The Voice of New South Wales Serving and Ex-Service Men

and Women

VoL 88 No 3 MAY-JUNE 2015 SUbScriptioN $5.50

pp243459/900095“Lest We Forget”

t h E p r i c E o f L i b E r t Y i S E t E r N A L V i g i L A N c E

Gallipoli 100Centenary of ANZAC

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ANZAC DAY 2015

Fifty years after the Landing at Gallipoli commentators in the media told us ANZAC Day was fading towards irrelevance, that in another fifty years, Australia and its growing population of non-Anglo-Celtic migrants would have put it all to one side and no-one would bother to march.

How wrong could they have been?There is no accurate way to measure

the number of people who attended any of the scores of Dawn Services in NSW on ANZAC Day 2015, nor how many applauded those in the March in Sydney. We do know that more than 20,000 men and women marched through Martin Place, past the Cenotaph, and along George and Bathurst Streets to Hyde Park.

We know that Martin Place was filled to capacity soon after 3.00 a.m. as perhaps some 30,000 vied for the best positions, an hour before the Dawn Service began. Reports from the suburbs and regional centre suggest that attendances were bigger than ever at those local services – at least 9000 at North Bondi, 2000 at Roseville, double and even three times the figures seen in previous years.

By the time the Sydney March started, the footpaths along the route were lined three and four deep by well-wishers; within an hour those footpaths were impassable. Fifty years ago it was fashionable among some spectators to wave placards that decried war and insulted the veterans marching; this year the sons and daughters of that

generation carried signs that said, simply, “Thank You.”

By 11.30 a.m., an hour before the Commemoration Service at the ANZAC Memorial was due to start, there were at least 2000 people surrounding the Pool of Reflection or seated under cover.

The critic who fifty years ago might have forecast the demise of ANZAC Day would also have been surprised in 2015 to have seen evidence that Australia’s migrant population has adopted the heritage of our military history with enthusiasm. The younger veterans, the serving personnel, the banners being carried by descendants of those who fought for freedom under foreign flags, and the faces of the spectators – all pointed to today’s generation having

At 100: moRE RELEVANt thAN EVER

Photography by Katherine Gatfield with Mark Lee and Claudia Edwards

inherited respect for our defence forces past and present.

At the head of the March was a veteran, retired General David Hurley, 38th Governor of NSW, whose 42-year career in the ADF included deployment to Somalia in 1993 and most recently, three years as Chief of the Defence Force.

Newly elected State President Rod White, who served in Vietnam, led the RSL contingent, which included veterans of contemporary conflicts, a widow with

young son whose husband had been killed in Afghanistan, a group of East Timorese veterans, and Bob Hill, vice president of the New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association and a veteran of Malaya and Vietnam.

And if there had been any lingering doubts about the relevance in 2015 of ANZAC Day, they should have been dispelled by the reported television ratings. Yes, ratings had been lower than expected for drama products which had screened

weeks and months earlier. But on ANZAC Day itself, the ABC alone had 3.6 million viewers nationally, a million more than one year earlier, as the audience tuned in to the commemorations including the marches in capital cities and the Gallipoli and Villers-Bretonneux Dawn Services.

One hundred years after the Landing, the volunteers who fought and died at Gallipoli provide all Australians with a shared sense of solidarity and a shared inheritance.

John Gatfield

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ANZAC DAY 2015

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

Warren McDonald was recently promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshall, taking up the appointment of Deputy Chief of Air Force from July 2015. Born and educated in Hay, he is well remembered by locals.

The Hay War Memorial High School held a commemorative service in the Spirit of ANZAC Hall (on the school grounds). The Hall was filled to capacity (around 350 – 400 people).

A mural was also unveiled in memory of the sacrifices made by the men of Hay and district, cover a time line from Gallipoli to today.

HAY

TILLIGERRY

CRONULLA CASTLE HILLBATHURST

Members of the Worimi Aborigine people and their friends have just paid their respects at the ceremony standing underneath our make believe ANZAC Tree.

In the few minutes before the commencement of the Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove on Saturday 25th April 2015 the capacity crowd fell silent, the lights dimmed and the only sound was the Mediterranean quietly lapping the shore. Gazing out into the darkness across the placid waters it was easy to imagine the boats carrying the ANZAC troops making their way to the shore exactly one hundred years earlier. In the stillness of those moments before the first light of day it was also possible to imagine the thoughts of those in the landing boats as they looked up beyond the beach to the heights surrounding the cove where they were to come ashore. Would they come

under fire? Would they survive?And then the imagination turned to

what would have come next. The eruption of gunfire, the shouts of command to disembark and attack the defenders, the cries of those mortally wounded even as they reached the beach and the desperate sounds of those coping with events completely beyond the experience of many who landed on the shores of Gallipoli on 25th April 1915.

But this reverie was short lived. The Master of Ceremonies took the rostrum and the Centenary Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove commenced.

Seated close by were the Australian Widows of World War 1 veterans, in pride of place as they should have been.

At the later commemorative service at Lone Pine, these remarkable women were treated to a spontaneous round of applause by the capacity crowd as they moved in to take their seats not long before the commencement of that ceremony.

These were experiences those privileged to attend will remember for the rest of their lives. Those who gave their lives on that fateful day and during the subsequent Gallipoli campaign have not been forgotten.

Australia and New Zealand together honoured the fallen of those long ago battlefields and in so doing also paid tribute to the Ottoman Turkish soldiers who perished defending their homeland.

REFLECTIONS AT ANZAC COVE By Ken Doolan

Left to right: Captain Mike McCarthy RAN, Air Commodore Warren McDonald CSC, President Paul Edwards, Secretary Mick Beckwith, Nicholas Harrison

Sue Johnston, Publishing Editor Printed Post Magazine/Hay

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

A stunning performance of a specially commissioned work of music, Meeting the Sun, by the Royal Australian Navy Band and the Sydney Children’s Choir, was the highlight of a Dawn Service at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway on Sunday 19 April. The 18-minute performance was written by acclaimed Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin,

who was inspired initially by Sacrifice, the magnificent sculpture at the centre of the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park.

“I couldn’t get Sacrifice out of my head,” said Ms Kats-Chernin. “I placed a

postcard of it on my piano stand. It was very important for me to see this image and to keep playing music.”

The words to be sung by the choir were drawn from several texts, including

a poem, This Lovely Day, written by Sergeant Robert Ball during WWII. Ball’s widow and other members of his family came from Melbourne and elsewhere to be present for the world premiere of Meeting the Sun, which was given a standing ovation by the thousands who had gathered.

KOKODA TRACK MEMORIAL WALKWAY

Far left: The large crowd included many WWII and contemporary veterans Left: Composer Elena Kats-Chernin and RAN Band Director Lieutenant Matt Klohs acknowledge the standing ovation

NSW Veterans Affairs’ Minister David Elliott, Health Minister Jillian Skinner and DVA Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Collins laying wreaths at the Memorial Walkway centrepiece

Canada Bay Deputy Mayor Tony Fasanella, NSW Governor General David Hurley, and Mrs Hurley

prepare to add their poppies to the giant display at Brays Bay

The Royal Australian Navy Band and Sydney Children’s Choir

Meeting the Sun is a dramatic musical composition in five movements, inspired by texts from both WWI and WWII

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

SEVEN HILLS

Silk embroidered postcards were sent home to families in Australia by those serving overseas during World War 1. Many of these were hand embroidered by women in France, Belgium and England.As part of the Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW ANZAC Centenary Exhibition, members from across the state have designed their own postcards to reflect on World War 1. These postcards, along with original World War 1 “Silks” and textiles sent back to Australia between 1914 and 1918, will be on display in the Guild’s Concord West headquarters until May 27.

A grant from the Concord sub-Branch will cover the cost of the secure postage, for family items on loan by members, to and from the ANZAC Centenary Exhibition in the Guild’s Rooms in Concord West, as well as the postage of boxes of these cards which will form the Travelling ANZAC Postcard Exhibition visiting Groups around New South Wales.

Many guild groups will host the Travelling ANZAC Postcard Exhibition with the assistance of their local RSL. Wagga Wagga will be the first group to show these postcards in June. Information about the Exhibition: 02 9743 2501

Bob Turner, Hon Sec President Len Costelow learns about embroidered post cards from President Jenny Marty.

Over two hundred people attended the Dawn Service, where a chorus of white cockatoos flew over head to welcome the coming day. Wreaths were placed at the Memorial from the sub-Branch, veterans, Legacy, schools, council, ambulance, police, Rotary, Scouts, NRMA and local community members.

School students led the parade carrying the Australian and New Zealand flags. Kandos High School students carried a banner of Poppies made by local ladies. followed by veterans, Ladies Auxiliary, school children from Kandos, Rylstone and Ilford, as well as Scouts and their leaders. Angus Avenue was lined with children and adults waving Australian flags.

Over four hundred people attended the service, where students read their essays, said prayers and the local choir, “Wollemi Voices”, sang a medley of songs.President John Taylor, photo R. Evans.

Larry O’Connor, Glen Evans, John Taylor, Jim Dunn, Paul Edwards, Ike Levy

CONCORD

KANDOS

NARRABRI

On the 19 April 2015 Belfield celebrated ANZAC Sunday. Guests included our Patron and a former Mayoress of Canterbury Council Kayee Griffen MP, the current Mayor of Canterbury Brian Robson and Tony Burke MP representing the seat of Watson.

Ron Weewan, Hon Sec

BELFIELD

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

KATOOMBA

This year 11 of our members as well as Shore School Chaplain Rev. Paul Dudley, his daughter Olivia, our Bugler Nathan Chapman plus 3 friends of members totalling 17, together with 86 BridgeClimb staff and their family and friends witnessed the Dawn Service conducted by President David McDowell.

A total of 103 were at the very summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge when dawn broke over the Sydney Heads. It was a magnificent sight and there was not a breath of wind as we contemplated the landing at Gallipoli 100 years ago to the day. A fitting beginning to a memorable day’s commemorations.

Back in October 2014 we decided on a Centenary Project on the Charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba, in the form of a diorama.

Whilst Welfare Officer Ian Noormets travelled through the community for sponsors of the scale figures, RSL member and modeller Jeff Iles set to work on the base for the project.

The resultant model was unveiled, with the help of the four Narooma public school captains, Jack Westoll, Makayla Morris, Piper Smith and Thomas Hodge, at our

recent April meeting.All the figures/buildings etc were

sponsored by local individuals or businesses and take up the whole RSL

display area at the Narooma Sports & Services Club.

The model of AE2 was commissioned by Club Narooma and donated to the display.

Some of the diorama detail and AE2

KIRRIBILLI

NAROOMA

The school captains with Jeff and the complete display in the background

BALMAIN

The pre-dawn service was led by a magnificent Sikh Marching Band down Darling Street to Australia’s oldest War Memorial.

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

Tamworth sub-Branch was overwhelmed by the turn-out at all of the ANZAC Day services and march. An estimated 10,000 people attended the Dawn service at ANZAC Park and traffic was banked up for almost 45 minutes after the service. The march saw increased numbers of participants,

particularly younger veterans, and approximately 5000 school children took part. The watching crowd was 15 deep on either side of the main street for the entire route of the march. At the main service in the Town Hall, it was standing room only with a seated audience of over 1000 people.

TAMWORTH GRANVILLE

As part of the 2015 Centenary of ANZAC commemorations, a moving ceremony was held in Wagga Wagga on the 24th of February, when Wagga’s oldest living World War 2 veteran, Colin Bell, assisted by Kevin Kerr, President Wagga Wagga RSL sub-Branch, relit the Eternal Flame

in the Victory Memorial Gardens. The relighting was carried out in

the presence of Daryl Maguire MP, Member for Wagga Wagga, Cr Rod Kendall, Mayor of Wagga Wagga, local service chiefs, sub-Branch members, local schoolchildren and members of the public. The RSL Commemorative Rural Youth Choir Inc. performed

during the ceremony. The ceremony followed

an extensive $130,000:00 renovation of the flame, reflection pond and surrounding memorial walls that had been carried out by the City Council in partnership with the sub-Branch and the Wagga RSL Club, using a design by John Wood.

WAGGA WAGGA

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

The Centenary of ANZAC was launched in the Sydney suburb of Auburn with the unveiling of an Australia – Turkey Friendship Wall and the rededication of the relocated and refurbished Auburn War Memorial.

Over 1000 citizens of Auburn gathered in Memorial Park on Saturday February 28 to witness this unique event with veteran broadcaster, Lieutenant Colonel John Moore as MC.

The Mayor of Auburn City Council, Mr Ronney Oueik renamed the former Railway Park, the Consul-General of the Republic of Turkey, Dr Seyda Hanbay Arca unveiled the Australia-Turkey Wall of Friendship and the refurbished war memorial was unveiled by sub-Branch member Wing Commander (AAFC) Paul Hughes JP, Officer Commanding 3 Wing, Australian Air Force Cadets.

The sacrifice of both Australian and Turkish soldiers was remembered in a Requiem for the Fallen presented by the Auburn sub-Branch and prayers for peace were offered by Major Paul Moulds of Auburn Salvation Army and Dr Abdurrahman Asaroglu of Auburn’s Gallipoli Mosque.

Adding colour and dignity to the occasion were Bankstown City Brass Band, the 307 Squadron Air Force Cadets providing flag bearers and a catafalque party, the Auburn and Newington Community Choirs and the Gallipoli Mehter Takimi (the Turkish Marching Band).

Auburn is a very cosmopolitan part of Sydney with a large Turkish population. Within the Auburn sub-Branch there is a Turkish Chapter of those who have served in the Turkish armed forces. Both the sub-Branch and the Turkish chapter were keen to launch the centenary of ANZAC with a joint event, since 2015 marks the centenary of battles as

significant to the Turkish community as they are to Australians.

In the defence of The Narrows and in the Gallipoli battles thousands of Turkish soldiers gave their lives to defend their country against foreign invasion.

The Turkish general, Ataturk, went on to establish the modern Republic of Turkey and he extended goodwill to Australians wanting to visit the graves of over 6000 diggers who lie buried in Turkish soil. The tribute to the ANZACs penned by Ataturk, and displayed in the foyer of RSL NSW headquarters, is well known.

Following the sale of all RSL property in Northumberland Road, Auburn in 2013, the sub-Branch had to find a new home for Auburn’s fine Great War Memorial.

Auburn City Council convened a committee with representatives from the sub-Branch and the Turkish community to recommend a new site and to consider how both the sub-Branch and the Turkish community could have monuments to jointly commemorate the Anzac Centenary.

The end result was a fine public commemorative area with the war memorial embraced by the Wall of Friendship along with accompanying flagpoles, landscaping, lighting and paving. The concept was developed by Thompson Berrill and the project was managed by Frances Hamilton, landscape architect of Auburn City Council.

The Australia – Turkey Wall of Friendship is inscribed with Ataturk’s well-known message to the mothers of the ANZACs along with a tribute to a compassionate Turkish soldier penned by Gallipoli veteran, Lord Casey, later to be Governor-General of Australia.

The Auburn Great War Memorial has moved three times over the years and is now back in the same park in which it

was first erected in 1922. The original unveiling was carried out by the popular commander of the Australian Second Division, Major General Sir Charles Rosenthal.

The Auburn sub-Branch met the $220,000 cost of relocating and repairing the war memorial and is very pleased that the memorial now has pride of place in a fine commemorative area in the heart of Auburn.

AUBURN

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ANZAC CENTENARY 2015

SUTTON VENY, UKThe ANZACs established a major base, No 1 Command Depot, in an idyllic little English village called Sutton Veny, located between Bath and Salisbury, in December 1915. After the Armistice in November 1918 No 1 Australian General Hospital was located in Sutton Veny.

Casualties rose as the battles in France became more ferocious. The hospital could not save all the wounded soldiers and those that died were buried in the local churchyard of St John’s Church. In 1917, quite spontaneously, children from the local primary school collected wild flowers from the fields and woods and made posies. They placed them on each individual grave. It was a most generous gesture and generations of schoolchildren have continued this annual act of remembrance.

An ANZAC Day Service was held this year at St John’s Church. This is a beautiful English Parish Church which has a dedicated RSL Chapel. There was standing room only for the service. All the School attended and they were joined by members of the Connecting Spirits Tour of 5 South Australian High Schools on a War Graves pilgrimage

of Europe. Poppies were on display and these had been donated by the RSL Club in Geraldton, West Australia. All the schoolchildren were presented with ANZAC biscuits made by students from Bridgwater School, South Australia. During the service Major Matt Worthington, a serving officer from the Australian Army, thanked the students for the way that they remembered the War dead over the last 100 years.

At the end of the service all the students left and laid their posies on each of the war graves in the churchyard. After a short service at the memorial a wreath was laid by Major Worthington and the last post was played by a bugler from the Yorkshire Regiment of the British Army. There are 142 soldiers and 2 Army Nursing Sisters graves in the churchyard. It was a most solemn occasion. One Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and 3 Military Medals (MM) holders are amongst those heroes buried there.

John Parry, RSL Member Ex 30th Battalion RNSW Regiment

Ex 5th Battalion King’s Regiment (Liverpool)

Above: Private Rose’s (Age 16) Headstone, Below: Children placing flowers on ANZAC War Graves

Delegate sub-Branch held its very first Dawn Service this year. We were fortunate to have a troop of Boy Scouts riding through the district that morning and quickly commandeered them to assist with flag duties at the service.

Special thanks also due to LCDR Ray Arthurs, CPO Walter Baumhammer and FLTLT Michael Brady for providing a uniformed presence and Ian Sellers, and Judy and Bec Dare for cooking the scouts’ breakfast.

The Maori contingent also took part in the main service that day by singing E Kiwi E which was a welcome home song sung to NZ veterans returning from the war. They then sang the NZ National Anthem in Maori and English followed by the Haka.

DELEGATE TORONTO