Damien Parer
Encyclopedia
Damien Peter Parer was an Australian war photographer. He became famous for his war photography of the Second World War
, and was killed by Japanese machinegun fire at Peleliu
, Palau
. He married Elizabeth Marie Cotter on 23 March 1944, and his son, producer Damien Parer, was born after his father had died. He was also the uncle of Australian politician Warwick Parer
and film-maker David Parer
. He was cinematographer for Australia's first Oscar
winning film, Kokoda Front Line
, an edition of the weekly newsreel, Cinesound Review which was produced by Ken Hall
.
in Melbourne
, the tenth child of Teresa and John Arthur Parer, a hotel manager on King Island, Tasmania
. In 1923, he and his brother, Adrian, were sent as boarders to St Stanislaus' College
in Bathurst
and St Kevin's College, Melbourne,. He joined the school's camera club, and decided that he wanted to be a photographer, rather than a priest. However, finding a job as a photographer in depression-era Australia proved difficult, and so he resumed his education at St Kevin's in east Melbourne. While at this school he won a prize in a photographic competition run by the Melbourne newspaper, the Argus, and used the money to buy a Graflex camera used by professionals.
Parer obtained an apprenticeship with Arthur Dickinson. He said later that he learnt most about photography from Dickinson and Max Dupain
. He finished his apprenticeship in 1933 and, sometime later, obtained work with the director, Charles Chauvel, on the film Heritage, where he met and became friends with another up and coming filmmaker of the time, John Heyer
. At the conclusion of that film, and with the help of Chauvel, he obtained work in Sydney, and so moved there in 1935.
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By World War II, Parer was experienced at photography and motion pictures, and was appointed as official movie photographer to the Australian Imperial Force
(AIF).
His first war footage was taken on HMAS Sydney
after it had sunk the Italian
cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. Soon after, he was aboard HMS Ladybird
while it was bombarding the sea port of Bardia in Libya
. His first experience at close quarters was during a troop advance at Derna.
Parer filmed in Greece
and in Syria
, covering the action from aircraft, the deck of a ship and on the ground with the infantry. After Syria he travelled to Tobruk
in August 1941 before covering the fighting in the Western desert. By mid-1942 Parer was in New Guinea
ready to cover the fighting against the Japanese. Together with war correspondent Osmar White
, he undertook an arduous journey by schooner, launch and then on foot from Port Moresby
to Wau via Yule Island
, Terapo and Kudjiru, in order to document the efforts of the meager forces then fighting on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea
.
During this phase of the war, he filmed some of his most famous sequences, some at Salamaua
and, most notably, those used in Kokoda Front Line
. This documentary won its producer, Ken G. Hall
, an Academy Award for documentary film-making. Parer was killed by Japanese gunfire while filming a United States Marine advance in Palau
on the island of Peleliu
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was killed by Japanese machinegun fire at Peleliu
Peleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
. He married Elizabeth Marie Cotter on 23 March 1944, and his son, producer Damien Parer, was born after his father had died. He was also the uncle of Australian politician Warwick Parer
Warwick Parer
Warwick Raymond Parer , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate, representing the state of Queensland. He is the nephew of Australian war photographer Damien Parer.Born in Wau, Papua New Guinea, he attended St...
and film-maker David Parer
David Parer
David Parer is an award-winning Australian natural history film maker.Parer was conscripted into the Australian Army to go to the Vietnam War in 1970, but he entered a Masters program to study physics in the Antarctic. Parer spent the summers of 1970 and 1972 in Antarctica studying cosmic rays....
. He was cinematographer for Australia's first Oscar
15th Academy Awards
The 15th Academy Awards was held in the Cocoanut Grove at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Best Picture honors went to the film Mrs. Miniver. The ceremony is most famous for the speech by the film’s Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson...
winning film, Kokoda Front Line
Kokoda Front Line
Kokoda Front Line! was a full-length edition of the Australian newsreel, Cinesound Review, produced by the Australian News & Information Bureau and Cinesound Productions Limited in 1942. It was one of four winners of the 1942 Academy award for best documentary, and the first Australian film to win...
, an edition of the weekly newsreel, Cinesound Review which was produced by Ken Hall
Ken G. Hall
Kenneth George Hall, AO OBE , better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry.-Early years:...
.
Early life
Damien Parer was born at MalvernMalvern, Victoria
Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, the tenth child of Teresa and John Arthur Parer, a hotel manager on King Island, Tasmania
King Island, Tasmania
King Island is one of the islands that make up the state of Tasmania, Australia. It is located in the Roaring Forties of Bass Strait, off the north-western tip of the main island of Tasmania, about half way between Tasmania and the mainland state of Victoria. The southernmost point is called Stokes...
. In 1923, he and his brother, Adrian, were sent as boarders to St Stanislaus' College
St Stanislaus College (Bathurst)
St Stanislaus' College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for boys, conducted by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul's priests and brothers...
in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
and St Kevin's College, Melbourne,. He joined the school's camera club, and decided that he wanted to be a photographer, rather than a priest. However, finding a job as a photographer in depression-era Australia proved difficult, and so he resumed his education at St Kevin's in east Melbourne. While at this school he won a prize in a photographic competition run by the Melbourne newspaper, the Argus, and used the money to buy a Graflex camera used by professionals.
Parer obtained an apprenticeship with Arthur Dickinson. He said later that he learnt most about photography from Dickinson and Max Dupain
Max Dupain
Maxwell Spencer Dupain AC was a renowned Australian modernist photographer.-Early life:Dupain received his first camera as a gift in 1924, spurring his interest in photography He later joined the Photographic Society of NSW, and when he left school, he worked for Cecil Bostock in Sydney.-Early...
. He finished his apprenticeship in 1933 and, sometime later, obtained work with the director, Charles Chauvel, on the film Heritage, where he met and became friends with another up and coming filmmaker of the time, John Heyer
John Heyer
John Whitefoord Heyer was an Australian documentary filmmaker, who is often described as the father of Australian documentary film....
. At the conclusion of that film, and with the help of Chauvel, he obtained work in Sydney, and so moved there in 1935.
Career
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
(AIF).
His first war footage was taken on HMAS Sydney
HMAS Sydney (1934)
HMAS Sydney , named for the Australian city of Sydney, was one of three Modified Leander class light cruisers operated by the Royal Australian Navy...
after it had sunk the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. Soon after, he was aboard HMS Ladybird
HMS Ladybird (1916)
HMS Ladybird was an Insect-class gunboat of the Royal Navy, launched in 1916. This class are also referred to as "Large China Gunboats"....
while it was bombarding the sea port of Bardia in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. His first experience at close quarters was during a troop advance at Derna.
Parer filmed in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, covering the action from aircraft, the deck of a ship and on the ground with the infantry. After Syria he travelled to Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
in August 1941 before covering the fighting in the Western desert. By mid-1942 Parer was in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
ready to cover the fighting against the Japanese. Together with war correspondent Osmar White
Osmar White
Osmar Egmont Dorkin White 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 undertook an arduous journey by schooner, launch and then on foot from Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
to Wau via Yule Island
Yule Island
Yule Island is a small island in Central Province, Papua New Guinea. It lies 160 km from Port Moresby.-History:Yule Island was one of the first areas in Central Province to have contact with Europeans...
, Terapo and Kudjiru, in order to document the efforts of the meager forces then fighting on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
During this phase of the war, he filmed some of his most famous sequences, some at Salamaua
Salamaua
Salamaua was a small town situated on the north-eastern coastline of Papua New Guinea part of Morobe province. The settlement was built on a minor isthmus between the coast with mountains on the inland side and a headland...
and, most notably, those used in Kokoda Front Line
Kokoda Front Line
Kokoda Front Line! was a full-length edition of the Australian newsreel, Cinesound Review, produced by the Australian News & Information Bureau and Cinesound Productions Limited in 1942. It was one of four winners of the 1942 Academy award for best documentary, and the first Australian film to win...
. This documentary won its producer, Ken G. Hall
Ken G. Hall
Kenneth George Hall, AO OBE , better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry.-Early years:...
, an Academy Award for documentary film-making. Parer was killed by Japanese gunfire while filming a United States Marine advance in Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
on the island of Peleliu
Peleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
.
Filmography
Damien Parer is credited for the following films:- Men of TimorMen of TimorMen of Timor was a short documentary propaganda film about the guerrilla warfare activities of the Australian forces on Timor.The film opens with a map of the area showing Timors in relation to the north Australian coast, and briefly explains the circumstances of the left behind Australian troops...
(1942) - Moresby Under the Blitz (1942)
- Kokoda Front Line! (1942)
- Assault on Salamaua (1943)
- The Bismarck Convoy Smashed (1943)