Remembrance Day 2016

Transcription

1 Remembrance Day 2016 The Tasmanian Headstone Project Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them. The Tasmanian Headstone Project is a sub-committee of the Families and Friends of the First A.I.F. Inc. Several years ago it come to their attention that there were First World War veterans lying in unmarked graves at Cornelian Bay Cemetery as well as many other cemeteries around the state. The Tasmanian Headstone Project was set up to make sure that these men were commemorated in an appropriate way at their current point of burial through the provision of a simple pedestal headstone. To date, 254 men have been identified as returned First World War soldiers who lie in unmarked graves. These graves are located at the Cornelian Bay Cemetery. The current estimate is that there are between 500 and 600 men in Tasmanian cemeteries who are First World War veterans and lie in unmarked graves. On Monday 7th November, selected members of 9-3 and 9-7 History classes and individuals from the Europe School Tour attended the unveiling of World War 1 soldiers headstones in the presence of the Director of the Australian War Memorial, Dr Brendan Nelson and historian and Chairperson of the Tasmanian Headstone

2 Project, Mrs Andrea Gerrard. Each of the students who attended researched an allocated soldier, using the veteran s enlistment papers found on the Discovering Anzacs website. (A selection of the students edited reports are provided below. The full transcripts of their work is expected to be uploaded onto the Tasmanian Headstone Project s website in the near future. Sarah Vervaart Dillon Monks Ayla Rance Chinique Smith Emily Kitchener Chloe Rappl Lily Connor Dokota Delaney Luci Blacklow Natalie Panton Chelsea Linley Emily Garratt Briannon Wall Ethan Bradford #7469 Private Albert Henry Cooper, 40th Battalion Albert Henry Cooper was a single, 29 years of age and a farmer from Berriedale when he joined the AIF on the 14 th of November 1916, serving with the 40 th Battalion having been transferred from the 12th. In 1918 he was wounded in action sustaining a gunshot wound to his left arm which required Albert to spend time in an English hospital. Prior to being wounded on March 28 th, 1918, he noticed symptoms of shortness of breath, giddiness and palpitations of the heart. His medical condition was recognised as stress and strain resulting from trench life. He was declared permanently unfit for General Service. Albert survived the war and disembarked for Australia on the Euripides in April Unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Hyde, Shirley Buchanan and family and Emily Kitchener #7746 Private James Heaver, 12th Battalion Private James Heaver does not fit the stereotype of the ANZAC soldier. Born in London, England, he was 44 years and 2 months when he signed up for war. James was married to Frances and they and their seven children lived in Cygnet. Private James Heaver s career in the AIF as part of the 12 th Battalion was relatively short. In Hobart, on the 9 th of July, 1917 he volunteered and was declared fit for service. He embarked from Melbourne on August 4 th, 1917 and disembarked in Glasgow on October 2 nd. By March 3 rd 1918 he was appointed to Acting Lance Corporal. Private James Heaver embarked on the Ypiringa on November 15 th, 1919 and arrived back in Australia on January

3 4 th Unveiled by Commander Lewis Gaha RAN and Chinique Smith #501B Private Albert George Swan, 12th Battalion Albert Swan, the son of Emma Ellen Swan, was living on the state s east coast at Wielangta. Albert was single and a bushman before enlisting in the army at Claremont, Tasmania at the age of 29. Albert joined as part of the 40th Battalion then later was assigned to the 12th Battalion. Volunteering on the 16th February, 1916 meant Albert did not fight in Gallipoli but he was posted to France instead. Albert s life in the army sadly, was one of illness and often for extended periods of time. Despite enduring frequent and significant illness during his service, between October 1916 and June 1918, Albert at least survived the war without physical injuries. Albert was invalided home and on October 31 st 1918, eleven days before the Armistice of World War 1, was discharged from the A.I.F. Unveiled by Colonel Dennis Townsend, family members and Emily Garratt Honouring our Vietnam veterans This year commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. In memory of the Tasmania s Vietnam War veterans, particularly those who died, a Candle Lighting Ceremony was conducted on 17 November at Parliament House in the presence of the Honourable Will Hodgman MP, Premier of Tasmania. Representing Rose Bay High School were Harrison Graham and Sarah Pilgrim. Sarah had recently returned from Vietnam where the Battle of Long Tan had been commemorated. Additionally, this occasion was of personal relevance to Sarah and her family as her grandfather served as a chaplain in the Vietnam conflict. Sixteen candles were lit to remember the service and sacrifice of those soldiers who did not return home. Each veteran was remembered with the lighting of a small candle and the gifting of a rosemary seedling to a family member or representative. For Rose Bay High School, the event was particularly significant as former student, Gary Cashion was honoured. His brother presented Gary s rosemary to the student representatives who attended the occasion.

4 Garry Owen Cashion Service Number: Rank: Private Unit: 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Service: Australian Army Conflict / Operation: Vietnam, Conflict eligibility date: Vietnam, Date of death: 16 June 1970 Place of death: South Vietnam, Vietnam Cause of death: Accidental Age at death: 19 Cemetery or memorial details: Cornelian Bay Public Cemetery, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Source: AWM153 Roll of Honour cards, Vietnam The evening of the 16th June was, in the words of Private Merv Hains, one of the worst nights I have ever experienced. There were frequent and violent lightning strikes during a stormy evening. About 500m north of Lo Voi, in one of those unfortunate freaks of nature, one bolt struck an armoured personnel carrier antenna which Private Gary Cashion of D Company was leaning against. Private Cashion died that evening as a result of his injuries. Description of photograph: Vung Tau, South Vietnam. February Pte Laurie Carroll of Mentone, Victoria (front), Pte Gary Cashion of Tasmania (second) and Pte Michael Clough of Holsworthy, NSW (rear). A Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), move out in single file from their night ambush position during Operation Bondi.

5 Bondi was a reconnaissance in force in the northern border areas of Phuoc Tuy Province. Cashion remained in South Vietnam at the completion of 5 RAR's tour and joined the 7 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR) and was tragically killed by lightening whilst on operations. Lest we forget. Lindisfarne RSL Club s Annual Luncheon On Saturday 22 October 16, at the exceptionally kind invitation of the President and Committee of the Lindisfarne RSL Club, four members of the Europe Tour; Michael Gardner, Emily Garratt, Kiarna Nibbs and Ethan Bradford attended the Annual Luncheon in the Clubrooms of the Motor Yacht Club of Tasmania. Between main course and sweets, Michael Gardner and Emily Garratt shared, at length, their experiences of the World War 1 Commemoration Trip to the Western Front. Both students spoke eloquently and engaged their interested audience. Though none of us could get much of a grasp on the hardships and sacrifices our soldiers made on the very ground we walked on. We all learnt a lot from the insightfulness of our guide and personal stories he had to tell. Seeing for ourselves the row upon row of headstones, all the same, we came to the realisation that had we been born 100 years ago. That one of these headstones would be ours. Only the headstones weren t ours. They belonged to men, who died too young. Men who could have been future doctors, future builders, future teachers, future leaders of our country. Their lives they never got to live because for many, before the age of thirty, they were dead. Men such as Vincent Edward Morton, a Tasmanian soldier I researched who had been a farmer and a family man. A young lad, only 21, he had no experience with fighting or conflict before joining the war for the adventure and the thrill of fighting for is country. Little did he know then, that on 19th July 1916, exactly one year after he enlisted, he would be killed in action and become one of the many missing soldiers of Fromelles. Vincent s family knew near nothing of the terror their son and brother

6 endured. His mother, father, and generations after them were never told about Vincent s death. They were just told he was killed in action and there is no known grave. His family, the ones who loved him, died without closure, without ever knowing how their beloved Vincent died. Emily Garratt Emily and Michael, together with Kiarna and Ethan, were outstanding ambassadors of the tour and the school. All students were appreciative of the interest shown in their overseas experiences and the warm and welcoming hospitality they received. Accordingly, they would like to again express their thanks to Barry Ginn and the Committee of the Lindisfarne RSL Club for the opportunity that was afforded to them. Suzanne Pattinson