Osmar Egmont Dorkin White (2 April 1909 – 16 May 1991) was an Australian journalist, war correspondent and writer. He is most famous for his vivid description of the New Guinea Campaign during World War II. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Robert Dentry, EM Dorkin, and Maros Gray.
Born in Feilding, New Zealand, White moved with his family to Australia at age five and spent his childhood in Katoomba.
Professional backgroundedit
He began his career as a journalist with the Cumberland Times in Parramatta, New South Wales, before moving to the Wagga Wagga Advertiser. He also wrote for the Sydney Daily Telegraph as a district correspondent while studying at the University of Sydney. From 1928 to 1933, he worked as a freelance writer in South and Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea and published dozens of short stories in The Australian Journal, The Bulletin and magazines in the United Kingdom.[1]
World War IIedit
White was a journalist with The Herald and Weekly Times during the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea in 1942, before becoming an accredited war correspondent with the Australian forces there. Together with Australian war photographer Damien Parer and war correspondent Chester Wilmot, White walked over the Bulldog Track to cover the guerrilla campaign conducted by Kanga Force and later also covered the Kokoda Track Campaign, detailing the trials and triumphs of Allied troops during that time.[2] He was seriously wounded during the New Georgia campaign and, while recovering in Australia, he wrote Green Armour, which described in detail the harsh conditions of the jungle fighting in 1942 including on the Kokoda Track.
Herald and Weekly Times chairman Sir Keith Murdoch (father of future media magnate Rupert Murdoch), highly impressed by White's writing ability, promoted him to one of the Herald's top correspondent positions and sent him to Europe to cover the Western Front. White was one of the few Australian journalists attached to the Supreme Allied Command (SHAEF), and was present during the Allied liberation of Paris. He was later attached to General George Patton's Third Army, and followed it into Germany during the final days of the war in Europe. He was the only Australian journalist present at the German surrender at Reims, France, in 1945 and one of the first journalists to enter war-torn Berlin.
Retirement yearsedit
After the war, White returned to Australia and the Melbourne Herald as a senior writer. In the early 1950s, he wrote a hard-hitting series that ran for over one year and called for radical reform of mental health and child welfare provisions in the State of Victoria. However, his main specialty was the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea, where he travelled extensively in the 1950s and early 1960s. He was the sole Australian press representative on the Australian Antarctic expedition of 1956-57. Following his retirement from daily journalism in 1963, he wrote a number of books, including a history of Papua New Guinea, a successful series of children's books, two novels, radio and television scripts and occasional contributions to various newspapers and magazines including Walkabout.[3]
He died in Melbourne on 16 May 1991.
Worksedit
In addition to Green Armour, his other major work was Conquerors' Road, which recounted his experience as a war correspondent in Europe. However, after having initially set publication dates, publishers in both the United States and England refused to publish the book. Although no reason was given at the time, White believed the work, which contained criticism of Allied forces behaviour at both the military and political levels, was too controversial. He was therefore obliged to shelve the book until the 1980s, when he re-edited it and attempted to have it published again. It was finally published posthumously by HarperCollins in 1996, and re-published by Cambridge University Press in 2003. It is a unique work in that it provides a first-hand account by an accredited war correspondent of the final days of Hitler's regime.
White, Osmar (1945). Green Armour. Australian War Classics series. Penguin. ISBN0-14-014706-3.
White, Osmar (1966). Parliament of a Thousand Tribes: a Study of New Guinea. Heinemann.
White, Osmar (1967). Time Now, Time Before. Heinemann, Melbourne.
White, Osmar (1969). Under the Iron Rainbow: Northwest Australia Today. Heinemann, Melbourne.
White, Osmar (1974). Australia for Everyone: a Modern Guide.
White, Osmar (1978). Silent Reach. Charles Scribner, New York.
White, Osmar (1996). Conquerors' Road. HarperCollins/Cambridge University Press. ISBN0732256070.
Referencesedit
^"Papers of Osmar White, circa 1930-2005 [manuscript] | National Library of Australia". Catalogue.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^McDonald, Neil. "Reginald William Winchester (Chester) Wilmot (1911–1954)". Biography - Reginald William Winchester (Chester) Wilmot - Australian Dictionary of Biography. Adbonline.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
^"Index to Volume 35, January - December 1969". Trove. Walkabout. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
External linksedit
White at The Australian Literature Resource
January 01, 1970
osmar, white, osmar, egmont, dorkin, white, april, 1909, 1991, australian, journalist, correspondent, writer, most, famous, vivid, description, guinea, campaign, during, world, also, wrote, under, pseudonyms, robert, dentry, dorkin, maros, gray, bornosmar, egm. Osmar Egmont Dorkin White 2 April 1909 16 May 1991 was an Australian journalist war correspondent and writer He is most famous for his vivid description of the New Guinea Campaign during World War II He also wrote under the pseudonyms Robert Dentry EM Dorkin and Maros Gray Osmar WhiteBornOsmar Egmont Dorkin White2 April 1909Feilding New ZealandDied16 May 1991 aged 82 Melbourne AustraliaOther names pen names Robert Dentry EM Dorkin Maros GrayOccupation s Journalist war correspondent writer Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional background 3 World War II 4 Retirement years 5 Works 6 References 7 External linksEarly life editBorn in Feilding New Zealand White moved with his family to Australia at age five and spent his childhood in Katoomba Professional background editHe began his career as a journalist with the Cumberland Times in Parramatta New South Wales before moving to the Wagga Wagga Advertiser He also wrote for the Sydney Daily Telegraph as a district correspondent while studying at the University of Sydney From 1928 to 1933 he worked as a freelance writer in South and Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea and published dozens of short stories in The Australian Journal The Bulletin and magazines in the United Kingdom 1 World War II editWhite was a journalist with The Herald and Weekly Times during the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea in 1942 before becoming an accredited war correspondent with the Australian forces there Together with Australian war photographer Damien Parer and war correspondent Chester Wilmot White walked over the Bulldog Track to cover the guerrilla campaign conducted by Kanga Force and later also covered the Kokoda Track Campaign detailing the trials and triumphs of Allied troops during that time 2 He was seriously wounded during the New Georgia campaign and while recovering in Australia he wrote Green Armour which described in detail the harsh conditions of the jungle fighting in 1942 including on the Kokoda Track Herald and Weekly Times chairman Sir Keith Murdoch father of future media magnate Rupert Murdoch highly impressed by White s writing ability promoted him to one of the Herald s top correspondent positions and sent him to Europe to cover the Western Front White was one of the few Australian journalists attached to the Supreme Allied Command SHAEF and was present during the Allied liberation of Paris He was later attached to General George Patton s Third Army and followed it into Germany during the final days of the war in Europe He was the only Australian journalist present at the German surrender at Reims France in 1945 and one of the first journalists to enter war torn Berlin Retirement years editAfter the war White returned to Australia and the Melbourne Herald as a senior writer In the early 1950s he wrote a hard hitting series that ran for over one year and called for radical reform of mental health and child welfare provisions in the State of Victoria However his main specialty was the Pacific and Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea where he travelled extensively in the 1950s and early 1960s He was the sole Australian press representative on the Australian Antarctic expedition of 1956 57 Following his retirement from daily journalism in 1963 he wrote a number of books including a history of Papua New Guinea a successful series of children s books two novels radio and television scripts and occasional contributions to various newspapers and magazines including Walkabout 3 He died in Melbourne on 16 May 1991 Works editIn addition to Green Armour his other major work was Conquerors Road which recounted his experience as a war correspondent in Europe However after having initially set publication dates publishers in both the United States and England refused to publish the book Although no reason was given at the time White believed the work which contained criticism of Allied forces behaviour at both the military and political levels was too controversial He was therefore obliged to shelve the book until the 1980s when he re edited it and attempted to have it published again It was finally published posthumously by HarperCollins in 1996 and re published by Cambridge University Press in 2003 It is a unique work in that it provides a first hand account by an accredited war correspondent of the final days of Hitler s regime White Osmar 1945 Green Armour Australian War Classics series Penguin ISBN 0 14 014706 3 White Osmar 1966 Parliament of a Thousand Tribes a Study of New Guinea Heinemann White Osmar 1967 Time Now Time Before Heinemann Melbourne White Osmar 1969 Under the Iron Rainbow Northwest Australia Today Heinemann Melbourne White Osmar 1974 Australia for Everyone a Modern Guide White Osmar 1978 Silent Reach Charles Scribner New York White Osmar 1996 Conquerors Road HarperCollins Cambridge University Press ISBN 0732256070 References edit Papers of Osmar White circa 1930 2005 manuscript National Library of Australia Catalogue nla gov au Retrieved 22 July 2012 McDonald Neil Reginald William Winchester Chester Wilmot 1911 1954 Biography Reginald William Winchester Chester Wilmot Australian Dictionary of Biography Adbonline anu edu au Retrieved 22 July 2012 Index to Volume 35 January December 1969 Trove Walkabout Retrieved 30 May 2022 External links editWhite at The Australian Literature Resource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Osmar White amp oldid 1208895077, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
