- Spelling of names was not as consistent as it is today, so be sure to check alternatives—e.g. Thompson and Thomson.
- Names may have been incorrectly indexed as the handwriting is sometimes difficult to read or the ink has faded.
- The capital letters L, T, F and S are often confused as lower-case letters n, m, u and w. This means that Taylor may indexed as Laylor or Brum may be indexed as Bruin.
- The use of double ‘s’ (ss) often looks like fs, so Ross will be indexed as Ross but may appear in the record as Rofs.
- Names may have been written in the record phonetically as the clerks wrote the names as they heard them. Think about how it could be spelt as it was heard.
- Some given names are abbreviated as they appear in the original record
- Some records are restricted for several years.
- Some records have not survived.
- A blank cell indicates that there is no information recorded in the original.
Police
Inquiries and reports
We hold records on inquiries and reports made during the Second World War by the Police Service Commissioner’s Office, as well as information on civil defence, lighting restrictions and blackouts, internment, acts and regulations, stealing and profiteering, firearms and ammunition, American forces, air raids.
These links will take you into our catalogue to view the item’s description. In the catalogue you can request a copy of this item for a fee, or request to view it in person. You may need agency approval to request items with restricted access. Read more about restricted records.
Soldiers
- Requests on behalf of private persons regarding persons who enlisted in 1940
- Impersonating soldiers from 1940 to 1941
- The misconduct of Australian military forces from 1940 to 1952
- The ill-treatment of soldiers in 1940
Shooting and bombing
- A shooting incident in 1942
- The bombing of Australia from 1942 to 1943
- The Mossman bombing in 1942
- The accidental and indiscriminate firing of guns or rifles by members of Australian forces from 1942 to 1946
- Shooting by defence forces while on guard from 1939 to 1943
Accidents
- The overturning of a RAAF van in 1946
- Accidents involving American vehicles from 1944 to 1949
- Accidents in 1944
Staffing
- Staff statistics quarterly returns
- The character of employees stationed in prohibited places and protected and controlled areas from 1945.
Inquiries and reports
- Inquiries for Department of War Organisation of Industry from 1943 to 1944
- A war census from 1915 to 1942
- War gratuity from 1920 to 1950
- Expenditure during the war
- Privileged documents between the Police Department and the Army from 1941 to 1945
- A complaint about bad food in El Arish from 1945 to 1946
- Stabbing affrays from 1944 to 1950
- The burning of national flags in1940
- Enemy agent activities in 1942 to 1943
- Two reports from security service for the MO section in 1942
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In this guide:
- Stealing and profiteering
- Supplies
- Air raids
- Internment
- American forces
- Civil defence
- Acts and regulations
- Inquiries and reports
- Firearm and ammunition
- Lighting restrictions