Sub Branch Museum Feature Story

Australians recognise 25 April, ANZAC Day, as an occasion of national commemoration. ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli during the First World War.

At the conclusion of the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians lost in that war as well. In subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include Australians killed in all Australian military operations.

The Ballina community and Australians across our great nation will come together again this ANZAC Day to reflect on the many different meanings of war. Members of the Ballina community are invited to join us at the RSL Memorial Park for our community services.

Some of our Club members, however, will not be in Ballina for our services – they will be in Gallipoli on April 25 as part of a very special pilgrimage.For three local ladies, this journey is especially significant.

My dad was there
... a very personal experience in the lives of Joy, Marcia and Shirley ...
When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only thirteen years. The new government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world.

In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers set out to take the Gallipoli peninsula, open the way to the Black Sea and capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), capital of the Ottoman Empire.

They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months ... over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed.

Joy Cran (East Ballina), Marcia Bourne (Ballina) and Shirley Oag (Alstonville) have a few things in common. They are aged over 80 and proudly remember their dads who fought at Gallipoli. In joining the Ballina RSL Club’s ANZAC Day tour, these ladies are realising a life-long dream.

Their stories were recently reported in the Northern Star, the Ballina Shire Advocate and the Northern Rivers Echo. We retell parts of those stories here.

Joy Cran’s father – Arthur Howell – was an 18 year old in E Company, the 13th Battalion of the AIF. “I’ve always wanted to go to Gallipoli because he was there”, said Joy. “When you get to my age, you start thinking back – he was only a boy.”

As a little girl Marcia Bourne would watch her father’s tears as the Last Post sounded each ANZAC Day. “Dad would always cry on ANZAC Day and I’ve inherited that,” Marcia said. “I’ll have to take a bucket-full of tissues when I go... to actually see where my dad fought will be an emotional experience.” Marcia’s father was in his 30s when he landed in Gallipoli as a medic in the Australian Medical Corps. “He was in the same group as Simpson, the soldier who was famous for rescuing men on his donkey – my dad was in the thick of it.”

Shirley Oag’s father – Billy Gwynne – was also one of the original ANZACs. He fought in Gallipoli before transferring to France and ending up a prisoner of war. He returned to Australia after the war with a new Scottish bride, set up a farm in Goonellabah and fathered four children.

“My father rarely spoke about his experiences,” said Shirley. “Little things would come out on ANZAC Day, but what is there to talk about? To see your mates killed in front of your eyes – the mind boggles as to what that would feel like.”

Shirley confessed that nothing could prepare her for the emotions she will feel at Gallipoli. “It will be very moving for me and I will find it very emotional retracing my father’s footsteps,” said Shirley. “There are no winners in war, and even though I have been raised proudly in the ANZAC tradition and I don’t think ANZAC Day should ever be forgotten, it would be lovely if we could all live in peace.”

2007 Ballina RSL Club Anzac Day Gallipoli Tour
A party of ten from Ballina RSL Club heads off for Turkey on 19 April.

This experience of a lifetime was organised by the Ballina RSL in partnership with NRMA Club Tours.The tour begins in Istanbul and includes cruising on the Bosphorus, welcome drinks with Australian War historians and a visit to the Blue Mosque.

The group will visit the ANZAC Commemorative site, Anzac Cove, Shrapnel Valley and Beach Cemetery. On 25th April 2007, they will be part of a truly international gathering of people commemorating the tragic events of the 25th April 1915.

They will attend the Dawn Service and later attend either the Australian or New Zealand National Services at Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair.
We will be thinking of them this April 25th and look forward to hearing about their experience of a lifetime upon their safe return on 28th April. Bon Voyage!

Did you know?
• 25 April was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916; in that year it was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, a march through London, and a sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt.
• During the 1920s, ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who died during the war. All the States observed a public holiday on ANZAC Day from 1927.
• By the mid-1930s the rituals we associate with the day - dawn vigils, marches, services, reunions, two-up - were part of ANZAC Day culture.
• The Dawn Service has its origins in a routine which is still observed by the Australian Army. The half-light of dawn is one of the most favoured times for an attack. Soldiers in defensive positions were therefore woken up in the dark so that by the time the first light crept across the battlefield they were alert. This is known as “Stand-to”.
• The first Dawn Service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Dawn services were originally very simple and were often restricted to veterans. The daytime ceremony was for families and well-wishers, the Dawn Service was for old soldiers to remember and reflect. In recent times families and young people have been encouraged to take part, and services in capital cities have seen some of the largest turnouts ever.
(Source: www.awm.gov.au)