CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
LAUNCH OF KEITH MURDOCH SOUND ARCHIVE
OF AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1939-45
CANBERRA 17 FEBRUARY 1989
Dame Beryl Beaurepaire,
Les Hollings,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Here in this commemorative courtyard we are reminded
forcefully of the enormous sacrifice Australia has paid in
time of war.
The Roll of Honour lists the names of Australian men and
women who died in the service of our country an awesomfe
list outlining in stark human terms the magnitude of
Australia's contribution to the defence of liberty and
democracy.
Australia, and possibly New Zealand and Canada, are
remarkable among nations in that we know, by name, every
individual who has died on a battlefield for the nation.,
And of course the records held here at the Australian War
Memorial tell us a great deal more about Australia's war~
time experiences.
But there has always been an imbalance in the Memorial'S
archival holdings.
There is a rich vein of letters, diaries and other documents
about Australians in the First World war.
But for the Second World War, a combination of a decline in
letter writing and more strictly enforced secrecy rules
means that fewer first hand records exist.
It's simply much harder to document what it was like to be
an Australian serviceman or woman in the Second World War.
It is that problem which the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive is
designed to rectify.
This Archive will capture for posterity the tales of
hundreds of ordinary men and women caught up in the
extraordinary events of war.
The Archive will be made up of some 500 interviews drawn
from all the services, all ranks and the many theatres in
which Australians served.
It will record in individual ways the personalities, the
experiences, and the feelings of those who served their
country so well.
I believe that many of the people already approached for
these interviews had to be coaxed into relating their
experiences. Some of them have said that in recording these interviews
for the archive they told their stories for the first time.
Their reticence is understandable but I think they too
modestly underestimate how important it is that their
stories are told.
If their memories are not recorded now we risk losing them
forever and that would indeed be an irreplaceable and
tragic loss.
This Sound Archive will be housed in the Memorial's Research
Centre which is already well-known for its magnificent
archives of documents and photographs.
It will be invaluable to historians, film-makers,
researchers and members of the public who want to learn more
about those who served their country.
It will also provide material for incorporation in the
Memorial's galleries to give a special personal insight into
those displays.
I congratulate you, Dame Beryl, and your Council for your
foresight in pursuing this worthy objective. The War
Memorial has long sought to fill the gaps in the records of
the Second World War and you can rightly be satisfied that
that task is now being achieved.
I also congratulate and express my gratitude to News Limited
for its generosity in making possible the creation of the
Archive. It is most appropriate that News Limited, through Rupert
Murdoch, should provide sponsorship for the Keith Murdoch
Sound Archive.
Sir Keith Murdoch, as a journalist and as a newspaper
proprietor, was a man of great influence in Australian
history, including in two world wars.
As a war correspondent during the First World War, he was
severely critical of the Dardanelles campaign which
eventually led to the recall of the British commander from
the war zone.
3.
As Director-General of Information during the Second World
War he also made an important contribution to Australia.
I hope News Limited's generous support will be matched by
others in the private sector to help ensure that the
Australian War Memorial maintains its reputation for
excellence and innovation.
In opening the Sound Archive now, and accepting it on behalf
of the Australian people, I want finally to thank those
people whose voices have been and will be recorded for
posterity. Some of them are here today. Let me express my
thanks to you, and through you to your fellow archivists,
for your participation in this vital national project.