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Author Topic: ANZAC Day  (Read 1506 times)

Online WilliamPowell

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ANZAC Day
« on: April 12, 2011, 10:25:58 PM »
I've been working on a bit of a family project

Searching the National Archives to obtain my Grandpa's WW1 service records - absolutely amazing reading.

I never knew the man as he passed away long before I was born and I only ever had Ma Powell's stories about him until these war records became available on line.

But after reading all 40 odd pages I am so proud of what he did. He is a hero in my eyes just like he was in MA Powell's

He was away for over 4 years (that's a bloody long time  :o), was wounded 3 times but managed to survive it, came home, got married and raised 4 children on his own after my Grandma died when the youngest of the kids was only 11 months (with alot of helkp from Ma Powell being the only girl).

As a result of what I've found out over the last few days with all this reading I am thinking about going to this year's ANZAC Day dawn service

I was wondering has anyone on here ever been to one?  
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FNM

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2011, 04:56:03 AM »
Would love to go to one myself. Be very moving.
Where did your grandpa serve WP?
My dad was in the islands, until he got malaria and served the rest of his time at Berleigh Heads recouperating lol.
My great uncle served at Gallipoli and died in the Courtney's Post battle where Albert Jacka got his VC
And another great uncle who got a Military Medal as a stretcher-bearer who continuously rescued injured men while under fire

Makes you proud huh?
« Last Edit: April 13, 2011, 06:16:09 AM by FNM »
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Online WilliamPowell

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2011, 07:01:06 AM »
Quote from: FNM on April 13, 2011, 04:56:03 AM
Would love to go to one myself. Be very moving.
Where did your grandpa serve WP?
My dad was in the islands, until he got malaria and served the rest of his time at Berleigh Heads recouperating lol.
My great uncle served at Gallipoli and died in the Courtney's Post battle where Albert Jacka got his VC
And another great uncle who got a Military Medal as a stretcher-bearer who continuously rescued injured men while under fire

Makes you proud huh?

It certainly does FNM  :thumbsup

My Grandpa served in France and started in the 24th Battalion before being transferred to the 8th Battalion

He left Melb in 1915 and returned in 1919

Thanks to the archives I now have all the dates of his service and the names of the medals he was awarded.

All of his medals (3) were lost (supposedly) but I've managed to find a place in Sydney that's authorised to produce replicas so I've ordered a set

He actually left with his older brother (we've got his reords now too) who got sick on the boat and was admitted to hospital shortly after arriving in England. Sadly my Great Uncle passed away in Jan 1916 about 2 months after arriving, he was buried in England.
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"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

FNM

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2011, 07:20:39 AM »
My mum's fiance died in London too.
He flew Lancasters, but actually died of schrapnel wounds when London was bombed when he went to the pictures one night.
He was a journalist, and we have the most wonderful letters she kept. A great writer and I'll give to the war museum people one day, I think.
My grandmother had three brothers in WW1. One died Gallipoli, as I said, and the other two came home.  One came home totally unscathed, but when he arrived home, he went out onto the verandah out the back and walked straight through a glass door they had installed while he was away. Ended up losing his arm  :help
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gerkin greg

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2011, 09:57:12 AM »
Quote from: WilliamPowell on April 12, 2011, 10:25:58 PM
I was wondering has anyone on here ever been to one?  

I went to a dawn service in the early 90s when I was a cadet and then marched in the parade as a standard bearer later in the day. One of the best experiences of my life  :thumbsup

The best part was spending time with the Diggers & Nurses at the RSL between the service and the parade, great men and women  :bow
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Offline mightytiges

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 12:40:06 PM »
All the best to the diggers and hope they have a great day  :thumbsup

I had two great uncles on my dad's side in the SA corps who both died in WWI. One on the way to Gallipoli from dysentery and the other was killed on the peninsula. My grandfather was the sole surviving son as he was too young to go. My uncle on my mum's side fought in WW2 and is now in his 80s with 9 kids and a zillion grandkids. Not sure if he went to the parade today but he was in it last year.

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Online WilliamPowell

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2011, 07:04:32 PM »
We went to the dawn service today

I cannot put into words how I felt, the experience

It didn't matter that there was a "technical glitch" and we could barely hear anything, just being there, with the fog over the Shrine, hearing the Last Post, the remberance ode, was something I am proud to be able to say I've done not just for me but for Ma Powell and my Grandpa

After the service we went to the "Gunfire Breakfast", scrambled eggs, damper roll, sausages and baked beans (which I passed on  ;D) fantastic

Then back down to Flinders street for the March - we weren't going to stay for that but we stayed for the entire thing and I am glad we did. To see the Diggers and their smiles was worth it, we owe then so mauch

I only have one regret and that is I haven't made the effort to do it sooner

Lest We Forget


« Last Edit: April 26, 2011, 12:32:28 PM by WilliamPowell »
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"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

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FNM

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2011, 07:16:52 AM »
Got a friend going to Gallipoli and is going to get a pic of my Great Uncle's grave for me  :thumbsup
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Online WilliamPowell

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2011, 01:21:32 PM »
Quote from: FNM on May 31, 2011, 07:16:52 AM
Got a friend going to Gallipoli and is going to get a pic of my Great Uncle's grave for me  :thumbsup

That's fantastic FNM

Have you been watching that show on CH9 - "In their Footsteps"?  It's brillant



And as a foot note: I've done some more research and it appears I maybe able to march in the ANZAC day parade in the future to represent my family (my Grandpa) and his battalion

Finally RIP: the latest 2 soliders killed today. RIP to all of them and condolences to their families
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"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

FNM

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2011, 01:33:07 PM »
Quote from: WilliamPowell on May 31, 2011, 01:21:32 PM
Have you been watching that show on CH9 - "In their Footsteps"?  It's brillant
Seen bits of it, but not really.
I saw one on Foxtel on Anzac Day or sometime that week called "Gallipoli". It was a doco, not the movie.
It was absolutely horrific, more details than anyone would really want to know.  But I'm glad they actually told the real story of what they went through. Hopefully it can be repeated again!
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Offline mightytiges

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2011, 10:27:46 PM »
Quote from: FNM on May 31, 2011, 07:16:52 AM
Got a friend going to Gallipoli and is going to get a pic of my Great Uncle's grave for me  :thumbsup
Great stuff FNM  :thumbsup

I saw the Gallipoli episode of "In their Footsteps". Really well done combining the personal stories with the overall story of what was happening in the war around them.
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Offline julzqld

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Re: ANZAC Day
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2011, 10:49:16 PM »
Been to the dawn service at Currumbin a couple of years ago - it was packed.  Last couple of years I've opted for the late morning service at Currumbin RSL.  Was told that Geoff Raines was there this year too but didn't see him.

Always get a bit teary hearing "The Last Post".

I too got hold of my grandfather's war records.  He served in Borneo in WWII.
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