Significance of Anzac Day for my family

During the Second World War my father served in the Australian Army with the 2/4th Battalion which left Sydney on 10 January 1940 for Palestine. The Battalion was also stationed in Egypt, Tobruk, Greece and Crete and Syria before returning to Australia early in 1942. The Battalion was then relocated to Papua New Guinea but Dad remained in Australia as he had been discharged due to illness making him unfit for military service.

Dad in Sydney with his mother, January 1940

An account of Dad's military service can be found in a series of blog posts in my Exploring Military History blog.

Anzac Day was always very important to Dad and each year he attended the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance  followed by the Anzac Day March later in the morning. The 2/4th Battalion was based in Sydney but a number of its members, like Dad, had relocated to Melbourne after the war. Anzac Day was their special time to get together and we all knew that we would not see Dad on that day.

However Anzac Day is also my mother's birthday.

Fortunately Mum accepted the situation. My mother's family lived in Queensland so her birthday was spent initially with my sister and me and later with our younger brother.

Mum, though, was not forgotten by Dad's mates, some of whom would each year ring her prior to her birthday to pass on birthday wishes and assure her that they would look after Dad!

Dad died in 1984 but the family always observes Anzac Day usually watching the main services on television. Two of my grandchildren are in guide and scout groups and this year they took part in the Anzac Day Parade to our local war memorial. Their mother, a guide leader, was involved in the Anzac Day March in the city.

The other family aspect of Anzac Day was, of course, not forgotten. My mother now lives in a nursing home so in the afternoon members of the Melbourne clan met there to help Mum celebrate her special day.

Mum's birthday 2019 - four generations

Therefore, for my family, Anzac Day is a day of commemoration and celebration.

Japanese submarines off Sydney

A previous post on the shelling of Rose Bay covered some of the story of the prescence of Japanese submarines in the vicinity of Sydney in June 1942.

A number of books have been written about this period of Australian history. Some I mentioned in a post in another blog on books written about Sydney during World War II.

Two books, in particular, Battle Surface! by David Jenkins and The Battle for Australia by Bob Wurth have used Japanese records as well as Royal Australian Navy records to describe what was happening at the time.

Japanese midget submarines entering Sydney Harbour on the night of 31 May - 1 June 1942 is the story that people remember. Three Japanese submarines were stationed outside the harbour entrance. Being midwinter it was dark early although there was a full moon. Earlier the Japanese had flown a small plane to check shipping in the harbour. During the evening three midget submarines left the mother submarines, I-22, I-24 and I-27, and entered the harbour. Technically there was a black out in Sydney but some lights were still on. Although parts of the harbour were netted, the city was not really expecting an attack by submarine.

The first midget submarine entered the harbour around 8 o'clock but its propellers encountered the anti-submarine nets and became entangled. The two men in the submarine destroyed the submarine before crew of Australian craft could investigate.

The crew of the second midget submarine unsuccessfully attacked Chicago, a ship in the harbour.  One shell remained unexploded on Garden Island while a second torpedo sank the former ferry, Kuttabul, killing 21 men. The submarine diappeared and was not found until 2006 when divers discovered the wreckage in the harbour.

The third midget submarine entered the harbour several hours later. Patrol boats detected it and the submarine was sunk. When the vessel was retrieved by RAN divers it was discovered that the crew had shot themselves.

The war had come to Sydney.

The bodies of the four Japanese discovered after the incursion into the harbour were given a funeral with military honours.

The mother submarine, I-24, remained in the area for several days after the attack before firing shells across the peninsula of land near Rose Bay on the night of 8 June.

After this week of activity the Japanese submarines returned to their prime task of disrupting shipping along the coast.

A summary of the Japanese attack on Sydney Harbour can be read on the Australian Navy website.

Kambala

Kambala school for girls began at Fernbank, a house in Edgecliff Road Edgecliffe. In 1887 Miss Louisa Jane Guerney started a school with 12 girls in the house. As the number of pupils increased the school moved to a larger property named Kambala in 1891.The new property consisted of 13 acres. By this time Mademoiselle Augustine Soubeiran was co-principal with Miss Guerney.

In 1913 the school had grown to almost 50 pupils so it once again relocated, this time to Tivoli, its present home in Rose Bay. The school brought the name, Kambala, to the new location. A building has been on this site since 1842 when Captain William Dumaresq built a cottage and later a house. The Dumaresq family lived on the site until 1881 when Morrice Alexander Black purchased the property. He then had the house rebuilt. Further estensions and alterations have been made to Tivoli since it became a school. It is currently the boarding house for year 7 - 10 students.

Tivoli (1941)

Additional buildings have been built on the site as well as sports grounds.

Senior House building (1941)

In 1926 Kambala became a Church of England (Anglican) Foundation School.

My mother, Rosemary Lord, was a pupil at Kambala from 1939-1942. Consequently she was at the school during part of the Second World War. The post in this blog, Shelling of Rose Bay, provides information about Rosemary's memories of her school days at Kambala during the war.

Rosemary started the school in first form (year 7 now). Rosemary's life at school during this time can be viewed via some of the photographs in a family album.

Group of friends outside the Tivoli building (1939)

Miss Fifi Hawthorne was headmistress of the school when Rosemary attended Kambala. Miss Chadwick was the House Mistress during Rosemary's first year at the school.

Miss Chadwick (1939)

In a family history interview in 1994 Rosemary described one of her interests at school:

I used to take part in the drama class at school. The first year I got the runners up prize and the second year I won the prize for playing a hunter in some crazy thing. We used to spend lunch time sometimes fooling around in plays and things. One girl was really funny. She had invented a skit on The Three Bears. There was much giggling and what have you. She later became a doctor.

Friends (Rosemary second from left in group)

Relaxing in the school grounds

Shirley, Judy, Helen, Myra, Jill, Rosemary, Jocelyn, Ruth (1941)

Rosemary's favourite sport at school was tennis. In the 1994 interview she described her interest in sport: "I played tennis and I was captain of the B team. I played basketball (netball) but I played in the B team."

Ready for a game of tennis.

Kambala is in a beautiful location as the image below, from Wikipedia, indicates.

Click on the image for a better view

As Rosemary noted: "The school was in a beautiful position overlooking the harbour by the flying boat base. For a couple of years I was in classrooms that overlooked the base and it was hard to concentrate."

Although Australia was at war it did not directly impact upon Sydney until 1942. However the girls would have had family members - brothers, cousins - who had enlisted and in some cases were serving overseas. Rosemary's cousin, David, enlisted in July 1940 and was sent to Malaya. Her brother, Michael, enlisted in December 1941. There must have been discussion among the students regarding events overseas.

When the girls returned to school in 1942 air raid shelters had been constructed during the holidays and air raid practice implemented. Then in June 1942 a Japanese submarine shelled sections of Rose Bay, not far from the school.

Rosemary observed: "The air raid came in the middle of the night. We didn’t realise at the time how serious it was. Part of Rose Bay was shelled including the beach. At New South Head Road some flats were hit, not badly but windows were broken."

Rosemary also noticed one change in the neighbourhood after the shelling in 1942:  "Across the road from us there was a house which was let to the Americans who used to come there on R & R leave. Of course I was young and innocent and did not take notice particularly but I presume they had their girlfriends there."

The shelling of Rose Bay would have alerted the students at Kambala, especially the senior students to the seriousness of war. A number of them, including Rosemary and her friend Jill, volunteered to do community work with war related organisations. (More about that in a future post).  However, in the meantime the students completed their studies before embarking on the next stage of their life.

Further information and references:

Shelling of Rose Bay - Family Connections

For the love of old buildings - a post in the blog Lilyfield Life

Kambala School - Wikipedia

Kambala Girls' School - Local History Fast Facts - Woollahra City Council (useful information about other sites in Woollahra)

History - Kambala - School website

Shelling of Rose Bay

This was the final essay in the Oral History unit (my final subject) for the University of Tasmania Family History Diploma. The essay was restricted to 800 words (give or take 10%) and ended up being 819 words. Working to a word limit restricts providing some of the information on the topic but I will be linking additional posts to this one providing additional information on on the Flying Boat Base at Rose Bay and the presence of the Japanese off the coast plus incursions into the harbour. Photos not in original.]

Shortly after midnight, the residents of Rose Bay, a Sydney suburb, awoke to the sound of shells soaring over their homes. It was 8 June 1942. The previous week midget submarines had shelled targets in parts of Sydney Harbour, but now war had come to their suburb. [1]

1939 was a year of change for Rosemary as she moved from the family sheep station in south-western Queensland to Rose Bay to live with her aunt and attend secondary school. Her new home was Kooyong, a brick house on the corner of Hamilton Street and Carlisle Street. Rosemary described Kooyong’s location: “It was built up on a bit of a rise … and we looked down towards the Rose Bay Golf Club. We couldn’t see the harbour, but if you walked up to the next corner, and turned around the next street, you had a lovely view.” Rosemary also noted, “It was walking distance to school.”[2] 

Kooyong 1940s

School was Kambala in nearby Vaucluse. School days were happy days. Rosemary enjoyed playing sport, particularly tennis and netball and her favourite subject was drama. Her best friend, Jill, lived a few streets away. Rosemary described the school as being “in a beautiful position overlooking the harbour by the flying boat base.” She added, “For a couple of years I was in classrooms that overlooked the base and it was hard to concentrate.”

The flying boat base at Rose Bay opened in 1938 and was used by Qantas to take mail and passengers to England, plus other countries closer to Australia.[3] It was a busy centre with planes frequently arriving or leaving the base. However, by 1942, the RAAF had requisitioned most of the flying boats. The Rose Bay base then closed until the end of the war.

On 3 September, 1939, when Mr Menzies announced that Australia was at war with Germany, [4] Rosemary was holidaying with her mother and aunt in the Blue Mountains. They listened to the declaration of war on the radio. Almost three years later, shells from a Japanese submarine landed near her home. [5]

Initially war seemed far from Australia but fear of Japanese aggression grew, particularly in 1941. Japanese troops advanced towards Malaya and Singapore and then, in December, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. [6]

At the beginning of the 1942 school year, students discovered air raid shelters built during the holidays. Rosemary described the precautions taken at Kambala: “At school we had air raid shelters which were a couple of classrooms strengthened up with beams and sandbags.” Students also learned what to do in the event of an air raid warning. “We used to have air raid practice, racing across and trying to remember what to do.” Rosemary added, “I hate to think what would have happened if there had been a raid.”

Precautions were not just restricted to schools. At night all buildings, including houses, observed blackout conditions. “At Rose Bay we had to blackout all the windows. We weren’t allowed to show any lights of course,” said Rosemary.

Owners of private houses also constructed air raid shelters for protection should enemy planes approach. Rosemary described how precautions were made at Kooyong. “We had our air raid shelter under Aunt’s room. There was a trapdoor that led down to the room though we could get to it from the outside as well. That was our shelter and we kept provisions there.”

When the Japanese submarine attacked, the sleepy residents of Kooyong hurriedly tried to follow their instructions: “…we had to rush to turn off the gas, fill the bath with water and make sure we had water below.” Rosemary then added, “I am afraid that if it had really been serious we would have been dead before we got ourselves organised.”

The shells that landed on Rose Bay came from the Japanese submarine, I-24, located fourteen kilometres out to sea.[7] Residents wondered what was happening. “We didn’t realise at the time how serious it was” Rosemary observed. “Part of Rose Bay was shelled including the beach. At New South Head Road some flats were hit, not badly but windows were broken.”

Few shells exploded though there was damage to a number of buildings, including houses, and roads.[8] Fortunately no-one was seriously injured. Two shells also landed on the golf course, located near the flying boat base.[9] Accounts of the shelling appeared in the newspapers.[10] Rosemary and her friends later visited some of the sites.

It is now believed that the Japanese attack on June 8 was planned to scare the population, rather than to create significant damage.[11] Not surprisingly some panic and uncertainty occurred after the attack. There was also a fall in house and rental prices in coastal areas and some families relocated to the safety of the country.[12] However most residents, including Rosemary (the girl from the country) and her aunt, remained in Rose Bay and continued their normal routine for the duration of the war.

Click image for a clearer view or use this link

The above image is from the website of Artius Real Estate and provides a view of Rose Bay overlooking the harbour taken in 2011. Kambala is to the left and the golf courses are to the right. Catalina Restaurant is built on the site of the buildings used by the sea plane base.

References:
[1] David Jenkins, Battle Surface! Japan’s Submarine War Against Australia 1942-1944, Sydney, Random House, 1992, pp. 201-237; Bob Wurth, 1942: Australia’s Greatest Peril, Sydney, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2008, pp. 221-255
[2] In 1994 Rosemary Moses recalled memories of living in Rose Bay during the Second World War. [3] Kim Hanna, ‘Rose Bay Airport’, Dictionary of Sydney, 2014. https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/rose_bay_airport accessed 1 December 2017
[4] Michael McKernan, Australians at Home: World War II, Scoresby, Victoria, Five Mile Press, 2014, p. 3; Bob Wurth, The Battle for Australia: A Nation and its Leader Under Siege, Sydney, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2013, p. 18.
[5] On the same night the Japanese submarine, I-21, shelled parts of Newcastle.
[6] McKernan, Australians at home, p. 96.
[7]Jenkins, Battle Surface!  pp. 247-251; Wurth, 1942l,  p. 261.
[8] Terry Jones and Steven Carruthers, A Parting Shot: Shelling of Australia by Japanese Submarines 1942, Narabeen, NSW, Casper Publications, 2013, pp. 44-53; Wurth, The Battle for Australia, p. 308. [9] Jones and Carruthers, A Parting Shot, pp. 87-97.
[10] ‘Sea Raiders Shell Sydney and Newcastle’, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June 1942, p. 5.
[11] Jones and Carruthers, A Parting Shot, pp. 257-259.
[12] Jones and Carruthers, A Parting Shot, pp. 275-276.

Bibliography:
Dean, Peter J (editor), Australia 1942: In the Shadow of War, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Hanna, Kim, ‘Rose Bay Airport’, Dictionary of Sydney, https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/rose_bay_airport accessed 1 December 2017
Jenkins, David, Battle Surface! Japan’s Submarine War against Australia 1942-1944, Sydney, Random House, 1992.
Jones, Terry and Carruthers, Steven, A Parting Shot: Shelling of Australia by Japanese Submarines 1942, Narabeen, NSW, Casper Publications, 2013.
McKernan, Michael, Australians at Home: World War II, Scoresby, Victoria, Five Mile Press, 2014.
Moses, Rosemary, Interview by author, Audiotape recording, Melbourne, Australia, 10 May, 1994, in author’s possession.
Sydney Morning Herald.
Wurth, Bob, 1942: Australia’s Greatest Peril, Sydney, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2008.
Wurth, Bob, The Battle for Australia: A Nation and its Leader under Siege, Sydney, Pan Macmillan Australia, 2013.

For more information about the above books see my blog, Reading and Other Pursuits, for the post Sydney during the Second World War.

The post, Japanese submarines off Sydney contains a brief summary of events at the beginning of June.

Additional information about Kambala and Rosemary's experience of school in Sydney during the war can be found in another post in this blog - Kambala.
The post Rose Bay Flying Boat Base provides additional information about the flying boats.

Rose Bay Flying Boat Base

When I interviewed my mother in 1994 she talked about living in Rose Bay in the 1940s and, at school, being distracted by the flying boats that often could be observed from classroom windows.  This observation made me interested in finding information about the flying boats.

The flying boat base at Rose Bay was Australia's first international airport. It was chosen 'primarily because it was a large bay with calm water located close to the city'. (Sydney Living Museums website).

Rose Bay Flying Boat Base 1939

The flying boat base was opened on 4 August 1938 by Lord Huntingfield, acting Governor General of Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald (4 August 1938 page 11) described the opening procedure:

The Minister for Defence and Civil Aviation, Mr Thorby, will speak, followed by the Post-Master General, Senator McLachlan who will hand to the Acting Governor-General, Lord Huntingfield, a special bag in which letters to the King, the British Prime Minister, and the British Post Master will be placed.

After a number of speeches Lord Huntingfield will hand the mail bag to the commander of the flying-boat, Camilla, Captain Lester J Brain. The Camilla will be moored as close inshore as weather conditions will permit and will be connected to the shore with a red, white, and blue ribbon, which will be severed by Lord Huntingfield.

When the Camilla takes off for Brisbane it will have an escort of planes from the Royal Aero Club of New South Wales. The flying-boat Camilla will depart from Rose Bay to-day about noon, instead of tomorrow at 7 am. The Camilla will carry two passengers for London, one for Singapore, one for Penang, one for Darwin, one for Groot Eylandt, and two for Brisbane. It will also take 150lb of freight, and some mails. The remainder of the British and foreign mails will be sent by air to Darwin, by way of Adelaide. The Camilla will not leave Darwin for Koepang until Sunday.

View of Rose Bay base c1938. Note swimming pool on right.

Initially the flying boats were used primarily to carry mail but, on 5 July 1938, Cooee made the first designated passenger flight from Rose Bay to Southampton in England. The Qantas flight took ten days with 30 stops. As the flying boats did not operate at night there were nine overnight stops with passengers usually staying in luxury hotels.

Daily Commercial News and Shipping List 6 July 1938

The passengers were provided with first class service, including meals, during the flight. There were fifteen passenger seats, two crew and three cabin crew. Passengers could walk about during the flight. As well as the main cabin there was a smoking cabin and a promenade deck where they could look out at the clouds or the countryside. The flying boats flew at 150 mph.

Flying boats of Australia

The flying boat base at Rose Bay was often busy with flying boats carrying, mail, cargo or passengers arriving or departing. It is no wonder that this activity may have distracted school students from time to time, especially when the base was so close to school.

During the Second World War flights to and from England were suspended in 1942 and flying boats were requisitioned for service in the Australian Airforce.

It was not until 18 May 1946 that the passenger flying boat service to London resumed. In 1955 Qantas discontinued its flying boat service. Ansett Airways purchased the flying boats to fly passengers to Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, a service that continued until 1974.
References and further information:                                                                               
There is much of information online about the flying boats and the base at Rose Bay. Four websites are listed below.

Airways Museum - Rose Bay flying boat base - There is much useful information on this site but not easy to navigate

Australia Government - About Australia - Flying boats of Australia

Dictionary of Sydney - Rose Bay Airport

Sydney Living Museums - Flying boats: Sydney's Golden Age of Aviation

War Widows' and Widowed Mothers' Association of Victoria

The Week Three theme for the National Family History Week Blogging Challenge relates to the First World War, particularly events in August 1916. This post is not strictly on topic however when you look at the huge number of deaths of Australian soldiers in 1916 the establishment of a support group for the widows and widowed mothers of those who died is important.

Read more contributions here

The first meeting of the War Widows' and Widowed Mothers' Association of Victoria (WWWMAV) was held in Melbourne in May 1922. After the First World War a number of support groups were established for war widows and / or widowed mothers but most of these groups have disappeared over time. In 2016, although the membership is shrinking, the War Widows' and Widowed Mothers' Association continues as a support group for its members.

When my father died in 1984 my mother was contacted by the local branch of the WWWMAV and her membership of this organisation continues. For many years she has been secretary of the local branch. The age of the membership is currently around 90 +, give or take a few years, but the ladies continue to meet regularly when health and other commitments allow.

Towards the end of 2003 a decision was made at a WWWMAV State Council meeting that the ladies would like a history of their association to ensure that in the future there would be a record of their organisation and their activities. My mother suggested (volunteered) that I should undertake the project so much of 2004 was spent reading the minutes, newsletters and other papers that had been kept (unfortunately minutes of the AGM prior to 1948 are missing). I also conducted a small survey of sample WWWMAV members as well as reading background material available in books and online about events affecting the lives of widows and widowed mothers during and after the First World War. In 2005 the Patriotic Funds Council arranged for the publication of War Widows and Widowed Mothers Association of Victoria: the first 82 years and copies were made available to members.

Although legislation such as the War Pensions Act 1914 paved the way for the payment of a pension to widows, and later widowed mothers dependant on their sons who died serving overseas, the pension was well below the basic wage and women with children, in particular, faced financial difficulties. A decision was therefore made to form an organisation to promote the cause of war widows and widowed mothers. Inintially, as stated in the WWWMAV constitution, the group worked towards attaining the betterment of pensions, amenities and concessions for war widows and widowed mothers and their families as well as the promotion of fellowship, interest and co-operation among members with help and advice wherever possible to the bereaved. This group has proved to be an important network. During and after World War II the WWWMAV quickly absorbed and assisted a new generation of widows and widowed mothers.

Plaque in Birdwood Avenue, Shrine Reserve (Monument Australia)

Twenty-nine branches of the WWWMAV were founded throughout Victoria though a number have closed over the years. The Association has been governed by a State Council. Statewide events included an annual State Conference, an annual Get-together Luncheon and an annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine. The WWWMAV also produced a monthly publication, Remembrance, for members.

Caring and sharing can be seen as two major functions of the Association as the WWWMAV works as a support group for its members. Branches hold regular, often monthly meetings which may be followed by a speaker or a product demonstration. Bus trips to a variety of destinations have been a popular activity. In the past many groups also organised holiday trips for members. Branch anniversary and Christmas celebrations have also been important and well attended functions and in many cases have also been attended by members of neighbouring groups. Especially after the Second World War when the existing group membership was joined by younger members, often with young children, an annual Christamas Treat for the children was organised.

When WWWMAV was established visiting patients in repatriation hospitals was an important role of members. Members continue to visit their members who may be hospitalised and regularly check on the needs of members who are unwell. The WWWMAV has maintained a close association with Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital including members attending services at the hospital.

Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are special days of commemoration with members often attending services at the Shrine or services organised by their local RSL. An annual pilgrimage to the Shrine was a regular event. The WWWMAV branches work with their local RSL branches and also with local Legacy groups.

From the early 1950s WWWMAV funds purchased holiday homes at Rosebud and Olinda and later at Ferny Creek allowing members and their families the opportunity of affordable holidays. In 2004 ownership of the remaining homes at Rosebud was transferred to Carry On Victoria. Seventy-five thousand dollars was also been placed in a trust fund with the interest used for an annual nursing scholarship at Federation University, Ballarat.

Support, care and companionship remain key elements of the WWWMAV as well as providing information for members regarding benefits and services. At meetings and other functions it is never forgotten that the current members are widows of men who served in Australian forces.

The membership may be aging but the WWWMAV plays an important part in the lives of its members, providing the opportunity to form friendships and share experiences. To quote one of the members replying to the survey question - why she joined the Association - "Lovely club, wonderful girls, great friends."

Recognition of Diggers in country towns

During the Second World War, and immediately after it, servicemen who were home on leave or who had been discharged from the services were invited to, and included in, community events as the following articles found in Trove show.

First Anniversary of Club House 

Banquet, Speeches, Songs, and Music 

Upwards of sixty persons attended the banquet in commemoration of the first Anniversary of the Club House of the Bourke Bowling Club, on Thursday evening, August 13th, at 7.30 p.m.

In addition to members of the local Club, visitors were present from other towns and also members of the fighting forces in uniform.

The tables were nicely arranged in the large Club room and attractively decorated overhead with colored streamers. An excellent menu was arranged by the caterer, Mr. J. Maroulis, and a willing band of assistants helped at the table.

Mr. H. Kessey proposed "The members of the Fighting Forces." The speaker dealt with Japan's preparedness for the past 20 years and their intention to make Australia a Jap. colony. With the assistance of America and Allies Japan would be smashed for all time. He was proud to have members of the American forces present and said the bonds of friendship made would live forever. Also present were Privates M. White, Kendall and K. Moses, Bourke boys who had returned from overseas. The Australian returned men were seasoned soldiers and the man hood of this country had fought on every battle front in this war. He extended a hearty welcome to the returned boys and hoped their leave would fit them for the hard fight to come. In Bourke the V.D.C., Fire Fighting Squad, N.E.S.; and other patriotic associations were doing good work.

Mr. S. Coleman supported the toast.

Private A. Davis responded on behalf of the Fighting Forces and hoped that it would not be long before they were having a victory dinner.

Sgt. Morse (of the American party) also briefly replied, and thanked the Club for their hospitality.

Sgt. Parsons proposed the toast of 'General MacArthur.'

Mr. Hales proposed 'Our Visitors,' and extended a hearty welcome to the visitors; including our American cousins.

Mr. C. Bowen responded. He said the industrialists and their leaders were whole-heartedly behind the Government in their war effort. He wished the Club every success.

'The Press' was proposed by Mr. L. Rice, and replied to by Mr. A. Carmichael ("Western Herald.")

'The Caterer' was given by Mr. Heel and acknowledged by Mr. J. Maroulis.

'The Chairman' by Mr C. Skinner, was responded to by Mr. J. Duggan.

"Auld Lang Syne," "God Save the King," and "The Star Spangled Banner" concluded the dinner, and a conversational ensued for some time.

Orchestral numbers were played at intervals during the evening, and accompaniment to Community items by the following : J. Elder, J. Law (piano), T. D'Arcy (violin), L. Carmichael (Saxophone), and R. Doran (drums).

During the proceedings two recitations were given by Mr. J. Luffman, viz "How He Died," and "Gallipoli."
Mr. Harold Rice sang two songs "Fu the Nu" and "Old Apple Tree" (parody). Mr. A. Honeyman gave "Susie."

Mr. J. Elder contributed ''The Sergeant Major's on Parade," and Privates Moses, White and Kendall gave a character sketch song "Bless, them all" Mr. T. D'Arcy played violin solos. Members of the U.S.A. army contributed company songs.
Western Mail 21 August 1942

COMMEMORATION AT MORVEN

At sunrise the Union Jack and Australian flags were hoisted to half mast and remained there all day. At 10.30 a.m. a procession of State School children marched to the Soldiers' Memorial headed by children of returned soldiers and those of the present forces (in the form of a cross) bearing the school tribute, a larger wreath of laurel leaves finished with a spray of scarlet poppies, tied with navy blue and white ribbon (the school colours), and showing the word "Anzac" in gold lettering. All scholars carried a sprig of laurel to place on the Memorial. The ceremony of laying on of wreaths commenced at 10.50 a.m., the first wreath to be placed was the Honour Board Trustees, by Mr. S. V. Capel (soldier trustee. and president of Anzac Day Commemoration Committee). Following were Diggers, by Mr. R. G. Cumming (president Morven sub-branch R.S.S.A.I.L.A.), Anzac Day Commemoration Committee, Mrs W Mc Laughlin (hon. secretary); Church of England, Mrs. H. A. Douglas; Presbyterian Church. Mrs. L. Robertson; Methodist Church, Mrs. W. R. Smith; Roman Catholic Church, Mrs. G. W. Alliott; State School Committee, teachers and scholars, Master Desmond Schmidt, after which each scholar marched to shrine at foot of Roll and placed a sprig of laurel thereon; Q.C.W.A., Morven branch, Mrs. W. McLaughlin, president-secretary; B.N.A., Morven branch. Mrs. S. V. Capel; A.C.F.,- Morven branch, Mr. R. G. Cumming, president; Morven Fighting Forces Farewell Committee, Mr. M. Smith, president. Many private tributes followed.

After the ceremony of "laying on of wreaths" the names of the fallen of the 1914-18 war, and those of the present one were read, followed by one minute's silence, then the singing of the recessional hymn "Lest We Forget." Next came the repeating of the Lord's Prayer by all, that being followed by the hymn "O God Our Help in Ages Past."

Addresses we're, given by Messrs. H. J. Newitt (who kindly conducted the service in the absence of clergy owing to Easter Day), G. Taylor and K. Moses (returned 2nd A.I.F.)

The addresses were most appropriate and well delivered, each speaker stressing the spirit of Anzac as an example for us all to follow.

The address of Mr. Ken Moses was very stirring and inspiring. He gave a mental picture of the terrible odds our boys were up against early in the war in Crete, Greece, and the Middle East, owing to lack of proper equipment, and pleaded that we do and sacrifice all if need be to send aeroplanes, guns, and all equipment necessary. These sons of Anzacs have the same Anzac spirit of their fathers, and will win through if we back them up. What could be more discouraging to them, that while willing to sacrifice all, they hear of strikes holding back the help they need so badly.

The hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" was sung, followed by the National Anthem, which closed the ceremony at the Memorial.

The Honour Board Rest House was artistically and appropriately decorated, and the Honour Board brightly polished. This service, with the making of the 11 laurel wreaths for the public bodies and churches was given by a hand of the members of the local C.W.A., many of whom are members of the Anzac Committee. The Honour Board after the ceremony presented a striking spectacle, of which the town and district must well be proud, and should truly be able to say the " spirit of Anzac" lives.

At 1 p.m. the Country Women's Association entertained 13 returned men and one member of the Land Army at a dinner at which more speeches were delivered by tho president-secretary (Mrs. E. S. D Mc Laughlin), Mr. Cumming, and Mr. S. V. Capel.

Mr. O'Brien spoke on behalf of the visitors, ably supported by Miss Menzies, of the Women's Land Army.

Community singing was indulged in after the dinner, and the National Anthem brought a successful function to a close.

Cheers were given for His Majesty the King and Royal family, all the fighting services and our great allies.

The Anzac Day Commemoration Committee thank all who in anyway helped to make this Anzac Day what it proved to be-a more enthusiastic and better Anzac Day than ever before.
Charleville Times 30 April 1943

Bourke and District Patriotic Fund

During World War II the service men and women received support from their communities throughout Australia as is shown through the following selections from the Western Herald published in Bourke, New South Wales. Patriotic Associations had been in existence since the Boer War and Patriotic Associations or Patriotic Funds were active in maintaining a link between the Diggers overseas and home. Fundraising was undertaken to present a gift to soldiers going overseas and gifts were also despatched overseas to the soldiers from time to time.

Roll of Honour

LIST OF RECRUITS.

Below we give a list of recruits from Bourke and district as complete as we are able to report. Should relatives or friends know of any further enlistments will they kindly supply the names to the Town Clerk.
The following have already left Australia : — Corp. J. W. Barron. D. Haigh. C. Hunter, K. C. Moses. Corp. J. P.Perooz.
A list of 121 names(including the five names above) of men who had applied to enlist from Bourke and surrounding area is provided. Three  men who applied were not accepted.
Western Herald 28 June 1940

BOURKE & DISTRICT PATRIOTIC FUND 

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR

At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Bourke Patriotic Association, the following Report on the activities of the Association for the year was read: —
Gentlemen.— I wish to submit a report of the years working of the Bourke Patriotic Association. The year has been a busy one for this Committee, in giving send-offs to Soldiers and generally working for the benefit of our Diggers.

So far presentations numbering 45 have been made and in nearly all cases a function has been held and have been successful, and I am sure appreciated by the Diggers and their friends. Canteen Orders numbering 93 have been despatched and when names and addresses of other members of our local boys are received orders will be also sent.

One great difficulty still exists, it is not until the last moment that we are aware of recruits being despatched on Active Service, consequently the function of the presentation is a hurried one. If friends or parents or relations of the Boys would only advise the Secretary before they arrive on final leave it would assist the work of this Committee very considerably. Under the circumstances I think we have done exceedingly well to cope with the matter. We have to thank the various bodies that have contributed so well to wards the funds, and also to the Knitting Group for issue of socks and woollen goods. Thanks is also due to the Orchestra of Mr. T. D'Arcy's for playing for the functions free of charge, and to Mr. Kessey for use of Hall, and to the Ladies under the control of Mrs. Permewan for attending to the suppers at the Hall.

Although funds are still in hand I am of the opinion that a function should be held shortly so that we may have money in hand for requirements. Seeing that nearly 250 recruits have enlisted, the task of keeping up to necessary requirements is going to be a problem, but with the liberal aid of the people of Bourke and district who are always ready to help I do not fear that we shall be short of funds. Mr. Higgins has made a very nice gesture intimating that he will give 1/- for each presentation that is made by the Committee.

The accounts for the year have been audited and found correct. The administrative expenses were kept down to zero. The recruiting account has been transferred to the Patriotic Funds and recruits that require assistance are helped from this fund. An effort was also made for the Great Britain Civilian War Funds, and £131/5/1 was sent to Sydney for disbursement.

The Lord Mayor's Fund has now been closed and all matters are dealt with by this body. A donation of £10 was recently made towards the funds of the Womens All Canteen Association, who do great work in helping the boys and providing refreshment at the Central Station, in Sydney.

In the matter of salvage, this was taken in hand by a Committee consisting of Messrs Heads and Permewan, and one load of old material has been despatched. There should, be plenty more in the district, and supplies can be sent to the Council Waterworks for safe custody. I desire to place on record my appreciation of the support of the Committee during the years working. It has been a pleasure to work with you gentle men.
I wish to finally conclude by expressing the thanks of this Association to the Secretary, Mr. Heel who has worked very hard in carrying out the stupendous task of the organisation of the many functions of the Association. Thanks is also due to his Assistant, Mr. O'Mara, for the valued assistance that he has always rendered. Yours faithfully, S. C. COLEMAN, President.
Western Herald 18 April 1941

ON ACTIVE SERVICE 

NEWS FROM BOURKE BOYS. 

Many thanks for your canteen orders which arrived by air mail a few days ago. I can assure you they were very much appreciated by me and put to good use. I have seen quite a few of the Bourke boys since I have been over here. Stan, Douglas and Laurie Snell were in the machine gun company which supported us in Greece and Bob Cunningham was the driver of the truck which drove us to the transport. We are resting ever since we evacuated Crete. Kind regards to all Bourke and district.—
Pte, K. C. Moses.
Western Herald 26 September 1941

ON ACTIVE SERVICE 

NEWS FROM BOURKE BOYS.

Pte. K. C. Moses writes as follows to the Patriotic Association: "I would like to thank you and the Patriotic Association for the excellent parcel and cake I received a few days ago. I can assure you that both of these gifts were warmly appreciated by myself, not only for their practical use, but for the spirit in which they are sent. You and your fellow workers are doing a great job in keeping these comforts up to us, and I know you would be rewarded for your troubles if you could only see the eagerness in which your parcels are opened. At the moment I am doing a freeze up in Syria, we had a fall of about six inches of snow last night which is now in the process of thawing out, with the result that all the boys are togged up in full army issue, plus many extra woolen articles of their own. The way the sky looks tonight, I think we are in for another fall, so on form up- to-date, it looks as if we are in for a real English Xmas."
Western Herald 9 January 1942

ON ACTIVE SERVICE 

NEWS FROM BOURKE BOYS. 

During the past week a number of Bourke boys have been home on leave, including a few who saw Service overseas. Amongst the latter were -Driver E. A. Holland, Pte. A E Boyd, Pte. Ken Moses and Pte. J. Tully. All these were welcomed by the Patriotic Association and presented with canteen orders.
Western Herald 29 May 1942

Greece and Crete: Australians in World War II

Published by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2011 the book deals with the brief stay of the AIF in both these countries, including the evacuations, in 1941. My father, Ken Moses, was not well enough to travel with the 2 / 4th Battalion when they were sent to Greece but he was on one of the ships that formed the convoy that evacuated the troops from Greece to Crete in April 1941. The story of the Australian involvement is largely told through first hand accounts of those who survived the experience. Photographs are from the collection of the Australian War Memorial. The book is also available online on the DVA website where individual chapters can be downloaded. The chapter 'Remember this is War' provides an account of the evacuation of Crete.

At the end of 1940 Mussolini's Italian forces had entered Greece but by December the Italians had retreated to Albania. Hitler then planned to occupy Germany. The RAF had employed Gladiators and Hurricanes against the Italians. In February 1941 meetings between the Greek Prime Minister and the British Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, discussed the forces that Britain could supply to assist the defence of Greece. Three infantry divisions were initially promised. These divisions consisted largely of Australian and new Zealand troops stationed in the Middle East. The Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, was consulted about the plan and although concerned about the outcome of the expedition he eventually recommended to the Australian War Cabinet that two Australian divisions should go to Greece. Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey also expressed his doubts as he felt that the Germans would employ a larger force to invade Greece. Never the less the Australians and New Zealanders were sent by Britain to Greece.

Between 4 March and 18 April 58,500 men and women plus equipment were ferried to Greece in convoys, often bombarded by enemy aircraft. On 12 April the Australian and New Zealand divisions in Greece once again became the Anzac Corps. After landing the troops initially had some success as they moved into Greece but the before long the power of the larger German force gained the upper hand and by mid April the British troops were retreating back to the coast. Between 20 April and 29 April the British and Allied navies evacuated the soldiers from Greece to Crete. On May 4 thanksgiving church services were held in Crete.

Hitler now had control of Germany so his attention now moved to Crete to prevent air strikes against his forces being made from the island. The next stage of the battle was the sending of German paratroopers to Crete. A major task of the Anzacs was to defend the airports, particularly in norther Crete. There was initially some success but towards the end of May the decision to evacuate was once again made with the troops able to get to the waiting ships taken back to Egypt. Some of the troops left behind were taken prisoner while others hid in the mountains protected by the local population.

Much has been written about this short episode in World War II including Crete: the battle and the resistance by Antony Beevor. Maria Hill in her book Diggers and Greeks has written an account of the relationship forged between the Greeks and people of Crete towards Australians as a result of the attempt of the Anzacs to assist the peoples of these countries. White over green: the 2 / 4th Battalion and reference to the 4th Battalion also includes a section about the involvement of the battalion in Greece and Crete.

2011 was the seventieth anniversary of the campaign in Greece and Crete. The Shrine of Remembrance had an exhibition to commemorate the event - Greece,Crete and Syria: the AIF in the Eastern Mediterranean 1941.