ANZAC Day

It's a day that has always been respected in my family, growing up in country NSW we would watch the parade on television and more often than not bake some Anzac biscuits. I always get quite choked up watching the dignified service men and women marching along.

My immediate family wasn't involved in either World War - their dates of birth sparing them. However my father's older brother enlisted in the Air Force in WW II and serviced Catalina flying boats, was active in the RSL and Catalina Association and travelled to Sydney from his home in Orange to march for many years.

My great uncle, Reginald Davie (1893-1969), was our link to the ANZACs - he fought in WW I at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. He was captured by the Turks after a quite famous battle and held prisoner for the rest of the war. The story of the battle wasn't fully known until much later as most survivors were thus captured. He was found to be the "lone gunman" heard firing and is mentioned in reference books. He survived bayonet injuries to both arms and returned home to resume life on the land, and moved to Australia. I remember visiting him and my Auntie Dot as a child ( I was 8 when he died) at their home near Glen Innes. He predeceased my Auntie by 15 years so I have many more memories of her.

Lest We Forget.