Noeline Briggs-Smith’s interview focuses on Aboriginal Servicemen from the Moree area in both world wars, and her tireless work to have their lives recognised and celebrated. Concerned about the invisibility of the segregated area of the Moree Cemetery, Noeline Briggs-Smith has worked for 25 years with a passion to ensure that those Aboriginal men are not forgotten: the Moree Cemetery has now become a place of commemoration and remembrance for their families and the wider public alike. Noeline Briggs-Smith’s interview focuses on her own family and community stories of war, and touches on many familiar themes such as bravery, death, injury, disease, post-traumatic stress, as well as issues of racism, rights, equality, and recognition.

This interview took place on 19 June 2014 in Moree and was conducted by Dr Allison Cadzow with Craig Greene as part of the Australian Research Council-funded research project Serving our Country: a history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the defence of Australia.

The interview recording above is made available to be viewed here by permission of the interviewee(s), Noeline Briggs-Smith. The recording may not be copied, reproduced or communicated in whole or in part without the prior permission of the interviewee(s). Requests for permission for use of this material should be made to the Serving our Country research project: our contact details.

• Return to Noeline Briggs-Smith’s participant page.