Immersed in the Air Force Museum’s collection on a daily basis, our Collections Team develop a bit of a sixth sense when it comes to connections between objects or stories. This institutional knowledge is incredibly useful when putting together an exhibition, answering a research enquiry or cataloguing our collection. Utilising this knowledge, two of our staff recently made an interesting discovery.
While researching a blog and display case update one of our Collections Team was reading through a recently donated log book relating to Sergeant Charles ‘Charlie’ Kronk. They noticed a distinctive bit of damage along the top edge that looked strangely familiar.
While consulting a colleague on some of the details in Kronk’s log book their colleague also had a nagging feeling of recognition. Deciding to investigate further they retrieved a log book donated two years prior relating to Flying Officer Maxwell Greenslade which they both remembered had damage around the same area. When the two log books were stacked on top of each other, the damage lined up perfectly!
Two views of Greenslade and Kronk’s log books stacked together. The distinctive, diagonal damage visible along the top edge.
Too perfect to be a coincidence, they compared the service history of Kronk and Greenslade to find they were both posted to the same squadron and served at the same airfields in Singapore at the same time. Our theory (and it is only a theory at this point!) is that these log books were stored stacked on top of each other either in the dispatch hut or Intelligence Officer’s hut at Kallang airfield when it came under heavy attack in late January 1942. The damage possibly being caused by flying debris, shrapnel or a stray bullet that grazed their side. Another possibility is that battle damage inflicted during the chaotic evacuation from Singapore. Greenslade’s log book also has a slight burn mark on the top which adds a bit of weight to either of these theories.
After the fall of Singapore in February 1942 Kronk and Greenslade, and their log books, were separated. Greenslade returned to New Zealand where he remained for the rest of the war. Kronk was transferred to India where he died in an aircraft accident on 28 May 1942, aged 23.
Sadly, the exact details of how the damage to these log books occurred may remain a mystery. However it occurred, these log books share a unique history and their connection is now preserved in our collection.
Maxwell Greenslade, left, and Charles Kronk (right). Maxwell survived the war, Charles was killed in India, aged 23.
