Thread: ANZACS

Dawn Service this morning had me thinking of some great times I had with my FIL, on trips to another Dawn Service, at Hellfire Pass in Thailand.
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I lit a candle on my driveway and thought of all those who served and my relative who was killed in the Battle of Delville Wood in WW I. Battle of Delville Wood - Wikipedia. I then walked up and down my street to see if anyone was doing anything similar like during covid. The candle was visible for hundreds of metres, which reminded me of my army training, where they sent guys into the bush at night to show how far a cigarette can be seen when alight, when drawn and when lit with a match or lighter. Then I watched the dawn services on TV mostly the Currumbin one, and very little of the Canberra one as I don't like seeing politicians wrapping themselves in the flag.

My 15-16 year olds Navy Crew who are today 39 to 70 years older, Marched in Melbourne this morning. The Navy Cadet Banner bearers were very surprised when they found out they would have been too old to join as the Men marching behind them had.

Tingara HMAS Leeuwin banner was possibly on TV at about 09:15. Not looking myself.

My status as Leading Hand should be in doubt as the official party switched from Starboard to Port Side so this Black Duck missed the 'Eyes Left' order. I felt a bit better when the Gent behind us in another Ship banner called Eyes Right and the crew in front of us missed it as well.

Chatted re lives. PTSD, Injuries and of course how lucky we are to breath and march in Honour of those who cannot. The Vet Affairs $6 per fortnight to a Full military Pensions is always amusing.

It was clearly and correctly stated at the Dawn service that impacts of service is on Service men and women as well as family and friends of those who served.


Lest We Forget is inclusive of you!

I do a "Where Is Wally" at minute 29.30 and much earlier before sunrise. Bigger crowd at the Dawn service than I realized . Wish I could have bolted back to a few other ships

Not Anzacs but my wife reminded me her late father served in New Guinea during the second world war. He was a non-smoker so would swap his cigarette with the Americans for food.

I received this message this evening from my cousin about my mother's side of the family.

"You have an extraordinary WW1 ANZAC history, Nicholas & Alexis both have amazing WW1 stories. I red their stories recently. Our Perrett Family WW1history is extensive. Six Perrett family members from the Bundamba area served. Six brothers, cousins & friends left for Europe.Only one returned our great uncle Clarence. Each have amazing stories I have only learned of our family ANZAC history in recent years. Growing up no one talked about the war".

This is all new to me & I must contact my cousin for more Information.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

I received this message this evening from my cousin about my mother's side of the family.

"You have an extraordinary WW1 ANZAC history, Nicholas & Alexis both have amazing WW1 stories. I red their stories recently. Our Perrett Family WW1history is extensive. Six Perrett family members from the Bundamba area served. Six brothers, cousins & friends left for Europe.Only one returned our great uncle Clarence. Each have amazing stories I have only learned of our family ANZAC history in recent years. Growing up no one talked about the war".

This is all new to me & I must contact my cousin for more Information.

Similar story for my Grandfather and his brothers

Studio group portrait of three brothers from Rockhampton, Queensland, who enlisted within three months of each other in mid 1940.

Left to right: QX2936 Private (Pte) (later Corpral) Max Harold (Peter) Flood, 9 Division Signals; QX8467 Signalman (Sig) William Edward "Splinter" Flood, 1 Independent Company and QX8250 Pte Richard Joseph Flood, Northern Command Infantry Training Depot.

Corporal Peter Flood, the youngest of the three, survived the war but his two brothers did not.

Pte Richard Flood died of injuries on 8 October 1940 after falling from a balcony whilst on pre-embarkation leave. He was 26.

Signalman William Flood served on the island of New Ireland. He was taken prisoner of war (POW) following the Japanese invasion of January 1942 and held at Rabaul, New Britain. On 22 June 1942 he was one of an estimated 845 POWs and 209 civilians who embarked from Rabaul aboard the Japanese transport ship MV Montevideo Maru. The POWs were members of the No. 1 Independent Company, 2/22 Battalion and other units of Lark Force. Civilians included officials of the New Guinea Administration and missionaries. The ship sailed unescorted for Hainan Island. On 1 July 1942 all the prisoners died when the Montevideo Maru was torpedoed by a US Navy submarine, USS Sturgeon, off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines.