John Desmond Peck

Full title: Peck, John Desmond (Lieutenant, b.1922 - d.2002) Extent: 75 cm; Box/es: 4; Oversize: 3 Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX9534 Lieutenant John Desmond "Johnny" "Des" Peck DCM, 2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, Australia, Palestine, Greece, Crete, Italy, Switzerland and England, 1939-c2000. The collection of Lieutenant John Desmond Peck records his experiences of service with 2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion in the Middle East, becoming a prisoner of war in Crete, and his subsequent time as a prisoner of war, escapee, and member of the Greek and Italian resistance movements during the Second World War. His transcript "Captive in Crete", tells of his capture in 1941 by German Alpine troops at Kalives. Lieutenant Peck's collection of papers includes resistance movement documents in German and Italian and documents concerning his trial for espionage 1944 at Vercelli. Other items in the collection include a report of his activities for the Australian Army, 1944; letters from the Australian Red Cross Society to Lieutenant Peck's parents, 1941-1945; letters of appreciation to Lieutenant Peck from prisoners of war he assisted to escape, 1946-1953; letters from his friends in Crete and Italy; photographs; newspaper cuttings; service records; a certificate of appreciation from the Shire of Flinders, 1940; the citation for his Distinguished Conduct Medal; transcripts of an interview; and correspondence from the British historian Roger Absalom, 1988.