal and its child”.52 From his extensive
research into Catherine and William Booth and further investigation into the topic, Bennett examined
the Church of England’s approach to adopting The Salvation Army in 1882. The paper first examined
the structure of the Church of England and its early relationship to the Army. An enquiry into the
committee to investigate the possible connection was then outlined. Finally, the committee’s findings
and the Church of England’s response, with the launch of the Church Army outlined. Major Cec
Woodward chaired the session and the questions to Bennett.

48 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
49 Images courtesy of the author.
50 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory.
51 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.
52 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 20

(L) eflyer of the presentation and (R) Bennett during his paper53
Session nine – Chapter’s AGM
Due to the low numbers of Chapter members remaining for the Symposium Dinner, the Chapter’s
AGM needed to be postponed.
Symposium Dinner

(L) eflyer of and (R) an image of guests at the Symposium Dinner54
The Symposium Dinner was held in The Salvation Army Ipswich Corps all-purpose hall, and was
catered by the Ipswich City Salvos Support Team. Taking for its theme, “A specific grand moment
to celebrate everyday stories”, the dinner had been planned to include the commemoration of a
number of important events linked with the history of The Salvation Army, the making of history,
and its research and promotion.
Welcome – Garth R. Hentzschel
There was a limit set for the dinner due to seating available therefore a few people were not able to
attend. Hentzschel first welcomed people to the event and stated,

53 Images courtesy of the author.
54 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 21

The committee of the Brisbane Chapter and Executive Team of The Australasian journal of
Salvation Army history would like to welcome you to this dinner of celebration. While some could
not attend, we acknowledge the presence of former and current committee members of the
Brisbane Chapter and thank them for their service.

Tonight, we celebrate a few important milestones, as well as acknowledge four Salvation
Army historians for their work in promoting, researching, and writing Salvation Army history.

The meal will be intersected by information on the items we are celebrating; the years of
publication of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 150 years of the Mission that
became The Salvation Army in Queensland, and 10 years of the Brisbane Chapter of The
Salvation Army Historical Society. Later in the evening, the Fellows title will be bestowed upon
the historians.

Please feel free to fellowship with each other between the presentations and the serving of
the meals. Remember to follow COVID restrictions of social distancing.

I would now like to invite the Symposium Chaplain, Major Ray Proud to say a prayer of
grace over our meal and this fellowship.

Grace was then shared by Major Ray Proud, the Symposium Chaplain, after which the hors
d’oeuvre were served. This consisted of pumpkin soup and crusty bread.

Celebration of 5+ Years of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history

The logo developed for the 5 years of publication of The AJSAHistory55

Presentation by Garth R. Hentzschel

The 2020 Symposium was to have a dinner to celebrate the 5th anniversary of The Australasian
journal of Salvation Army history, COVID however put an end to that celebration. Here we are
two years on, and the journal will complete its seventh year of publication, so this milestone
should be celebrated.

You can read about the full development of the journal in the AJSAHistory Volume 5, Issue
1. It will be clear how much of the journal’s development aligned with my own journey into
Salvation Army history. When it was commenced, I never believed the journal could achieve five
years of publication, let alone seven!

Although first planned to be regionally focused, with the writers, content and peer
reviewers, the journal has grown to be much more. It has carried papers, which have given new
insights into Salvation Army history; and it has found its way around the world!

Only a few years after the commencement of the journal, I went to London for some
research. While sitting in the International Heritage Centre, an officer came running up the stairs
hearing I was in the reading room. They said to me. “Are you the Garth Hentzschel?” Surprised,
I applied in the positive. The officer went on to explain they were doing a PhD and their supervisor
had told them of the journal and its importance. What a surprise I had to know it had reached the
UK and academia in London.

55 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 22

The journal would not have commenced without the foundation of the current wave of
Salvation Army history in this part of the world. This wave was influenced by such people as
Australians, Envoy Dr. George Hazell OF, Major Ken Sanz, and from New Zealand, Cyril
Bradwell, Major Dr. Harold Hill, and Lieut.-Colonel Moira Wright.

Hazell, and later Major David Woodbury, connected likeminded people together which
would in time help form the AJSAHistory. Hazell pushed for tri-territorial heritage meetings,
which occurred in Australia and New Zealand. Woodbury’s team produced the Hallelujah
magazine, and in 2015 the 150 years of The Salvation Army worldwide,56 which in a way were
the parents of the journal.

In early 2015, Woodbury and I had many telephone discussions about the idea of a more
academically focused journal. After I did an international investigation at the International
Congress and had discussions with people like Dr David Malcolm Bennett and Major Kingsley
Sampson, the first volume of the journal was published in 2016.

What has always amazed me is that the very first issue included original research that
questioned long held and established historical assumptions. It also needs to be noted that the
journal costs nothing to the readers or the advertisers. The largest cost is time, and this is given
by the editors and peer reviewers, for whom I am eternally grateful.

At present the AJSAHistory is sent to 230 individuals and organisations which includes
tertiary institutions, libraries, museums, and archives; this has risen from 180 readers two years
ago. Some tertiary libraries, such as ones in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and UK print and
bind volumes or place the PDF issues on their intranet. The readers represent Salvation Army and
non-Army individuals and organisations in Australasia (including Australia, New Zealand, and
Solomon Islands), Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. This has been without any
external publication or promotion sought by the journal.

With COVID-19, the journal also set up a Facebook page, which now has 450 followers.
A slight majority are male (55.9%) and a large percentage of people are over 45 years of age. As
would be expected, with the journal based in Australia, this is the largest audience, however the
collection of countries of followers does show something of the international interest of the
journal.

Age and gender distribution of Facebook followers57

56 Keith Barrett (ed.) and David Woodbury (con. ed.), 150 years of The Salvation Army worldwide. Special Australian
edition, (Bondi Junction, Australia: Faircountmediagroup, 2015).
57 Developed by Facebook.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 23

Country distribution of Facebook followers58

In the short time of publication, authors who have submitted papers have represented
Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the Philippines, United Kingdom, and the United States
of America. The authors have also come from a varied background, Salvationists, non-
Salvationists, professional academics, lay historians, journalists, archivists, educationalists,
Salvation Army officers, published authors, first time authors, and students (those present who
have submitted papers, would you please stand – could we please thank these people).

A cursory glance over the content revealed some interesting statistics. There have been
many resources and information on Salvation Army history shared with readers. In the area of
research, the AJSAH has included original papers in the area of local histories, historical
information on people, and ministries of The Salvation Army, as well as a varied collection of
topics. The most prolific area included in the AJSAH has been historical/ biographical information
on the lives of Salvationists (n = 57). This information has been distributed between biographical
information on the Booth family (specifically William, Catherine, and Evangeline) (n = 25) and
other Salvationists (n = 32). The next largest number of themes in papers throughout the journal
has been regional or local history (n = 35). This shows the areas of people’s interest and may
show a change in historiography of The Salvation Army.

The next three themes are close to each other in their number of inclusions. The themes of
general or wider history (n = 18), the war work of the Army (n = 15), and theoretical papers on
the Army and understanding of history (n = 11).

It is perhaps unsurprising that themes with fewer appearances in the AJSAH to date are
those which are more specific and focused on elements within the wider Army. In decreasing
order; music/ songs of The Salvation Army (n = 10), social work of The Salvation Army (n = 10),
signs and symbols of the Army (including, awards, uniforms, toys etc) (n = 8), archives or
preservation of archives (n = 6), and youth work of the Army (n = 4). The journal has published
almost 1,700 pages of Salvation Army history research and information.

Themes # of themes from Vol 1 Iss 1 to
Vol 7 Iss 1

Archives and preservation of archives 6

Biography of Salvationists other than the Booth family 32

Book reviews 32

Booth family (William, Catherine, & Evangeline) 25

Information on the AJSAH (including advertising) 34

58 Developed by Facebook.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 24

Themes # of themes from Vol 1 Iss 1 to
Vol 7 Iss 1

Meet the author 13

Music/ songs of The Salvation Army 10

Regional/local history 35

Research requests 52

Resources on Salvationists or Army history (including 79
advertising)

Signs and Symbols of The Salvation Army 8

Social work of The Salvation Army 10

Symposium information (including advertising) 26

Theory of history or theoretical works 11

War work of The Salvation Army 15

Wider or general history of The Salvation Army history 18

Youth work of The Salvation Army 4

List of themes in the first seven volumes of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history

It is difficult to judge the full reach and impact of The Australasian journal of Salvation
Army history. From time to time a person happens upon the journal and makes contact. At other
times the journal is referenced without any notification. From a search of the internet and
anecdotal information I have received by word of mouth, I have deduced the journal is printed
and kept on file, reprinted online and in international magazines, cited in university courses,
reviewed, and referenced in books, journals, and on websites.

Some recent comments include notes from around the world. The director of Salvation
Army Archives in Canada, Major Ron Millar wrote:

I want to echo those who have commented on the quality, inspiration, and wonderful stories

of the unfolding of the Army that we read in the AJSAH. It is truly a groundbreaking and

one-of-a-kind production. Thank you for your continued untiring efforts to make this
available to the Army world – and beyond. Great Job.59

Dr Glenn Horridge, a teacher from Westminster School, London, stated the journal should
be used for teaching at schools and universities. His utterance has been prophetic as it is on the
curriculum in several universities.

This month a review by Merv Collins in Australia included the following comments,

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, a biannual … magazine featuring
scholarly, but never dull, papers on Army historical events and Salvationist books reviews,
all accompanied by excellent pictures and graphics…. The breadth of research to each story
is thorough and educational….a journal full of interest to anyone who loves the history of
our movement and its people.60

This all takes a lot of work and sadly, sometimes arguments to lift the thinking and level of
writers and contributors.

59 Email Ron Millar to Garth R. Hentzschel, (26 June 2022).
60 Merv Collins, “Book review: The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history Vol 7 Iss 1,” Others online, (28
June 2022), https://others.org.au/reviews/book-review-the-australasian-journal-of-salvation-army-history-vol-7-iss-1/
accessed 29 June 2022.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 25

Finally, as executive editor, I would like to thank the past and present peer reviewers for
their hours of work (please stand when you hear your name); Dr. David Malcolm Bennett (Aust),
Dr Glenn Horridge (UK), Major Ron Millar (Canada), Professor R.G. Moyles (Canada), Professor
Emeritus Dr. R. David Rightmire (USA), Major Kingsley Sampson (NZ), Major David Woodbury
(Aust) as well as guest reviewers (Would you please thank these people and congratulate the
journal on reaching this milestone).

Celebration of 150 Years of The Mission that became The Salvation Army in Brisbane

(L) Logo for the 150 years of the Mission that became The Salvation Army in Brisbane, and
(R) Garth R. Hentzschel reading the information about the anniversary61

Presentation by Garth R. Hentzschel

Let us now turn to the celebration of 150 years of the mission that became The Salvation Army
in Queensland. It is difficult to place 150 years of history in to about 5 minutes. So, I will focus
on the first 13 years of the story.

Walter Douglas, who visited Brisbane on three occasions, was linked to the East End
Special Services in London. The Special Service group would go on to employ one William
Booth. During Douglas’ second visit to Brisbane, June to August 1871, he preached in several
locations including the Wharf Street Congregational Church. Daniel McNaught Sr, Barbara
McNaught and one of their sons, John Ure McNaught held leadership positions in that church.62

McNaught Sr managed John Petrie’s building business. McNaught helped construct
important government buildings in Brisbane that still stand today and include Queensland
Parliament House, the General Post Office, and Customs House.63

With the assistance of the McNaught family, Douglas paid his 3rd visit to Brisbane from
April to June 1872.64 From this revival, the Mary Street Mission commenced on Sunday 30 June
1872. Barbara McNaught stated they “opened a little Hall for holding special services.”65 The
following week Charles Wesley Robinson and Hester Robinson were made leaders of the
Mission. Hester had been a revivalist with the Primitive Wesleyan Methodists in Ireland. The

61 Images courtesy of the author.
62 John Kingsford, “Advertising,” The Launceston examiner, (6 January 1872), 5.
63 “Central police court,” The Brisbane courier, (23 August 1871), 3.
64 “Advertising,” The Brisbane courier, (8 April 1972), 1.; “Yesterday’s shipping,” The Queenslander, (8 June 1872),
2.; “Departure,” The Brisbane courier, (8 June 1872), 4.; “Departures,” The Queensland times, Ipswich herald and
general advertiser, (11 June 1872), 2.
65 Robinson-McNaught, Holiness exemplified, 70.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 26

Mission quickly grew and for a time joined with The United Free Methodist Church and The
Primitive Methodist Church.

In 1876, the Mission, then The East Brisbane Gospel Mission, built and opened a Mission
hall in Charlotte Street. Hester Robinson married Daniel McNaught Jr after the passing of her
first husband. At some time, the Mission began to receive William Booth’s publications from
Morgan and Scott. The ‘first’ Salvation Army Flag reached Brisbane between October 1878 and
November 1879. In 1880, Hester wrote to IHQ asking for officers to be sent so she could open
additional Corps. She then set out to raise funds for a Salvation Army Hall in Sandgate. She also
visited other towns, such as Ipswich.

In January 1883, Captain Peter Waters Cairns, Lieutenant Jemima Cairns with their
children and Lieutenant Naomi Wright arrived in Brisbane without papers from William Booth.
Hester McNaught and Salvationists in Brisbane forced them to leave the capital.

McNaught opened the hall in Sandgate in January 1883 and continued the work of The
Salvation Army in Brisbane. Cairns moved to Ipswich and opened and continued the work of The
Salvation Army, at least until December 1884. Cairns used contacts of McNaught’s in Ipswich,
including the Foote family and Rev. Fuller, who would later connect The Salvation Army with
the Purga Aboriginal Mission.

In March 1885, McNaught travelled to Melbourne and met Ballington Booth. She secured
Salvation Army officers to continue her work in Brisbane. The answer to her request came in the
form of Staff-Officer Edwards, Adjutant and Mrs Wright and Captain Bowerman. Sadly, Edward
Wright set out to create himself as the sole founder of The Salvation Army in Queensland.

Adjutant Edward Wright spoke poorly of Hester McNaught, Peter Cairns and all
Salvationists in Brisbane and Ipswich prior to 1885. Wright also went on to take over McNaught’s
work in Sandgate during May 1887 in a very uncivilised manner.66

Wright saw the growth of The Salvation Army across Queensland and was appointed back
to Melbourne in 1889. At one stage the Army in Queensland was so large that there were three
divisional commands. Wright would be the manager of Hadleigh Farm, commence The Salvation
Army in Japan and attempt to do the same in Mexico. Wright would leave the Army, as did the
other key people in the commencement of the Army in Queensland. This is one of the reasons
much of the early work in the colony has been lost.

Cairns used shoe making to fund his ministry in Ipswich. Later he started the Methodist
Church in Ingham. He then joined the Baptist Church, which he opened in Bundaberg, later he
served this denomination in Victoria, Tasmania, and West Australia.

The most important person in the Queensland Salvation Army commencement narrative
was Hester McNaught; neglected and forgotten. After 1887, she appeared to have nothing to do
with The Salvation Army. She worked for a time as an independent evangelist, and as a revivalist
with the Primitive Methodist Church. For her street preaching she was called to court, and in 1895
she was imprisoned in Toowoomba. Yet her work prepared Queensland for the growth of The
Salvation Army in this colony. She laid the foundation for social work of the Army and connected
the movement with noted Queenslanders.

Tonight, we thank God for the ministry of Hester McNaught, the McNaught family, Peter
Waters Cairns and Jemima Cairns, Edward Wright, and other early Salvationists. We thank God
for their witness and work.

The main meal was then served and consisted of chicken bake and side dishes. After the meal more
speeches and celebrations took place.

Celebration of 10 Years of The Salvation Army Historical Society - Brisbane Chapter

Presentation by Major Glenda Hentzschel

To commence the celebration of the 10 years of The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane
Chapter, Major Glenda Hentzschel read a letter from Commissioner Mark Campbell. Campbell, when

66 “The holy war,” The Moreton mail, (4 June 1887), 5.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 27

Divisional Commander of the South Queensland Division supported the commencement and
development of the Brisbane Chapter.

(L) Logo for the 10th anniversary of the Brisbane Chapter, and
(R) Major Glenda Hentzschel reading a letter from Commission Mark Campbell67

Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell68

The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory.
Kia ora (Gidday) from New Zealand.
I couldn’t believe it when I received and read an email from Glenda that it has been 10 years since
my conversation with Garth, while Julie and I were Divisional Leaders in South Queensland, in

67 Images courtesy of the author.
68 “The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory Facebook” post, (3 February 2020),
https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyNZFTS/photos/pcb.2838592836197304/2838592462864008/, accessed 20
June 2022.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 28

regards to the possible establishment of The Salvation Army Historical Society Brisbane Chapter.
Congratulations 10 years on!

We wish we were there with you to celebrate. I am glad to hear that the Chapter is doing
well and keeping strong. I always appreciate minds that can keep our Army history alive.

Thank you and congratulations to all who will be recognised tonight, including your
president, Garth!

Keep up the good work and I leave you with a prayer from Paul to the Church at Philippi.

3. I thank my God every time I remember you. 4. In all my prayers for all of you, I always
pray with you 5. because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6.
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion
until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1: 3-6

Well Done
Yours in Christ

Mark

Mark Campbell (Commissioner) Territorial Commander
The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa

Major Hentzschel then read the following information on the development of The Salvation Army
Historical Society and the establishment of the Brisbane Chapter.

Happy Birthday Brisbane Chapter!

The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory Historical Society was instigated in 1996 by
Commissioner (later General) John Gowans.

Garth Hentzschel was nominated by Dr. George Hazell O.F. as Queensland representative
to work on a newly formed committee in Sydney. At this time the first constitution was
distributed, of which there has been many updates over the years. After this meeting, enthusiasm
was aroused, and presentations were held in Brisbane under the name of The Salvation Army
Australia Eastern Territory Historical Society. Many of the meetings in Brisbane were often held
in Garth’s home.

Visiting schools and Home Leagues, setting up RSL displays, holding debates and
presentations in different corps, were all conducted by Garth on his own. He attempted to arouse
interest for the Historical Society and promote Army history.

One of the public presentations was by John Gittins and titled “Books by Brengle”. Other
presenters included retired Commissioners, and Salvationists from Sydney including Envoy
George Hazel and Major Ken Sanz. These meetings were sometimes scrutinised to see if a
Brisbane Society could be established.

Presentations and displays continued in Queensland while discussions in Sydney were held
as to the need to establish Brisbane’s own society.

There seemed to be some opposition, or at least apathy, to the commencement of the
Brisbane Chapter. In 2010, little word or support from the Sydney committee of the Historical
Society was forthcoming, so discussions were commenced between Major Graham Drew and
Garth to deliberate the formation of a committee in Brisbane. Work on this continued and in 2012
it was decided to branch out in faith, so a working committee was formed, with the first committee
meeting held in September 2012.

Tonight, we are pleased to welcome a few of the first committee members:
• Glenda Lopez
• Gary Lopez
• Major Glenda Hentzschel and
• Garth Hentzschel

Apologies were received from other original committee members Major Mark Williamson,
and Lyndall Maag. The Divisional Commander Mark Campbell was very supportive of the new
venture.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 29

The following year, 2013, a letter was received from a President in Sydney stating Sydney
acknowledged Brisbane as a Chapter, and it would be known as “The Salvation Army Historical
Society Brisbane Chapter.” (Too late, we were already establishing ourselves)

For the Chapter to continue, for these 10 years, there has been a lot of hard work, by the
president and the committee members – past and present. In the last 10 years, the Chapter has
held 30 face-to-face public meetings, 10 online meetings, 6 heritage outings, 4 Symposiums, and
5 dinners. Topics were from the commencement of the Army and the Booths right through to the
last International Congress in 2015. We have had papers, musical events, quizzes, show and tell,
book launches, and games.

We praise God that the Brisbane Chapter continues to thrive! The chapter is fulfilling the
purpose set out to bring Christ into history. Col 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things
are held together.

The Chapter has proven Salvation Army history is who we are and why we are the way
we are. Heritier Ndanyuzwe stated “Satan loves to take what’s beautiful and ruin it. God loves
to take what’s ruined and make it beautiful.”

Through history presentations, presenters do not forget the happenings of the early day
Salvation Army, our purpose, and what we, members of The Salvation Army were born to be.

Fiction is not presented but the truth, well researched and well imparted.
The Chapter’s aim is to continue to impart the information, what Martin Luther King Jr.
stated, could apply to The Salvation Army, “We are not makers of History; we are made by
History.”
Tonight, I would like to thank our present committee, our members, friends, researchers,
and presenters for the work and loyalty to the Chapter. We want the Chapter to grow to be
something pleasing to God and The Salvation Army.
My prayer is that people will continue to support the Chapter, in research and attendance.
We are thankful to those who will be recognised tonight for their continual support.
God, we give you the Glory, for 10 official years as The Salvation Army Historical Society,
Brisbane Chapter.

Let’s sing together…

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday Brisbane Chapter
May God bless us too.

The anniversary cake for the Brisbane Chapter69

69 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 30

Past and present members of the committee were given a bag of chocolates as a small token of thanks.
The cake was cut by Lieutenant Ashley Biermann on behalf of the Brisbane Chapter and the past and
present members of the committee.

Past and current committee members of the Brisbane Chapter
(L to R) Robert Marshall, Mj Glenda Hentzschel, Laura Macleod, Rachel Hentzschel,
Major Heather Drew, (Corps officer of the host corps) Lieutenant Ashley Biermann,
Garth R. Hentzschel, Glenda Lopez, Garry Lopez, Major Cec Woodward, Don Ford

(absent past committee members Lyndall Maggs and Major Mark Williamson)70
Celebration of years of service to The Salvation Army Historical Society – Brisbane Chapter
Long service badges and certificates were presented to members of the Brisbane Chapter, Garth R.
Hentzschel and Major Heather Drew read the award notice, and each was awarded by Lieutenant
Ashley Biermann. The awardees were as follows;
10 Years’ Service Badge
Major Heather Drew, Major Glenda Hentzschel, Major Kevin Hentzschel, Rachel Hentzschel, Lt.-
Col. Olive Lucas, Laura Macleod, Robyn Marshall, Major Daphne Pampling, and Major Cec
Woodward.
15 Years’ Service Badge
Robert Marshall
25 Years’ Service Badge
Garth R. Hentzschel
Desserts of apple crumble or Golden Syrup self-saucing pudding each served with custard were on
the menu. After dessert ‘Fellows’ awards were presented.

70 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 31

Celebration of Fellows of The Salvation Army Historical Society

The citations were read by Major Heather Drew and were awarded by Lieutenant Ashley Biermann.
For brevity, only the citation and introduction of each recipient will be included. A more extensive
outline of the work of each of the awardees was given on the night.

We have come to the part of the celebrations where we honour people who have made outstanding
contributions to The Salvation Army Historical Society and Salvation Army history. The
admittance of a person to be a Fellow of the Historical Society is embedded in the Society’s
constitution, which states,

The Society Executive has the authority to confer the status of “Fellow of The Salvation
Army Historical Society” to honour the exceptional service of a member. The primary
criterion for such a decision will be an assessment that the contribution he/she has made to
the objectives of the society has been outstanding.

Each of tonight’s recipients were nominated, and the committee assessed each candidate
on their own merit against the Society’s aims. It was found by the committee that each has given
outstanding service, therefore meeting the criteria for the citation.

The four Fellows honoured here tonight join an elite group of people. There have
previously been only two people admitted to the Fellowship. The first was Envoy Dr. George
Hazell O.F., the instigator of The Salvation Army Historical Society of the former Australia
Eastern Territory, and the creator of The Salvation Army Sydney Museum. The second was my
husband, Major Graham Drew, who assisted with the commencement of the Brisbane Chapter,
which has now celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Since the commencement of The Salvation Army Historical Society in Sydney during
1996, Salvation Army history in Australia has been blessed with a focus on research and
development not seen prior to this date. Much investigation and promotion has been given to
Salvation Army history behind the scenes, much of it conducted by the people we are honouring
tonight. Some have attended Tri-Territorial Heritage Conferences or worked on the Hallelujah
magazine. All have presented at Society meetings and Symposiums. All have also contributed to
the publication and promotion of Salvation Army history, which has uncovered new insights into
the movement and its people. We can never repay the time and effort they have each given to
complete such work.

We will now introduce the new Fellows individually. I will read out some of the
achievements which have led to the Chapter bestowing the title of Fellow on the recipient. I will
then read the citation. We will announce the Fellows in alphabetical order.

Dr. David Malcolm Bennett

I would like to call Dr David Malcolm Bennett to join me. (Lt. Biermann will present the
certificate and the plaque) …

In accordance with the constitution, The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane
Chapter has admitted Dr. David Malcolm Bennett as Fellow of The Salvation Army Historical
Society for his,

Outstanding contribution to the Society, assisting with public meetings for the Brisbane
Chapter, for his research and publication of Salvation Army history, and his work with The
Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History.

Bennett has been admitted to the fellowship on this day, 2 July 2022.

Garth R. Hentzschel

I would like to call Garth R. Hentzschel to join me. (Lt. Biermann will present the certificate and
the plaque) …

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 32

In accordance with the constitution, The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane
Chapter has admitted Garth R. Hentzschel as Fellow of The Salvation Army Historical Society
for his,

Outstanding contribution to the Society as the founding and long-term President of the
Brisbane Chapter, for his research and promotion of Salvation Army history, and his
formation and development of The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History

Hentzschel has been admitted to the fellowship on this day, 2 July 2022.
Major Kingsley Sampson

I would like to call Major Kingsley Sampson, who will join us online. …
In accordance with the constitution, The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane

Chapter has admitted Major Kingsley Sampson as Fellow of The Salvation Army Historical
Society for his

Outstanding contribution to the aims of the Society, for his research, publication, and
promotion of Salvation Army history, and his work with The Australasian Journal of Salvation
Army History

Sampson has been admitted to the fellowship on this day, 2 July 2022.
Major David Woodbury

I would like to call Major David Woodbury to join me. (Lt. Biermann will present the certificate
and the plaque) …

In accordance with the constitution, The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane
Chapter has admitted Major David Woodbury as Fellow of The Salvation Army Historical Society
for his,

Outstanding contribution to the aims of the Society, for his publication and
promotion of Salvation Army history, for his leadership with the Hallelujah
magazine, and his work with The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History.
Woodbury has been admitted to the fellowship on this day, 2 July 2022.

Image of the plaque and certificate received by the ‘Fellows’71

71 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 33

eflyer announcement of ‘Fellows’ of the Historical Society72

72 Images courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 34

Sunday 3 July 2022
The final day of the Symposium began at 8:30a.m. with a band practice. The Salvation Army History
Symposium Brass Band was made up of members of The Salvation Army Historical Society,
Brisbane Chapter, delegates of the Symposium as well as other friends. Most had not played for a
number of years but were ready to use their talents again.
Holiness meeting

(Top L) eflyer for the Sunday Holiness meeting and
(Top R) Salvation Army History Symposium Brass Band
(Bottom L) Major Glenda Hentzschel leading the meeting and
(Bottom R) Major Kevin Hentzschel giving the message73

The theme of the Holiness Meeting on the Sunday was “By the Grace of God I am what I am”, based
on (1 Corinthians 15:10). A member of the Brisbane Chapter, Major Kevin Hentzschel74 led the
meeting with the assistance of the Chapter’s committee and Symposium brass band. Information on
the life of William Booth and history of The Salvation Army framed the meeting. Snapshots of history
were given as an introduction to Booth’s songs. Member at large Major Cec Woodward opened the
meeting in prayer, Treasurer Robert Marshall and Member at large Don Ford read the Scripture, and
Vice-President Heather Drew gave the prayer of thanks over the offering. Secretary Major Glenda
Hentzschel led sections of the meeting and presented the Children’s story. The message gave points

73 Images courtesy of the author.
74 For biographical information on the presenter, please see the ‘contributors’ page on page 5 in this issue of
AJSAHistory.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 35

for the scripture reading and linked them to the life of Paul and the experience of Booth. During the
singing of O boundless salvation, The Salvation Army flag was hoisted and marched around the hall
leading a Hallelujah windup.75
Morning tea
The morning tea was jointly organised by the Brisbane Chapter committee and the Ipswich Corps.
The corps folk and delegates of the Symposium joined together for fellowship over food. The
remainder of the celebration cake and other sweet and savory foods with tea and coffee were
available.
Session ten
The final presentation of the Symposium was a discussion led by Garth R. Hentzschel. The theme
was around the topic of the weekend, “History: A record of specific grand moments or a collection
of everyday stories? Has the grand narrative overshadowed everyday stories, or will the quotidian
halt the movement of history?” The panel consisted of Laura Macleod, Major Glenda Hentzschel and
Major Cec Woodward. Garth commenced with the question of which argument won the debate.
Although there was a unanimous vote for the everyday stories; many people voted twice. One
delegate stated, “both were needed to understand history.” A few questions were given to the group.
Some questions were connected to the memory of history. Other questions linked with reasons why
Salvation Army history is not read more widely. It was discussed that often the stories are difficult to
remember, and books were too expensive to purchase or difficult to obtain.

(L) eflyer of the final discussion and (R) Laura Macleod, Major Glenda Hentzschel, Major Cec
Woodward and Garth R. Hentzschel during the final discussion76

75 For the paper, please see the page of contents on page 4 in this issue of AJSAHistory
76 Eflyer courtesy of the author and image courtesy of Ashley Biermann.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 36

Round-up and close in prayer

Notes of thanks were expressed to the presenters of the papers, the committee of The Salvation Army
Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter committee and the Ipswich City Salvos Support Team. All
worked together to make another successful Salvation Army History Symposium.

Statistics and words of gratitude

Face to Face Delegates Number of Registered Delegates
Friday Evening Keynote Address 30
Saturday Events 46
Walk (Additional community members) 3
Symposium Dinner 41
Symposium Sunday Holiness Meeting 35
Ipswich (Additional Corps members) 7
Last Sunday session 30
Online viewing
Dr Ian Townsend - Keynote Address Numbers as of Monday 17 July 2022
Garth R. Hentzschel – International Congress 65
Mj Cec Woodward 57
Mj Glenda Hentzschel - Timbrels 57
Mj Kingsley Sampson 57
Garth R. Hentzschel – 1878 & 1929 57
Mj Glenda Hentzschel – Brisbane Chapter 57
Garth R. Hentzschel – Great People 53
Dr Lyndon Armstrong 53
Mj Glenda Hentzschel - Buttons 53
Garth R. Hentzschel – Streams of time 53
Mj Glenda Hentzschel – Choruses 53
Garth R. Hentzschel - Walk 37
Mj David Woodbury 40
Garth Hentzschel – Festivals 45
David Bennett 45
Holiness Meeting 45
76

Garth R. Hentzschel - Last Session 58

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 37

Countries known to be represented online Canada New Zealand
Australia Sweden USA
PNG

The organisers of the Symposium decided this time not to offer an evaluation form, as there were
many new items attempted throughout the weekend. In addition to this, items such as presentation
topics, advertising, and catering, which had previously received comments, were elements that the
organisers had little control over. The organisers however were excited to receive several emails of
gratitude for the History Symposium. The names and messages from delegates are included.

Narelle Dobson

Thanks for a great conference. Very interesting speakers and well organised.

Lieutenant-Colonel Olive Lucas

I want to thank you for the excellent organization for the Symposium. The sessions I attended
were most interesting and well prepared. So much to reflect on now. …
With thanks and blessings for your ministry, and thanks to the Committee too.

Major Ray Proud

Wow! What an experience - what a learning curve in so many ways. I love learning new things
in my advancing years. And there is so much out there - impossible to learn it all.

We sure have a wonderful heritage, and it is such a privilege to walk in the footsteps in
particular of Jesus, and also the heroes of the faith - our faith.

So congratulations on such a good weekend…. so much organisation and detail.

Major Kingsley Sampson (online delegate)

What a lot of work you and your team put into the planning, running and hosting of this year’s
event…
I was able to view a number of the sessions in real time and from what I saw, all the planning paid
off. I couldn’t tell how many people were present but there seemed to be good attention and
response to the presentations. …
Thank you again for honouring me with the award. ….
This comes with kind regards and great admiration for all that happened over the weekend.

Tianne Shaw (online delegate)

Thank you for what has been a wonderful weekend that despite serious weather in The Illawarra
and having to watch some later has given plenty of enjoyment. The time and effort is appreciated
by I am sure not only myself but many others who have viewed what has been uploaded…

Elaine & Dennis Whittaker

… First, we want to express our thanks for the weekend, your commitment to the Historical
Society (& all that involves) is invaluable and although no doubt, there are times when you run
out of steam, be assured your efforts are valued.

There is no need for us to tell you just how much we treasure the memories, all of which
we have loved over our lifetime and so many, which have shaped us into what we are today….

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 38

John & Joan Wicks
Good afternoon Garth!
This is a belated, but very sincere, thank you for the Ipswich symposium.
Joan and myself were only able to attend the Saturday sessions but we were impressed by
the programme - full of information in 'bite sized' segments (No long, boring speeches!!)
An organization's history certainly is important and I thank you for tenaciously pursuing it
on behalf of Salvationists - and all Queenslanders.
As well as the 1/2hr segments, the tour of sites around Ipswich CBD was eye-opening.
Thank you for all you're doing and I pray you will come through your major surgery
stronger than ever!
Press on! (Philippians 3)

Major David Woodbury
Many thanks for all the work for the symposium – it was a good weekend.
We thank people for their gratitude, and hope that everyone will be able to join us again at the

next Symposium. We hope the next Symposium will take place in 2024.
Published reports on the Symposium
Reports on the Symposium have appeared in the following publications.
The war cry New Zealand edition.

Report from The war cry New Zealand edition77

77 “Major Kingsley Sampson honoured at Symposium”, The war cry, (New Zealand, 23 July 2022), 16,
https://issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry/docs/23_july_2022_warcry_issuu.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 39

Cover of Dr Ian Townsend’s book Line of fire1

1 Image courtesy of the author.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 40

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
LEST WE FORGET:
THE SALVATION ARMY AND THE BATTLE
FOR AUSTRALIA’S MEMORY

Ian Townsend2

Abstract

Weeks after attacking Pearl Harbour, the Japanese invaded the Australian territory of New
Guinea. The Australian 2/22 battalion defending Rabaul was overwhelmed in January 1942 and
nearly all the members of the battalion band killed or taken prisoner to later drown. Most of the
band before the war were members of The Salvation Army’s Brunswick Citadel Band. This paper
is the transcript of the discussion on why most Australians have forgotten the band, the battle on
Australian territory, and many other traumatic events from the battle of Rabaul.

Introduction

I’m excited about the topic chosen for the Symposium; “History: A record of specific grand moments
or a collection of everyday stories?”. It is something I have been thinking about all my working life.
I’ve been a journalist since the early 1980s and some of my first interviews were with people telling
me things that they later recanted. My first interview was with a farmer who sold his farm to a person
in Germany. When I put this in the story, he came to me and claimed, “I did not say that”. Luckily, I
always carried a tape-recorder with me when I conducted interviews. I produced the tape recorder. I
had a record of myself requesting permission to tape the interview and his agreeing to this. I had on
the tape what he told me. It struck me that people forget what they have said in conversations. I have
always wondered, why? How could this person have forgotten. I have been thinking about this for a
long time. We forget even our own stories and our stories evolve over time. Our personal narratives
change.

I have been a journalist all my working life. I am currently writing a book about a spy. I am
working for the Disability Royal Commission where I write people’s stories, so I am a storyteller.
Even if the stories involve grand events, the stories I tell are about everyday people. As a journalist I
would cover grand events; elections and disasters, but it was always everyday people I was speaking
to. It is the aggregation of all these individual stories that make up the grand events and shape them.
It is all the individual stories we share that make up the collective memory. I am interested particularly
in forgotten grand events. I tend to write stories about people who are part of the grand events that
have been forgotten. I am interested in why that has occurred. When I refer to forgotten in this case,
I mean they are not part of the national story. These events theoretically should be part of the nation’s
story as they are grand events. These events that I am interested in are not told. They are often not
memorialised, most people do not know about them, but they are important.

These grand events which I have written about have included the world’s most powerful
cyclone, the bubonic plague in Queensland, and the invasion of an Australian town. This cyclone
came ashore in Queensland, Australia. The cyclone had a world record storm surge, a world record
low pressure, and was Australia’s deadliest cyclone as it killed more than 300 people. Few people

Reference citation of this paper: Ian Townsend, “Keynote address: Lest we forget: The Salvation Army and the
battle for Australia’s memory”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 7, 2, 2022, 40 – 53.
2 This paper is the transcript of the key note address and was typed and edited by Garth R. Hentzschel.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 7, Issue 2, 2022. Page 41

know about this cyclone.3 Another book I have written covers a bubonic plague outbreak in
Queensland.4 Over 20 years there were outbreaks of the plague in Queensland during the early 20th
century. There was a plague outbreak in Ipswich, Queensland and a plague hospital was established.
There were plague cemeteries throughout Queensland, right up the coast but they have literally been
forgotten. There was a plague cemetery for Brisbane on Gibson Island which has been forgotten.
There was a cemetery in Townsville on the reserve which now nobody has been able to locate. There
are physical memorials that no one can now find. Another book I have written is about the invasion
of an Australian town, on Australian soil, during the Second World War.5 People may say “I did not
know about the bubonic plague and all those cemeteries,” or “I do not know about the cyclone”, or
“I do not know about the Australian town invaded.”

History itself is as much about forgetting as remembering. Even the history of our own lives,
we tend to edit. We have to forget things; we cannot hold everything that happens in our heads. I
think that is similar with history; we cannot remember everything that happens. There are a lot of
things however that I think we and the nation should not forget.

An event we should not forget

I am going to focus on the Australian town that was invaded, a grand event Australia should
remember. This occurred with the Japanese invasion of Australian territory in World War Two. On 1
July 1942, 80 years ago Australia’s greatest maritime disaster occurred. Eighty years ago, the
Japanese prisoner of war ship called the Montevideo Maru was sailing from Rabaul, New Britain,
New Guinea, to Hainan, China. Aboard were about 850 Australian military personnel and about 200
Australian civilians. In the early hours of 1 July 1942, it was torpedoed by a United States of American
submarine, the Sturgeon. All the prisoners drowned, including 16 bandsmen of the 2/22nd battalion
who were members of The Salvation Army. It was an enormous disaster for Australia, but it is
forgotten by most Australians. Even on the 80th anniversary it is remembered by only a few with
family or Salvation Army connections. We are all subject to lapses of memory, but this is an important
event that we should remember. It was a significant event in the Pacific War.

The Montevideo Maru was sunk with Salvation Army bandsmen from the 2/22nd battalion6

3 See Ian Townsend, The devil’s eye: A novel, (Australia: Fourth Estate, 2008).
4 See Ian Townsend, Affection – there is no cure: A novel, (Australia: Harper Perennial, 2003).
5 See Ian Townsend, Line of fire, (Australia: Fourth Estate, 2017).
6 Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

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To help us remember, I will talk about the 2/22nd battalion band. It can be a perspective of the
bigger event which was this forgotten grand event of Australian history. Just after the invasion of
Rabaul on 23 January 1942, the acting Prime Minister Frank Forde made an emergency
announcement to Australia. Forde broadcasted around Australia:

For the first time in her history, an attack has been launched against the territory, for the first time
her soil [Australia’s soil has been] violated … the battle for Australia has commenced.7
This should have been significant. It was the lead story and headlines in newspapers, but then there
was silence. Basically, for the rest of World War Two, no one spoke about the invasion in the public
arena. Survivors began to trickle back to mainland Australia, but families who were evacuated to the
mainland from Rabaul were instructed not to talk about it due to censorship. Therefore, not much was
said. I think one of the reasons that we do not remember this event is that we missed the moment. It
was never imprinted on Australia’s memory. Everything that followed from it, including the sinking
of the Montevideo Maru, has been forgotten because the context has been lost. There was silence on
these events for years. Obviously, people in The Salvation Army, family members of the victims, and
people in Rabaul may remember and commemorate this event, but the nation has forgotten. The
Salvation Army is one of the very few communities who remember the events of Rabaul.
The narrative and the context of the battle of Rabaul were never drummed into the population,
so this narrative has not become part of the national story. The historical battles of Gallipoli (Turkey)
and Kokoda (New Guinea) are remembered by Australians, and I would argue that the Battle of
Rabaul should stand alongside these grand events. The story of the battle of Rabaul lacks a simple
coherent narrative that ties it to what people understand as the history of World War Two. People
don’t understand that straight after Pearl Harbour the Japanese came down the Pacific to invade
Rabaul, then Australian territory. The national story has us think of the military forces coming down
through Asia towards Singapore. The context has been lost and therefore the context is of interest to
me.

Australia

Map showing the location of Rabaul8

7 “Battle for Australia has commenced”, Army news, (25 January 1942), 1.
8 Image developed form Google map.

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Links to the theme

The theme of the Symposium; “History: A record of specific grand moments or a collection of
everyday stories?” is a good topic. Grand moments are often recorded and perpetuated at a lofty level.
People in power often decide, or attempt to dictate, what the grand moments in history are, but grand
moments are made up of individual stories. It is in those everyday stories which the power of history
resides. What I am interested in when I am reading history is what everyday people felt and what they
saw. I am not too interested in what politicians thought about it; I am interested in how people
experienced it. I think we are all like that. We want to know how those grand moments affected
ordinary people; people like us.

We understand our world through stories. The stories often may not be what happened, but they
show how we come to understand the world. The story of the battle of Rabaul has all the remarkable
individual stories of a potential grand narrative. These stories include the remarkable involvement of
The Salvation Army bandsmen, Australian civilians attacked in their homes, and acts of bravery, but
these stories have not been told in the national arena.

The movie Gallipoli9 did a great deal for the story of the Anzacs and for Anzac Day in Australia.
I was a journalist and I remember going to Dawn Services and the only people who attended were the
World War One veterans. After the movie, after 1981, suddenly there was enormous interest in the
dawn service and events around Anzac Day. The movie allowed new memories to be made. This is
often what perpetuates and helps to form grand events. They are often contrived in some ways, or
they are re-remembered for reasons that may have to do with politics, or the entertainment industry.

Everyday stories in the grand event

I am going to outline the everyday stories of two people. Some of their story’s interconnect. The first
is Arthur Gullidge, the bandmaster of the Brunswick Salvation Army Citadel Band and later
bandmaster of the 2/22nd battalion band. The story of the 2/22nd band is extremely interesting, but it
is only understandable through the wider story of the battle of Rabaul. The second person is Richard
‘Dickie’ Manson,10 who was an 11-year-old boy and the subject for the research of my book, Line of
fire.11 He ended up in Rabaul and had a complicated story. In a similar manner to the 2/22nd battalion
band Dickie’s narrative can only be understood in relation to the wider events around the battle of
Rabaul. I think this is another reason why Australians have trouble trying to remember this narrative.
It is a series of complicated events that is now not easily explained.

9 Peter Weir (Directory), David Williamson (Screenplay), Gallipoli, (Australia: Associated R&R Films, 1981).
10 As his name changes throughout the events, this paper will list Richard ‘Dickie’ Manson/Harvey as ‘Dickie’.
11 Townsend, Line of fire.

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(L) Bandmaster Arthur Gullidge and (R) Richard ‘Dickie’ Manson/Harvey
both were in Rabaul at the time of the Japanese invasion and died as a result of Japanese actions12

Context

Rabaul is on the north-eastern coast of the island of New Britain which was part of New Guinea. The
island is bent like a banana. The Germans were responsible for building the town of Rabaul when
they colonised New Guinea in the 19th century. What is now Papua New Guinea was then split into
two colonies; the Germans oversaw the northern area and the islands to the north-east in the Bismarck
Archipelago, including New Britain. The British oversaw the lower part of PNG called Papua and
includes Port Moresby.

During World War One, in 1914, Australia on behalf of Britain invaded German New Guinea
near Rabaul and defeated the German garrison that was stationed there. It was Australia’s first battle
in the war. The League of Nations later gave a mandate for Australia to protect that part of New
Guinea as an Australian territory. The Australian government regarded it as a colony, setting up its
administration in Rabaul, but it ignored many of its responsibilities. Rabaul, at the time was the capital
city of the Australian mandated territory of New Guinea.

It is important to know the geology of the area. Rabaul is situated on the Gazelle Peninsula.
Tectonic plates are in play and the area is highly volcanic. The soil is productive and being in the
tropics, coconuts and rubber trees grow. It is highly mineralised with deposits of gold and iron ore.
In the 1930s, although the Great Depression had hit much of the world, this area saw a great deal of
trading. The area was supplying the world with copra from coconuts to make things like soap and
rubber. Rapidly industrialising nations like Japan were eager to purchase these products and sent
trading companies to Rabaul. Australia also had trading companies in Rabaul and the Australian
government attempted to curb the Japanese trading companies. The embargoes on trade with Japan
was one of the sparks that encouraged Japan to expand the war.

12 Images courtesy of author.

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Map of the north-eastern section of New Britain13

Rabaul sits on the north shore of Simpson Harbour inside a volcanic caldera, a giant sunken
crater. It is a beautiful harbour surrounded by the caldera walls, protected from the weather. It is a
deep harbour and a ship can come very close to the shore to load produce. It is located on shipping
routes between Australia and Asia and therefore a very strategic port for Australia.

After Australian forces had beaten German troops in New Guinea in WWI, the Australian
government expropriated the German plantations and sold them to returned Australian servicemen.
This set Rabaul up as an Australian town. It was a thriving little town with wooden red roofed houses
on stilts. It was considered such an Australian town that Rabaul was listed in the Queensland directory
in the same manner as Townsville or Toowoomba. Australians called Rabaul home, they drove
Australian made cars, they purchased Australian groceries, there was an Australian government
school. The administrators in the region were Australians, and people living in the town were told
that they were on Australian soil. Contemporary Australians have forgotten this as well as the
country’s intense relationship with New Guinea.

Rabaul was not that isolated, there were several steamers a week from Australian cities and
Japan. People from Rabaul would take holidays in Japan. Japan was not an isolated or strange culture
then, it was a regular place for holidays, a bit like Bali, Indonesia, is today for Australians. It was just
across the Coral Sea from Brisbane. It was probably quicker to get to Rabaul from Brisbane than to
catch a train to Cairns.

13 Images courtesy of author.

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Rabaul in the 1970s – 1980s14
When Australian soldiers were sent to defend Rabaul in 1941, after the outbreak of the war in
Europe and before the commencement of the war in the Pacific, the soldiers, including Arthur
Gullidge and the band, would have had no doubt that the town was Australian territory. They went to
Rabaul to defend Australia. In fact, Australian militia were only allowed to defend Australian territory
and boys of 18 from the militia were sent to Rabaul. What Australians think about New Guinea now
is very different to how New Guinea was perceived in the 1930s – 1940s. The relationship was then
much closer.

Rabaul in the 2020s showing four volcanos in the background15
Although people then knew Rabaul was Australian territory, they observed differences. It had
numerous volcanoes and a tropical climate. In 1937, there was a volcanic eruption which didn’t
destroy the town but gave people living there a surprise because no one thought the volcanoes were
still active. This event made the Australian military in 1940 – 1941 concerned about placing a garrison
or having a RAAF airbase there, or placing Navy ships in the harbour. With one eruption the garrison
could have been destroyed. The United States of America also had plans to build a major base at
Rabaul to house their B-17 bombers before the Japanese struck Pearl Harbour. The USA military
planned to extend the runway in Rabaul to land their flying fortresses. In 1940, when Gullidge and
the band arrived, Rabaul was covered in tropical trees, bougainvillea, poinciana and frangipani.
Although it was hot and sunny, people could walk down the streets without wearing a hat because the

14 Image courtesy of author.
15 Image courtesy of author.

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trees shaded the streets so well. The streets were lined with timber homes with large verandas, what
would be considered today as ‘Queenslanders’.

One of the things that would have been of note would have been the Australian civilian men’s
clothing. It was as if the civilian men had a civilian uniform, it was all just white. Men wore white
starched trousers, short sleeved white shirts, white shoes, and white suit coats. Although Rabaul
would have seemed unusual, much would have been familiar: Australian beer, Australian schools and
the European population were mostly Australians. There were about 2,000 Australians in the town
plus the garrison of about 1,400 Australian military personnel. There were also about 7,000 New
Guineans, as well as people from China and south-east Asia. There were numerous missions in the
area left over from the German occupation which included Catholic and Lutheran churches.

The Methodist church was active at the time in Rabaul. Rev. Jack W. Trevitt was its minister
and his wedding day in 1937 coincided with one of the eruptions of a volcano. While Jack and
Melville were getting married, someone rushed into the church telling the wedding party that one of
the mountains had exploded. Melville said, “Great, it must be a volcanic explosion!”. She was a
geologist who had just arrived from Sydney and was very excited by the volcanic activities. The
wedding party went down to the harbour to watch as Vulcan island exploded. The party soon had to
flee as the volcanic cloud started to collapse over the top of them.16 They fled to the north coast.

An introduction to Arthur Gullidge

Arthur Gullidge and his men would have seen Rabaul at its beautiful best, before it was invaded by
the Japanese and bombed to pieces by the Americans during WWII. The stories of Gullidge and the
band can be read in the works of Lindsey Cox and Major David Woodbury.17

Gullidge was born 9 April 1909, and his father was killed in a mining accident. Gullidge became
involved in the Melbourne City Corps where he was given a cornet and became a great musician. He
became bandmaster of the Brunswick Corps in the 1930s while he was still in his 20s and began
composing music for Salvation Army and secular bands.

After the outbreak of WWII, Gullidge and a number of Salvation Army bandsmen from the
Brunswick Corps joined the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). This was controversial at the time for
two reasons. It was unusual for men joining the military to request a role in the ranks and Gullidge
arranged the Salvationists to join the band. Additionally, some Salvationists were strong pacifists.
There was some support, but they would have had to search their conscience to join, to enlist in the
military to potentially fight for their country. Initially 17 bandsmen enlisted, mostly from Brunswick
but also from some other corps around Melbourne. The deal that Gullidge had made with the military
was that the band would be kept intact but would avoid combat duties so they would be employed as
stretcher bearers and medics. Eventually 27 Salvation Army bandsmen enlisted in the 2/22nd battalion
band.

Around Anzac Day in 1941, 23 of The Salvation Army bandsmen arrived with the 2/22nd
battalion in the beautiful town of Rabaul and sailed into the harbour surrounded by the volcanoes.

16 Rev Trevitt was one of the men to be killed with The Salvation Army bandsmen on the Montevideo.
17 See for example David Woodbury, “Divine inspiration – the musical legacy of Arthur Gullidge”, Others online,
(n.d.), https://others.org.au/army-archives/divine-inspiration-the-musical-legacy-of-arthur-gullidge/; :Bandsmen
remembered in ceremony at Australian War Memorial”, mySalvos, (27 June 2012),
https://my.salvos.org.au/news/2012/06/27/bandsmen-remembered-in-ceremony-at-australian-war-memorial/; Lindsay
Cox, Brave & true: From blue to khaki, the Band of the 2/22nd battalion, (Melbourne, Australia: The Salvation Army,
2003).

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Gullidge arrived with the band and at first it was an easy posting. While in Rabaul, Gullidge wrote
Divine communion, All there is of me, Sweet will of God, Holy Spirit faithful guide, the band
performed for the locals and it appeared that they enjoyed themselves.

I always think the story of the Army bandsmen is the sort of story Australians should be seeing
in movies. When they joined up, they were underdogs, not welcomed by the military. They proved
themselves in training camps and when they performed as a band for civilians. The 2/22nd battalion
became extremely proud of their band, the soul of the battalion. When the band arrived in Rabaul,
they played for the local people and made friends. Throughout the remainder of 1941 the band played
and trained for what would come. They expected the invasion by Japan.

The band of the 2/22nd battalions on parade in Rabaul18
An introduction to Richard ‘Dickie’ Manson/Harvey

In my research for Line of fire, I discovered the stories of the band. I wanted to write about that
experience, but I struggled to tell that story. I submitted a manuscript, but it did not quite work.
Although based on a lot of research, I wrote it as a novel. The publishers suggested a nonfiction work
and to find another specific angle. I had, in my research, heard about this 11-year-old boy in Rabaul
named Richard ‘Dickie’ Harvey19 who had been executed for espionage. I thought it would not be
too difficult to find out about Dickie, who was shot as a spy. What a story! I thought there must be a
great deal of information about this event, but when I looked, I could not find anything. There were
only brief mentions of him in a couple of books. I went to the primary sources and there was very
little there. It took me a long time to find any information. I eventually found that Dickie’s real name
was actually Richard Manson. I discovered that his mother was with him in Rabaul, so I tried to trace
the mother and eventually found family in Australia, but it took months. When I had managed to find
the family, they were surprised, and some members of the family did not know that Dickie had
existed. Such a traumatic event that the family did not talk about it. Their children knew something
terrible had happened, they knew a little about Dickie, but they did not really know much. It took a
long time to track down the information and to discover his story. This reluctance of one family to
talk about their experience at Rabaul demonstrated how such an event can be forgotten to a nation.

Richard Harvey (also known as Richard Manson aka Dickie) was born in 1931 at the McBride
Maternity Hospital run by The Salvation Army in Adelaide. His mother was Marjorie Jean Manson
and at the age of 21 she found herself pregnant to a wrestler named Jack Gasmier. Gasmier had left

18 Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.
19 As the child had a number of names, this paper will use the name ‘Dickie’.

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town after losing his job, a classic story from the Great Depression, and went looking for gold. One
of the only things that kept its value during the depression era was gold. Manson and Gasmier were
not married at the time. They did eventually get married a number of years later in the goldfields of
Western Australia. Strangely, the couple did not tell anyone of their marriage. The family did not
know; not even her mother knew.

Manson and Gasmier eventually ended up in Brisbane, Queensland. Dickie was a member of
the Boy Scouts and liked camping with his uncles. For a boy of 10, he was a strapping lad, like his
father the wrestler. Dickie went to the West End Primary School in Brisbane. Manson worked as a
seamstress and Gasmier worked at a car body shop in Fortitude Valley. One day Manson goes out
and just disappeared.

Manson was offered a job in Rabaul. After the volcanic eruption, one of the plantation owners,
Ted Harvey had come to Brisbane on holidays; this was about 1938. She may have been darning
some trousers for him and he offered Manson a job. She took the job without, it appears, telling her
husband. Gasmier reported her missing several years later and it is a bit of a mystery why all this
occurred. It may have been the case that Gasmier had been abusive; but we just do not know. There
is no evidence of that and I do not want to defame Gasmier. He seemed genuinely stunned that his
wife had disappeared. Manson had left their son with Gasmier and it may be unlikely that the son
would be left if Gasmier was abusive. It was possible that she was depressed and sick of being poor
all her life and when she was offered a job in a tropical paradise, she took it.

Harvey was a strange character. He lived on the other side of the volcanic caldera than Rabaul,
on a remote piece of coast facing north, on the beautiful Bismarck Sea, with palm trees over the beach,
sunsets over the sea, clouds in the distance, it’s a lovely location. Manson must have thought she was
in paradise. Manson was employed to do the plantation books. She was thought of by the people in
Rabaul as being Harvey’s new wife, but that was merely gossip. Harvey was known as being
extremely generous and had a reputation as being eccentric. The lifestyle in Rabaul meant that people
who did not always fit into society or had underlying mental or alcohol problems would find a place.
Sadly, loneliness and malaria would often make matters worse for such people.

Manson would eventually get her son Dickie up to Rabaul. It would have been paradise for a
young boy, playing on the beaches, rambling in the plantations in the late afternoon, a gramophone
playing songs, and fireflies flying in from the jungle. It really is a beautiful spot. Dickie liked brass
bands so one can speculate, because Rabaul was not a big town, that when Salvationists in the 2/22nd
band played in the botanical gardens, and marched up and down the street. Dickie came in to the town
for shopping so would have heard the band. The paths of Dickie and the 2/22nd band would have
crossed.

The preamble to the battle of Rabaul

In 1941, Dickie was 10 years old and Gullidge was 31 years old. Australia had been at war in Europe
but not yet with the Japanese. The 2/22nd battalion was sent to Rabaul to defend the archipelago of
islands in New Guinea. The Australian government wished to establish a stronger fortress there, but
the military was stretched, and the British could not help to reinforce Rabaul. The Australian garrison
in Rabaul was sent there with WWI vintage anti-aircraft guns that had solid shells. The garrison was
poorly equipped.

Just across the equator from Rabaul is the island of Truk (now Chuuk State, one of the four
states of the Federated States of Micronesia) a Japanese mandated territory. The Japanese had been
fortifying the island and the USA planned to fortify Rabaul by building a base for B-17 bombers. The

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