Sadly, 4 Kiwi airman have joined the long list of those who have died in the service of their country. A Huey from No 3 Sqn RNZAF crashed en route RNZAF Ohakea to Wellington for the ANZAC commemoration. All on board died; one in hospital. RIP Roxy Heard the tragic news at the ANZAC Day Memorial service here in Berlin. Regards Tom
Today was also ANZAC Day in Berlin. There was a large crowd that attended the Memorial Service and which started at 1030 hrs, at the Berlin war Cemetery on Heerstraße, Berlin-Charlottenburg. The NZ Embassy arranged the proceedings this year and next year it will be the turn of the Australian Embassy. The weather remained glorious and sunny and so it was a sombre but very nice service with the Reverend Max Homewood (RBL Berlin Member) officiating. Music was provided by the Luftwaffen Musikkorps. The ceremony lasted approximately one hour and after which I was fortunate enough to be invited back to the Embassadors residence in Grünewald, Berlin for a reception. I have scanned and posted the ANZAC Day Service notes and I found item 5, which was read out by the Turkish Ambasador, H.E. Ahmet Acet, to be particularly noteworthy. It was written by Kemal Atatürk in 1934. Regards Tom
It now seems that the 4th crewmember did not die, but is serious but stable in hospital. Sorry for any confusion. Get well soon! Roxy
Tom Looked like a very good service in the proper tradition, thanks for the photo's. Our Commonwealth Brothers- Remembered with pride- Least we Forget
Mike, For some reasons unknown the RBL never took the standard to the ANZAC ceremony here in Berlin. There were never any other standards on show and so this year I decided to take ours and the NZ organisers were happy for us to have it there. After all it is a Commonwealth ceremony for the ANZAC fallen, including all other nationalities that fell in the conflict. The daughter of my vice chairman, Frank, also took photographs and when I receive them I will post them. Regards Tom
Thank you very much for those photos Tom, It is always nice to see how Anzac day is commemorated around the world.
St Marys Church Harefield,Middlesex ,England The Anzac Cemetery During the First World War Harefield Park was offered by the owner, Charles Billyard Leake, as a hospital to the Ministry of Defence of New South Wales. For the duration of the war casualties from the Australian Forces from Gallipoli and the Western Front were treated at the newly created Harefield Hospital. Many of the wounded died; 111 men and one nursing sister were buried with military honours in an extension of the churchyard. The village school lent its Union Flag for these occasions. After the war the flag was presented to the last C.O. of the Australian Hospital and was laid up in Adelaide High School. The Australian Children’s Patriotic League presented in return a new Union Flag and an Australian Flag to Harefield school. The Australian flag hangs in the Breakspear Chapel, which was rededicated as the Australian Chapel in 1951. In 1921 began the annual ceremony in which the children from the school put flowers on every grave in the cemetery. This is followed by a Commemorative Service to which we always invite representatives from the Australian High Commission. Anzac Day, 25th April, has become a most significant annual event in the Harefield calendar. CWGC :: Cemetery Details
As a local RBL repesentative at what is reputed to be the largest ANZAC commemoration ceremony outside Australia and New Zealand I was impressed to note the inclusion on today's Order of Service of a list of the 37 WW1 Anzac casualties who are interred here in the Commonwealth Military Cemetery. I include it below in the hope that distant living relatives down under may derive some comfort from the fact that the graves are well tended in this lovely quiet corner of rural aforestation. Respects were paid by the attendance of the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, supported by representatives of the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners to UK, representatives of the New Zealand and Australian Defence Forces, the Standard Bearers and representatives of in excess of a hundred Royal British Legion Branches, the Lords Mayor and Mayors of every town and city of Staffordshire, with chains of office, and a contingent from an ANZAC re-enactment society. Unfortunately I had no camera today but have photos of last year's event if anyone requests them, or asks for a photo of a specific grave. Les
Very well done Les - A credit to all that never forget. In Melbourne the Anzac Day march was attended by a crowd of some 40,000. Good to see that the locals have not forgotten the brave men and women who paid the ultimate price and celebrate those that did return. Here is a photo of Cannock Chase War Cemetery. Cheers Geoff
St Marys Church Harefield,Middlesex ,England The Anzac Cemetery During the First World War Harefield Park was offered by the owner, Charles Billyard Leake, as a hospital to the Ministry of Defence of New South Wales. For the duration of the war casualties from the Australian Forces from Gallipoli and the Western Front were treated at the newly created Harefield Hospital. Many of the wounded died; 111 men and one nursing sister were buried with military honours in an extension of the churchyard. The village school lent its Union Flag for these occasions. After the war the flag was presented to the last C.O. of the Australian Hospital and was laid up in Adelaide High School. The Australian Children’s Patriotic League presented in return a new Union Flag and an Australian Flag to Harefield school. The Australian flag hangs in the Breakspear Chapel, which was rededicated as the Australian Chapel in 1951. In 1921 began the annual ceremony in which the children from the school put flowers on every grave in the cemetery. This is followed by a Commemorative Service to which we always invite representatives from the Australian High Commission. Anzac Day, 25th April, has become a most significant annual event in the Harefield calendar. CWGC :: Cemetery Details A great continuing commemoration Clive. My research is restricted to Australians in who were in the AFC/RFC/RNAS/RAF in the Great War. There are two Aussie lads buried at Harefield. Both died of disease. Seems they may have both been initially interred at Cowley (St. Lawrence) Churchyard, Middlesex according to their details below. There are now only two other burials at Cowley with one definitely a local. Guy BUCKNALL Regimental number527 ReligionPresbyterian OccupationFarmer AddressCotswold, Victoria Marital statusSingle Age at embarkation21 Next of kinFather, G Bucknall, Cotswold, Victoria Enlistment date11 March 1916 Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll10 May 1916 Rank on enlistmentPrivate Unit nameAustralian Flying Corps, No 2 Squadron, Head-Quarters AWM Embarkation Roll number8/5/1 Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 25 October 1916 Rank from Nominal RollPrivate Unit from Nominal RollAustralian Flying Corps FateDied of disease 4 December 1917 Age at death from cemetery records22 Place of burialCowley (St. Lawrence) Churchyard (Aust. 30), Middlesex Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial188 Miscellaneous information from cemetery records Parents: Guy and Isabel BUCKNALL. Born at Cotswold, Victoria Gustav William FIELD Regimental number787 Place of birthMurtoa, Victoria ReligionChurch of England OccupationPlumber Address3 Ascot Street, Ballarat, Victoria Marital statusSingle Age at embarkation32 Next of kinFather, A Field, 3 Ascot Street, Ballarat, Victoria Enlistment date29 September 1916 Rank on enlistment2nd Air Mechanic Unit name2nd Squadron, 1st Reinforcement, Australian Flying Corps AWM Embarkation Roll number8/5/2 Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 25 October 1916 Rank from Nominal RollCorporal Unit from Nominal RollAustralian Flying Corps FateDied of disease 9 November 1918 Miscellaneous details (Nominal Roll)*Surname FEILD on Nominal Roll Age at death from cemetery records34 Place of burialCowley (St. Lawrence) Churchyard (Aust. 98), Middlesex Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial188 Miscellaneous information from cemetery records Parents: Alfred Francis and Louisa Sarlaw FEILD, 3 Ascot Street, North Ballarat, Victoria Cheers Geoff
TCS - well done once more - during our visit to Australia and New Zealand many years ago when we travelled from Melbourne into the interior -to Adelaide - Sydney - Brisbane -Long Reach -Rockhampton -Christchurch- Oamaru - Dunedin - Wellington - Auckland - I was always impressed that in each small Village -Town -City there was always a Cenotaph indicating the contribution of each area to the various conflicts which they shared wth us as true members of the Commonwealth- even had a fight with the curator of the Dunedin Library/ Museum who had tucked away in dark corner a portrait of a scene from the Sangro River battle where the Kiwi's had their first battle on Italian soil My cousin later reported that the portrait was front and centre for a month! Cheers
I have scanned and posted the ANZAC Day Service notes and I found item 5, which was read out by the Turkish Ambasador, H.E. Ahmet Acet, to be particularly noteworthy. It was written by Kemal Atatürk in 1934. Regards Tom This peace is known as his "Letter to the Mothers" of those allied lads that now rest in Turkey. Yes - Quite moving.
Yesterday morning at Wisbech Mount Pleasant those of us from the Wisbech Branch of the RAFA gathered to lay a wreath at the grave of Name:JUDE, SAMUELInitials:SNationality:AustralianRank:PrivateRegiment/Service:Australian Infantry, A.I.F.Unit Text:3rd Bn.Age:29Date of Death:20/07/1916Service No:2866Additional information:Son of Samuel and Sarah Jude. Born at Wisbech, England.Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadGrave/Memorial Reference:E2. C. 60.Cemetery:MOUNT PLEASANT CEMETERY, WISBECH
Just for completeness the representatives at the Cannock Chase ANZAC commemoration ceremony this year were Australia High Commissioner Major Jeff Ashton, and from NZ Deputy High Commissioner Mrs Belinda Brown and her husband Peter, also Major Colin Mason New Zealand Defence Force Chaplain.
I have been up to the ANZAC Day Parade at Leighterton a few times but not for awhile. There are young airmen there who died during flying training in WW1. Here's a video of the parade after the advert . Gloucestershire, Thornbury and Yate News - from the Gazette Series Leighterton Anzac Day Parade First World War Australian and New Zealand airmen who paid the ultimate price are remembered in Leighterton.
