12/11/1644.
12th August, 29.
Mrs. W. N. Anderson,
Yarloop,
Western Australia.
Dear Madam,
The Australian War Memorial, containing as it
does the written records, the pictures, and the material relics of
Australian forces which served in the Great War, has been, as you
are probably aware, established by Act of Parliament of the
Commonwealth as the national memorial to those who fell or died in
this country's service during that struggle. A certain portion of
this collection has for the last seven years been exhibited in
Melbourne and Sydney, but the whole will later be brought together
and permanently housed at Canberra in a monumental building, the
construction of which has now been commenced.
In the library of the War Memorial there
are preserved the written records - that is to say, the war diaries
of the A.I.F units as they were written up from day to day in the
field, the signal messages written in battle, the correspondence file
air-photographs, naval, merchant service, medical, and New Guinea
records, maps and other official documents, as well as copies of
most books or publications of both sides which touch or have a direct
bearing on the work of the Australian forces, newspaper files for the
years 1914-1918, and a large number of private diaries and letters -
all of which are now being studied by the official historians and
will through the coming centuries be the main source of information
for all those writing of Australia's war effort.
Many living officers and men who served in
the army, navy, air force, or merchant marine, as well as members of
the medical and nursing services and numerous relatives bereaved
during and since the war, have presented to the Memorial library
records most precious to them. These gifts - covering life in the
camps and hospitals, etc., in addition to that at the front -
are still continually being received; and it is especially fitting
that every effort should be made to collect and preserve such worthy
documents. The Australian soldier and sailor frequently recorded in
his diary or in his letters indications of the thoughts, hopes,
and fears which were then uppermost in his mind, and descriptions
of his own and others' work and actions. These papers are often the
most valuable human documents of which, unfortunately there is in many
cases nowadays practically no other existing record.
- 2 - 12th August, 1929.
For this reason I am writing to enquire whether
you can see your way to contribute to the War Memorial Library now,
or bequest to it later, the letters received during the war years
from the late Joseph William Mayersbeth, or any other relevant
papers, diaries, maps, photographs, etc. It is of course recognised
that these documents are very precious to you; but on the other hand
it may perhaps be reasonably held that, if included in a library such
as the one being formed by the Australian War Memorial, they will
be of even greater value to Australia as a whole, and, in the long
run, more tenderly and carefully preserved.
In the case of letters, it is also realised that
they must contain much of a private nature. The documents in the
War Memorial Library, however, include many confidential State
papers and are well guarded, and only to be inspected by historians
on conditions strictly laid down. The confidence imposed by these
conditions has never been and is never likely to be broken.
If you decide that you are unable to part with
these private records, at least for the present, may I suggest that
you will be so good as to allow the War Memorial library to copy
or to make extracts from them. In that event all care will be
taken of the records and they shall be returned to you immediately
the work has been completed.
In addition, you may know of interesting letters
written by your late husband to others of his relations or friends,
and possibly still preserved, which might suitably find a place in
the War Memorial collection. The War Memorial Board would be
grateful if you would assist it by sending to me the name and
addresses of any friends who would be likely to present such letters.
Yours faithfully,
Director.
Source: Australian War Memorial AWM 93 12/11/1644