Monuments tell both political and personal stories.
Professor Bruce Scates introduced us to the monuments at Chunuk Bair, Gallipoli. This is the place where the ANZACs tried to reach from the day they landed in Turkey but failed. It was known as Hill 971.
The first Allies buried at the cemetery near the top of the hill were New Zealanders. From there they could see the Dardanelles and the Narrows. The first monument erected at Chunuk Bair was put up by the New Zealanders in 1925 and is the National Monument for New Zealand. This was a great political move – the Allies have now taken over the land they could not take during the war.
In 1992, the Turks raised a monument in the same area to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who lead the Turkish forces in 1915.
How do those left behind mourn those lost in war?
Mrs Irwin, mother of George, corresponded with the Red Cross throughout the war, then visited Gallipoli after war to find out more and make a rubbing of her son’s name on a monument.
Judge Higgins, father of Mervyn, travelled to Palestine to find a small cross, erected a large celtic cross and then started campaigning for disarmament.
Bert Crowle sent a letter to his wife while on his deathbed. Very blunt but showing love for family. His personal monument, erected by his wife and his brother, still stands.
Emily Luttrell pleaded for assistance to visit her son’s memorial in England when she was aged 66. The Government said no.
Reflect and connect
After a few videos, we are being asked to reflect on what we have learnt or feel so far. This is my first reply.
I think the most compelling of the stories to me was Bert Crowle who, even on his deathbed, was thinking of the future of his family. I wonder if he had sent home letters prior to this one and whether they were so very blunt about what was happening to him. Or did he gloss over the real aspects of war and it was only on his deathbed that he felt the need to share the negative and more personal side? How well did the government look after his family once he was dead?
Readers: Do you know of other ways people grieve, bereave or commemorate? Do you have any personal experiences?
Welcome back Sue. I enjoyed reading your synopsis of the course so far. I currently have a nephew-in-law who has experienced 3 tours of duty in Afghanistan and is suffering mentally from it on a regular basis and tries to let off steam by creating memorabilia and models of scenes from his tours of duty. My own father suffered depression from his stint in WW2 and as a result refused to talk about his experiences but would ensure as we were growing up that we marched in the annual Anzac Day Parade where ever we lived. His medals were only brought out at that time. I am still to discover the effects on my relatives who lost or had their sons go to WW1.
G’day Marilyn,
Too often those who return from war do not want to talk about their experiences. My dad’s step father was a stretcher bearer in the Polish Army in WW2 and only spoke about it after I did some research of what his group went through. Too many bad memories – but he also marched proudly in the ANZAC parade with his medals and his Polish mates every year until his death. We have put together a display of his medals now and researched what they were given for.
I have reached 1.10 and posted my first review also….and answered/commented on some others thought provoking posts…. Here are my first thoughts on the task set on the 4 videos.
I almost dont know where to start. Four very different stories about the same tragic time in our history. Looking back with the information available to us now, living with the history of the Anzacs each year on 25 April, still never prepares you for the many and varied individual stories that bring such poignant snapshots of real peoples tragedies. The mind-pictures created by the simple stark black and white words left me sitting watching the screen even after they faded away. If I had to say one story affected me more than the others it was the thought of a mother keeping vigil …. Almost expecting her son to walk in the door, just a clerical error…. He really is still alive …. Just missing…. I almost expected the ‘hollywood ending’ and it made it all the more moving that there was none. Lis
Hi Sue, enjoying keeping up with your stories. I have a friend here in Tambo who years ago found a WW1 medal under his station (rural property) quarters @ the shearing shed. He is trying to find family for the digger, he has accessed details from the war Museum service record and the soldier was a Mr G Ballia originally from Malta and enlisted as a fireman in the navy. I think. Post war he may have been employed in the ‘Sheds’ to manage the steam engines of the time or he may have been a swaggie (traveller looking for work) around the time of the great depression. Do any of your fellow bloggers have any ideas on how to accomplish this task, or how to access Malta emigration or BDM records? If we start in Australia and persist some new lead will come up somewhere. Thank you for your thoughts on this matter. I will give my friend a link to your site if that’s Ok with you.Great to see some familiar names on your site. Sincere Best Regards Marg T.
Hi Sue: re our soldier, found a lead on Ancestry.com free Anzac Access, but of course you have to subscribe to get anything more than the link, still it warrants further investigation. Enjoyed your Anzac nursing stories link. Regards Marg T
Hi Margaret,
I’ll check ancestry for you if you want and any info I will email it on to you. But can you give me as much info as you have at the moment on name etc.
Dear Sue and Fellow Bloggers, Thank you for your offers of help. The old bush telegraph has worked its’ magic again. My friend got hundreds of phone calls and one of his contacts checked Ancestry and found our missing links. Also on National archives.
Mr Guiseppi Ballia was 5ft3inches tall of sallow complexion, he was born in Malta and served as a fireman in the navy. They have also located some living relatives and hope to return his war medal which had been missing since the 1920’s. Still haven’t worked out what he was doing at a shearing shed in CQld but perhaps the family will shed some light on the rest of the story. Yours sincerely Marg T