Anzac Day thoughts

[VK4ADC]

Today, Anzac Day, our thoughts turn to those who were the original Anzacs who landed in the now-named Gallipoli cove in Turkey, and now all those who have served in the Australian armed forces and/or perished in conflicts.   We commemorate through Anzac Day services and observances, and in the case of radio amateurs by a friendly 'contest' using the likes of AM - amplitude modulation, and CW.

Late last year or early this year, my XYL became aware of a new book "The First Ashore" (details below) and, since we knew my grandfather, Walter Edward Latimer, was amongst the first ashore there, ordered it.  To our surprise, he was on the very first boat.  There are a lot of details about the event, and more particularly the people, well researched and written. Not light reading but quite informative to the point that we learned what happened to him before his return in 1918.

What happened in war was something soldiers rarely spoke about, and whether my parents ever knew, we as children were never told.  The revelations in the book make this Anzac Day even more personal since I didn't ever meet my grandfather, and my grandmother died when I was about 4 years old - so I don't remember her as other than a wizened old lady with white hair in a bedroom in our house. My grandfather survived WW1 despite being shot and gassed but returned to Australia a man changed by war.

There are probably many others of you out there who have a similar family history, and today I am thinking about you also, for those who have been lost in conflict - and those who have managed to return, yet those we don't seem to put as much emphasis on.

Doug VK4ADC


The First Ashore
ISBN: 9780645362008

Category: Australasian & Pacific history
Format: Paperback
Publication Date: 08-12-2021
Language: English
Publisher: Peter Burgess
Country of origin: Australia

https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/books/...er-burgess

   

[VK2CSW]

Lest We Forget.

For the last decade or so, I have worked along side many veterans and serving members. When I say veterans - many are in their late twenties and thirties - they are the new veterans of the age old consequences of political posturing.

When you compare the health (especially mental health) support and assistance they get compared to those who served before, I simply cannot imagine how the veterans of yesteryear were able to manage. I guess many did not cope.

It is no wonder why many veterans of the 20th Century conflicts simply never spoke about it - too many ghosts.

We Will Remember Them.

[VK6ZFG]

Hi Doug

Your grandfather was on one of the first boats to land at Gallipoli but my other half's grandfather was on one of the last to leave.

From a letter of his published in the newspaper (obtained via from Trove)

"
L-Cpl. J. Satinover, 16th Battalion, writes: "We were all sorry to have to leave the peninsula after so much hard fighting and work, but I expect it was for the best.
There were 20 of us left behind to cover the retirement, and this was considered to be a post of honor. Everything was carried out splendidly. Near the end about 20 of us had to defend about half a mile of country, but the Turks didn't attack. I had to stand nine hours in the trenches in one stretch to keep watch, and then we set off for the boat. .Our company was on the extreme left, and we had some distance to go so you can Imagine I was well knocked up when we got to the boat. We got a fine reception when we got back to the boys. Two bands played us to the camp, and we got a great cheer. We have just been paid, and it will be very handy, as I was broke."
A later note:-"To-day is Christmas Day. We all received our billies, and were quite delighted with them. Mine came--from S.A. We got paid yesterday-the privates £3 and the N.C.O.'s £6. We all clubbed together, and bought different things, and are going to have a great *bust-up' for dinner."
"

He was later transferred to the 48th Battalion, was wounded in France and finished up as a German POW.

I suspect that he was probably involved going up and down the trench reloading the water can triggered rifles so as to create the illusion of more being present than was actually the case.

It is a small world.

73
Igor
vk6zfg