Jeff Hopkins-Weise
Recent and major published works include:
(Academic Co-editor with Greg Czechura, Queensland Museum), The ANZAC Legacy (A Queensland Museum Discovery Guide: South Brisbane, December 2019) [ISBN: 978-0-6480944-5-6]
“ ‘Pokeno’ veteran of the 50th Regiment of Foot”, The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.45, No.2, (November 2019), pp.63-66.
(Co-authored with Rod Pratt), “Enrolled Pensioners or ‘Fencibles’ in Australasia, 1840s-50s: a forgotten Imperial military force”, The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.45, No.1 (July 2019), pp.6-35.
(Co-authored with Rod Pratt), “Redcoats in the 1840s Moreton Bay and New Zealand frontier wars”, Vol.26, Issue 1, (June 2019), Queensland Review (Cambridge University Press), pp.32-52.
(Co-authored with Associate Professor Cliff Pollard), “World War I Queensland Military Hospitals, Repatriation, and the Returned Soldiers’ Transport Corps”, Queensland History Journal [special WW1 “Remembering Armistice” commemorative issue], Vol.24, No.1, (May 2019), pp.5-23.
(Co-authored with Greg Czechura), “Memory, Commemoration and World War I: Mephisto, Queensland’s unique ‘war prize’ ”, Queensland History Journal [special WW1 “Remembering Armistice” commemorative issue], Vol.24, No.1, (May 2019), pp.67-88.
(Co-authored with Rob Shiels, The Workshops Rail Museum), “The centenary of the Battle of Amiens and the capture of the Amiens Gun”, Sabretache: The Journal and Proceedings of the Military Historical Society of Australia, Vol.59, No.4, (December 2018), pp.4-10.
(Co-authored with Rob Shiels, The Workshops Rail Museum), “Railways in World War One: their place in the Australasian military railway journey – Part 2”, Sabretache: The Journal and Proceedings of the Military Historical Society of Australia, Vol.59, No.3, (September 2018), pp.16-24 & 33.
(Co-authored with Professor Lyndall Ryan, Newcastle University), “Memorialising the New Zealand Wars 1845-47 – the 99th Regiment Memorial, Hobart, Tasmania”, Chapter 18 in, Tutu te Puehu: New Perspectives on the New Zealand Wars, Steele Roberts Aotearoa Publishers, Wellington, New Zealand, (October 2018), edited by John Crawford & Ian McGibbon. {One detailed and appreciative book review (which also cites me specifically) includes: Professor Peter Stanley, UNSW Canberra, “Reviews: Tutu Te Puehu – New Perspectives on the New Zealand Wars”, in The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.44, No.3, (March 2019), pp.61-63.}
“The role of the Australian colonies in New Zealand’s Wars of the 1840s and 1860s”, Chapter 19 in, Tutu te Puehu: New Perspectives on the New Zealand Wars, Steele Roberts Aotearoa Publishers, Wellington, New Zealand, (October 2018), edited by John Crawford & Ian McGibbon. {One detailed and appreciative book review (which also cites me specifically) includes: Professor Peter Stanley, UNSW Canberra, “Reviews: Tutu Te Puehu – New Perspectives on the New Zealand Wars”, in The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.44, No.3, (March 2019), pp.61-63.}
(Co-authored with Greg Czechura), Mephisto: Technology, War and Remembrance (A Queensland Museum Discovery Guide: South Brisbane, 2018) [ISBN – Hard cover: 978-0-6480944-3-2, & Soft cover: 978-0-6480944-2-5.]
(Co-authored with Rob Shiels, The Workshops Rail Museum), “Railways in World War One: their place in the Australasian military railway journey – Part 1”, Sabretache: The Journal and Proceedings of the Military Historical Society of Australia, Vol.59, No.2, (June 2018), pp.16-26.
“Taranaki Military Settlers and the Australian Context”, The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.43, No.3, (March 2018), pp.6-35.
“Australasian Humanitarianism and Memorialisation, 1863-64: Trans-Tasman Dimensions to the HMS Orpheus Disaster”, The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Vol.43, No.2, (Nov. 2017), 7-24.
(Co-authored with Professor Lyndall Ryan, Newcastle University) “Memorialising Britain’s imperial wars in New Zealand in the 1840s: the 99th Regiment Memorial in Hobart, Tasmania”, New Zealand Journal of History, Vol.49, No.2, (2015), 160-175.
Blood Brothers: The Anzac Genesis (Rosedale, North Shore, New Zealand: Penguin Books, 2009). [ISBN 978 014 3011187; & also published by Wakefield Press, Kent Town, South Australia, 2009. ISBN 978 1 86254 838 1.] {One detailed and appreciative book review includes: Scott Sheffield, “Book Reviews: Blood Brothers: the ANZAC Genesis”, in The Journal of Pacific History, Vol.45, No.1, (June 2010), pp.172-173.}
(Co-authored with Greg Czechura), A7V Mephisto: The Last German First World War Tank (South Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland Museum, 2008; revised & reprinted 2010 & 2016). [ISBN 9780980569209 (pbk.)]
Literary & Professional Awards:
Literary Award: Best Example of Original Research in 2008 (awarded by the New Zealand Military Historical Society Inc., 19 March 2013). This was awarded for the article, “Colonial Humanitarianism: Australian Involvement in Relief Funds during the New Zealand Wars, 1840s & 1860s”, published in The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Volume 34, No.2, November 2008.
Part of the small team recognised in the category “Relationship Building” for Main Roads Heritage in the QLD Main Roads PD&O Staff Excellence Awards in 2007.
Literary Award: Best Example of Original Research in 2004 – 2005 (awarded by the New Zealand Military Historical Society Inc., 29 May 2007). This was awarded for the article, “Australian Involvement in the NZ Wars 1834 – 47” (published in 3 parts), published in The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, Volume 30, Nos.1, 2, and 3, during 2004-05.
Recent Conferences, Seminars, Talks & Other Speaking Engagements:
‘Memory, Commemoration and the First World War: Mephisto, Queensland’s unique “war prize” ’. Joint paper with Greg Czechura, presented at Remembering Armistice, Conference by The Royal Historical Society of Queensland, at the Commissariat Store Museum, Brisbane, 16 February 2019.
‘First World War Queensland Military Hospitals, Repatriation, and the Returned Soldiers’ Transport Corps’. Joint paper with Associate Professor Cliff Pollard, presented at Remembering Armistice, Conference by The Royal Historical Society of Queensland, at the Commissariat Store Museum, Brisbane, 16 February 2019.
‘The Rarest Tank in the World’. Joint talk with co-author Greg Czechura, promoting the newly released Queensland Museum publication, Mephisto: Technology, War and Remembrance, at Redcliffe Library, for Moreton Bay Regional Council Libraries, on 31 July 2018.
‘Mephisto: Technology, War and Remembrance’ Joint talk with co-author Greg Czechura, promoting the newly launched Queensland Museum publication, Mephisto: Technology, War and Remembrance (officially launch on 20 July), at Queensland Museum theatre, Southbank, on 22 July 2018.
Guest Speaker at 2018 Reserve Forces Day Recognition Parade and Ceremony held at the WW1 Cenotaph at The Workshops Rail Museum, North Ipswich, Queensland, on Sunday 24 June 2018.
‘The Western Front 8 August 1918 ‘The black day of the German Army’ – The Battle of Amiens and the ‘Amiens’ Rail Gun’. Joint talk with Rob Shields (Collection Manager, The Workshops Rail Museum), part of heritage talks series accompanying The Final 100 Days (1918 Western Front) exhibition, at Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, on 18 May 2018.
Presented Address at Service and Morning Tea to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the unveiling of the Mount Alford WW1 Sandstone Digger Memorial, held at the Mount Alford State School, Queensland, on Friday 25 May 2018.
‘First World War Queensland Military Hospitals, Repatriation, and the ‘Spanish Flu’ Pandemic, 1918-1919’. Joint presentation with Dr Cliff Pollard (Retired General Surgeon, and Board Member of Metro North Hospital & Health Board, Queensland), as part the Moreton Bay History Seminar, Moreton Bay Region Libraries, Moreton Bat Regional Council, North Lakes Community Centre, on 16 May 2018.
‘War, Technology and Remembrance – the First World War German tank Mephisto and the 26th Battalion’. Joint talk with Greg Czechura (Research Author, Queensland Museum), part of heritage talks series accompanying The Final 100 Days (1918 Western Front) exhibition, at Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, on 24 April 2018. Greg and I presented this talk a second time in the evening, same date, for the Royal United Services Institute, at Victoria Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, for the centenary of the 2nd Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, 24 April 1918.
‘First World War Queensland military hospitals, repatriation, and the ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic, 1918-1919’. Joint talk with Dr Cliff Pollard (Retired General Surgeon, and Board Member of Metro North Hospital & Health Board, Queensland), part of heritage talks series accompanying The Final 100 Days (1918 Western Front) exhibition, at Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, on 14 March 2018.
‘Railways in World War One: One part in a much longer Australasian military railways journey’. Joint presentation with Rob Shiels (Collection Manager, The Workshops Rail Museum), for the Royal United Services Institute, at Victoria Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, on 14 November 2017.
‘An Imperial presence, and Queensland’s scarlet legacy’. Joint paper with Rod Pratt, presented at the Brisbane History Group seminar, Victoria Barracks and the Defence of the Colony, held at Victoria Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, on 9 September 2017.
Queensland Government & other research/legal reports:
Research Consultant, Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS), July – August 2013. Research for, and prepared a report for QSNTS, Military Activity Historic: Fraser Island Commando School (1943-45), which dealt with the military occupation and possession of Fraser Island during World War Two (primarily focused around the establishment, operation and closure of the Fraser Island Commando School 1943-45) for use by the Butchulla People in Native Title case before the Federal Court of Australia.
Queensland Museum repatriation research project & reports by Jeff Hopkins-Weise & Dr Michael C Westaway: (1) A report for Dr Kazuhiro Sakaue on the skeletal remains of eight Japanese military personnel held in the collection of the Queensland Museum (5 February 2010); & (2) Collecting war dead in the name of Science? Japanese military personnel in the Queensland Museum collection (14 May 2012). This project and reports dealt with the largely unexplored phenomena of Japanese wartime remains collected by Australian military personnel during World War Two. A growing body of literature deals with this subject from the United States perspective, especially the ‘souveniring’ motivations and practices that were not uncommon amongst American military personnel during the war in the Pacific (1942-45). Examination of the historical context for similar remains found in Australian museums such as those found in the Queensland Museum reveals that there was another aspect driving the collecting of Japanese skeletal remains beyond mere souveniring or trophy taking. In at least a small number of cases it was the desire by museums, and the opportunistic collecting practices by museum staff or associates temporarily serving in the military forces in the Pacific, which enhanced scientific skeletal specimen collections in some Australian institutions; while an illicit trade for medical students seems to also account for other examples found in Australia.
Queensland Museum report by Jeff Hopkins-Weise & Michael Quinnell, Naturalist, Curator and Soldier: Ken Jackson – a life cut short. Research project carried out in in conjunction with Senior Curator Michael Quinnell (Torres Strait Islander & Pacific Indigenous Studies, Cultures & Histories Program), researching the life, career, and present-day museum collection legacy of Queensland Museum Ethnologist Ken Jackson (1937-43), the only Queensland Museum staff member to have ever been killed while on active service, when serving in the Australian Army (2nd A.I.F.) in New Guinea, January 1943. A work-in-progress paper was presented as part of the “Queensland Connections” series of lectures held at Queensland Museum, South Bank, on 7 October 2009.
Report to DATSIP on Research carried out for Lease Applications made under the Land Holding Act 1985, 1 April 2004. (As a Researcher, I submitted this 69-page report, along with accompanying extensive Excel database of research and findings, dated 29 March 2004, to the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy.)
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), Annual Environmental Audit Report – 2002-03: Environmental Auditing of Native Forest Timber Production. (As a Senior Policy Officer for QPWS, I assisted in the preparation for, including development of audit database, and writing of this report for Operational Review, Ecosystems Conservation Branch, Conservation Services Division, QPWS, in 2003.)
Queensland Montréal Process Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage Report: Data Request Response for 2003 State of the Forests Report, 30 June 2002. (Report written in conjunction with Dr David Cameron, and submitted to the Commonwealth, on behalf of Sustainable Forestry Practices Unit, Forestry & Wildlife Division, QPWS, in 2002.)
Montreal Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage Inventory Project Report: Clermont State Forests, Central Queensland, 21 December 2001. (As a Cultural Heritage Project Officer for QPWS, I carried out the research for, and submitted this report to Forest Planning and Sustainable Use, Forest Management Division, QPWS, in 2001.)
Gladstone State Forests Project: Overview & Contextual History of the Gladstone Study Area, September2001. (As a Consultant Historian for QPWS, I submitted this report to Forest Planning and Sustainable Use Section, Forest Management, QPWS, in 2001.)
a History of the Service and Loss of the Q.G.S. “Llewellyn”, 1884-1919, 9 March 1999. (As a Researcher for the Queensland Museum, I submitted this report to the Marine Archaeology Section, Queensland Museum, in 1999.)
As a Research Historian for the Queensland Art Gallery, I submitted three reports to the Queensland Art Gallery as part of the Gallery’s Centenary History Project in 1995: (1) Centenary History of the Queensland Art Gallery: Chronology of Events, Acquisitions, Exhibitions, and Personalities (84 page report, dated 24 January 1995); (2) History of the Queensland Art Gallery (and Art in Queensland/Brisbane) – Research Bibliography (11 page report, dated 21 January 1995); & (3) Queensland Art Gallery History Research Project – Sources Search List – (items that could possibly be of use) (8 page report, dated 20 January 1995).
