The Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, Limited
Object numberM2008/041:003
TitleThe Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, Limited
Creator Reuben Lane (author)
DescriptionEastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company telegraph, featuring a map of the world, dated 'Overseas' 7 July 1943, received 13 July 1943 by Cable and Wireless LTD, Sydney. It was sent from Edward "Ted" Lane to his wife, Kitty, in Penhurst, NSW. It reassures her that letters are arriving regularly and that she shouldn't worry. He signs off, God be with you till we meet again.
Edward Alexander Lane (1902-1984) was born in London’s East End. He gave his birthday as 3 April 1901 whereas it was actually 3 April 1902. Most likely because he was only 17 when he enlisted in June 1919 (post-war enlistments continued for the ongoing protection of Britain) and he was required to be 18. In 1918, aged 16, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Navy, serving as a baker’s apprentice aboard the troop ship Wyreema. At the end of the War Lane came to Australia aboard the Wyreema. He joined the Royal Australian Navy, serving on the first HMAS and the Encounter, remaining in the Australian Navy until the mid-1930s at which point he started a business, Lane’s Fibrous Plaster Works in Hurstville.
Edward met Catherine Jonas (known as Kitty) while still serving on the HMS Sydney. They married in 1925. In the late 1930s, he took flying lessons and attained his pilot’s licence. In 1940, motivated by the sentiment "Jews don't fight", he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. In 1941 he was shipped to England where he was commissioned as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, flying combat missions off carrier ships, leaving his wife and three children behind. In 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant. Whilst at the Royal Navy Air Station at Sparrowhawk, Scotland, Lane crashed his plane. He was transferred to Royal Navy Air Station Hatston (also called HMS Sparrowhawk) in February 1942 as Assistant Aerodrome Control Officer and in late 1942 onto HMS Heron (a ship of the Royal Navy) where he was injured on 8 November 1942 - a colleague fired a Pistol too close to his ear, resulting in hearing loss in one ear. Discharged in January 1946, Lane returned to Australia.
His strong Jewish identity can be inferred from an article he wrote for The Hebrew Standard, 3 July 1925. The article was to encourage other Jews to join the Australian Navy: “There is no sign of religious bigotry, so it is not necessary to hide one’s religious affiliation. The observance, for instance, of Jewish holydays is always permissible – the captain grants permission without fuss. The trips to foreign parts are valuable and useful experiences…Whilst the Navy is no nursery, every man is cared for.”
Edward Alexander Lane (1902-1984) was born in London’s East End. He gave his birthday as 3 April 1901 whereas it was actually 3 April 1902. Most likely because he was only 17 when he enlisted in June 1919 (post-war enlistments continued for the ongoing protection of Britain) and he was required to be 18. In 1918, aged 16, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Navy, serving as a baker’s apprentice aboard the troop ship Wyreema. At the end of the War Lane came to Australia aboard the Wyreema. He joined the Royal Australian Navy, serving on the first HMAS and the Encounter, remaining in the Australian Navy until the mid-1930s at which point he started a business, Lane’s Fibrous Plaster Works in Hurstville.
Edward met Catherine Jonas (known as Kitty) while still serving on the HMS Sydney. They married in 1925. In the late 1930s, he took flying lessons and attained his pilot’s licence. In 1940, motivated by the sentiment "Jews don't fight", he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. In 1941 he was shipped to England where he was commissioned as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, flying combat missions off carrier ships, leaving his wife and three children behind. In 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant. Whilst at the Royal Navy Air Station at Sparrowhawk, Scotland, Lane crashed his plane. He was transferred to Royal Navy Air Station Hatston (also called HMS Sparrowhawk) in February 1942 as Assistant Aerodrome Control Officer and in late 1942 onto HMS Heron (a ship of the Royal Navy) where he was injured on 8 November 1942 - a colleague fired a Pistol too close to his ear, resulting in hearing loss in one ear. Discharged in January 1946, Lane returned to Australia.
His strong Jewish identity can be inferred from an article he wrote for The Hebrew Standard, 3 July 1925. The article was to encourage other Jews to join the Australian Navy: “There is no sign of religious bigotry, so it is not necessary to hide one’s religious affiliation. The observance, for instance, of Jewish holydays is always permissible – the captain grants permission without fuss. The trips to foreign parts are valuable and useful experiences…Whilst the Navy is no nursery, every man is cared for.”
Production placeEngland
Production date 1943-07-07
Subjectlove, separation, husbands, wives, Jews in military
Object nametelegrams
Materialpaper
Dimensions
- width: 245.00 mm
height: 200.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Reuben Lane