CONTENTS
Articles
Captain Clifford ‘Tiny’ Hatcher MC, 12th MG Coy/4th MG Bn, Greg O’Reilly 3-7
Cpl 2024A Stanley Woolbank, 45th Bn, letters and news items, found on Trove 8-11
Sister Hilda Mary Knox, AANS, Heather (Frev) Ford 12-15
E/R Sgt John Wicks, AIF Canteens, found on Trove, research by Graeme Hosken 15
The O’Connor brothers of Collie: George, Michael, Patrick and Edward, Margo Piggott 16-19
Pte 2029 James Antcliff, 36th Bn Emeritus Prof. John Ramsland 20-25
Dvr 2102 Oliver Courtney, 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance, Greg Swinden 26-28
My three Digger uncles: Jim and Fred Harvey, Mac Smith, Judith Green 29
Memories of Polygon Wood, ‘Barb’, 51st Bn 30-31
Extract from French newspaper found in 4th MG Bn unit diary, contrib. by Greg Knight 31
Pte 2722 Rupert Donaldson, 2nd & 54th Bns, Graeme Hosken and Malcolm Donaldson 32-33
Boy-buglers of the AIF, Graeme Hosken 34-40
Commemorations of the Centenary of 3rd Ypres, Johan Durnez with Geoff Lewis 41
Capt Gordon Coghill MC, 35th Bn, contrib. by Bill Durrant 42
Differing views on the Battle of Passchendaele, ‘Dig’ and ‘Fifth Army’, found on Trove 43-44
Battle on the Menin Road, Cpl 3097 Alfred Gray MSM, 5th Pnrs, found on Trove 44
Letters from Gallipoli: Pte Garnet Rundle, 12th Bn, found on Trove 45-50
Cpl 566 James Smith MM, 4th MG Bn, and the Battle of Hamel, Greg Knight 51-54
The Road to Passchendaele, Emeritus Prof. John Ramsland 55-59
A ration party, Unknown soldier-author, found on Trove, contrib. by Bill Durrant 60-61
Spr 145 Rupert Moremon, 6th BGROC, Graeme Hosken 61
Lieut John Davidson MC, 1st LHR, ICC, 15th LHR, contrib. by Rob Davidson 62-63
Cpl 165 A Stranger, 32nd Bn, & his father, Sgt 872 T Stranger, 5th BGROC, Stephen Brooks 63
For Valour: Australian VC recipients 1918 (Part 1: March to May), Geoff Lewis 64-70
2018 Battle of the Lys Centenary at Merris and Vieux Berquin, John Payne 70
Keeping their Memory Alive (seven soldiers from Chinchilla), Graeme Hosken 71-72
The fight for Passchendaele, L/Cpl 2865 William Murray, 39th Bn, found on Trove 73-74
‘Fun at the Front’: account of a DAC mule race, 23rd Battalion unit diary 74
Regular features
Trench Talk and Contact/Membership details 2
Etched in Stone, Russell Curley and Jim Corkery 75
2023 Calendar of events
Saturday 22 April WFA Seminar, with FFFAIF John Laffin Memorial Lecture
Tuesday 25 April Anzac Day
FFFAIF has traditionally supported AWWOD organising descendants’ participation in the Sydney Anzac Day March.In 2023 FFFAIF will encourage “Dawn drive-way vigils”.
The RSL is promoting ‘Light up the Dawn’ gatherings on driveways and balconies and ABC Radio coverage of the Canberra Dawn Service and National Ceremony will be heard on local ABC Radio, RN and on the ABC Listen app from 5.30am – 6.00am. This will incorporate a minute’s silence at approximately 5.50am to synchronise the dawn drive-way vigils.
TV broadcasts of Sydney Dawn Service, Canberra Dawn Service and National Ceremony and Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance Service will all be live from 4.30am AEST on ABC TV and ABC NEWS channels, on iview, and streamed live on ABC Australia Facebook and YouTube.
State TV broadcasts of capital city marches and dawn services will also be streamed live on ABC capital city Facebook accounts and on the ABC’s capital city local radio websites.
Every capital city will have live coverage of a local march, however coverage of capital city dawn services will vary in each state. Broadcasts times can be found on the ABC Anzac Day website.
Gallipoli Day /ANZAC Day services will be held in the UK, including:
a Dawn Service at Hyde Park Corner and later the annual Service of Commemoration with a wreath laying at the Cenotaph followed by a Service held at Westminster Abbey;
Baverstock, Codford, Fovant and Sutton Veny on the Salisbury Plain; and
at about 15 other locations in England and Scotland;
Also at the Menin Gate, Ieper; and
Fromelles FranceWednesday 19 July Fromelles Day Commemoration in Sydney at the Anzac Memorial and
Melbourne Wreath-laying at the Shrine of Remembrance and Ipswich in QueenslandSunday 23 July Pozieres Service St Columba Woollahra TBC
Tuesday 26 September Commemoration of the Battles of 3rd Ypres
Thursday 19 October War Widows Day
Saturday 21st October FFFAIF AGM and WFA Lecture Day
Venue: Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney and AGM On-line Zoom MeetingSaturday 11 November Remembrance Day
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Recent News
- Fromelles Day Sydney 19 July 2023: Commemorative Procession from the Archibald Fountain to the Anzac Memorial
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- Commemorating the 105th anniversary of the Battles of 3rd Ypres in 2022
- Fromelles Day Sydney 19 July 2022: Commemorative Procession from the Archibald Fountain to the Anzac Memorial and Commemorative Service
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