Bill Sweeting

Alan John Sweeting, MBE (3 November 1918 – 9 July 2016),[1] known as Bill Sweeting, was an Australian historian and museum administrator.

Career

Sweeting was born in Penrith, New South Wales on 3 November 1918.[2]

Sweeting joined the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) on 23 July 1940 and was posted to the 2/4th Field Ambulance.[2][3] He served with the medical unit in the Middle East during 1941, and returned to Australia with it February 1942. From July of that year he and the 2/4th Field Ambulance took part in the Kokoda Track campaign.[3]

In April 1944 Sweeting was appointed confidential clerk to official historian Gavin Long.[3][4] He eventually reached the rank of sergeant and, after the war had ended, he was discharged from the 2nd AIF on 12 November 1945.[2]

After leaving the army, Sweeting continued to work for Long as a research assistant on the official history series Australia in the War of 1939–1945. He also authored three chapters in one of the volumes, covering the experiences of Australian prisoners of war held by Japan.[3][5] After Long retired in 1963, Sweeting became the acting editor of the official history series, and remained in this role until 1970 when the last volume was published.[3][4]

In 1967 Sweeting was appointed the Assistant Director of the Australian War Memorial (AWM).[6] Sweeting was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in June 1977 for his public service.[7] At this time he was the Public Assistant Director, Board of Trustees at the AWM.[8] Sweeting retired from the AWM in March 1979; his final position there was Assistant Director, History and Publications.[6]

References

Citations

1. "Alan (Bill) Sweeting Tribute". Tributes & Celebrations. The Canberra Times. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
2. "Sweeting, Alan John". DVA's Nominal Rolls. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
3. Ramsey, Alan (22 April 2006). "A mateship that spoke volumes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
4. Stanley 2003, p. 115.
5. Horner 2016, p. 74.
6. "Assistant director of memorial retires". The Canberra Times. 2 April 1979. p. 10. Retrieved 17 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "SWEETING, Alan John". It's an honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
8. "Three knighthoods among 33 awards in ACT". The Canberra Times. 11 June 1977. p. 14. Retrieved 17 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

Works consulted

• Horner, David (2016). "The Evolution of Australian Official War Histories". In Marston, Daniel; Leahy, Tamara (eds.). War, Strategy and History : Essays in Honour of Professor Robert O’Neill. Canberra: ANU Press. pp. 73–89. ISBN 9781760460242.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Stanley, Peter (2003). "Gavin Long and History at the Australian War Memorial". In Jeffrey Grey (ed.). The last word? Essays on official history in the United States and British Commonwealth. Westport: Praeger. ISBN 0-313-31083-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• McKernan, Michael (1991). Here is Their Spirit. A History of the Australian War Memorial 1917–1990. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press in Association with the Australian War Memorial. ISBN 0-7022-2413-8.