ANZAC Day - 25th April - 110th Anniversary

 Last Friday, 25th April, across the world, Australians and New Zealanders commemorated ANZAC Day - our national day born from the World War One 1915 landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Türkiye ** and remembered the supreme sacrifice of so many across far too many wars. Not only those killed during the wars, but those whom came home broken in body and spirit. 

Below is a group portrait of all the original officers and men of the 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, AIF (Australian Imperial Force). The group of over 685 soldiers are spread over the side of the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) near Mena camp was originally lent to the Australian War Memorial in the 1930s by Colonel K McLennan MBE. Australian War Memorial collection

On this day I remember my great-uncle Norman Albert Clayden who was killed at Gallipoli only two days after the landing. Last year on 11 November - Remembrance Day - I wrote the following piece from a prompt from my writer's group. I thought I would share it with you today. 

Home Writing – 11 November 2024

Prompt - The sun was preparing itself on the horizon – (quote from David Pollock's book – Wooleen Way)

 The sun was preparing itself on the horizon. Muffled oars dipped. Men pulled their great-coats closer around them and adjusted the straps of their packs. Cold hands clung to their weapons. Hearts thumped. They didn’t marvel at the soft golden fingers of dawn creeping towards them.

Lance Corporal Norman Albert Clayden of the 11^th Battalion felt every muscle tense. His eyes strained to see the beach, from where he could hear the unmistakable sound of gunfire coming across the water.  Nothing had prepared him for this.

The boat ran aground and at the order the men jumped over the gunnels into waist deep water, struggled to get a firm foot hold, and waded through the wash as it pulled and dragged at their legs. A bombardment of bullets struck the water all around them. Men fell. Blood stained the water. 

Norman’s breath rasped in his throat as he stumbled up the beach, soaking wet and weighed down by his rifle and sodden pack. He threw himself onto the sand as bullets rained down. Chaos. Orders were tossed into the air.

"Get up Clayden! Get moving!"

Ahead of him men were already clambering up the cliff, grabbing at bushes, dragging boxes of ammunition, digging their bayonets into the earth as they climbed under the constant unrelenting gunfire. Impossible. A world away from where Norman had enlisted only seven months before in rural Western Australia.

At dawn on 27^th April, pinned down by enemy fire in a pothole on his way to reinforce an outpost in Wire Gully, Norman was shot in the head. He was 19. He has no known grave. His name is engraved on the war memorial at the Lone Pine Cemetery at Gallipoli. 

Australian War Memorial collection - showing hospital in the foreground

We know from birth records that Norman was 19 when he was killed, although his enlistment papers show his age as 22. During the First World War, the minimum enlistment age was 21 years, or 18 years with the permission of a parent or guardian. Therefore we assume that his parents didn't know he had enlisted, or hadn't given their permission for him to enlist. 

It was a common practise. On the Australian War Memorial web site is a list of boy soldiers who died before their 18th birthday during World War 1. Australian War Memorial - Boy Soldiers

** While English speakers have historically referred to the country as Turkey, it has been spelled and pronounced Türkiye (Tur-kee-yeah) in Turkish since the establishment of the modern Turkish republic in 1923.  Ref: sbs.com.au

We also today think about my husband's uncle Richard Ramsden who died in a prisoner of war camp in Myanmar (Burma) on 29th October 1943 in World War 2 - aged 23 - buried at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Mynanma - a place where his family have never been able to visit as it is in a restricted zone.

I have many more posts about ANZAC Day. Here are just a few: 

ANZAC Day 2024

Remote Sunrise Reminders - ANZAC Day 2023

ANZAC Day dawn service - 2022

View from Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli - photo taken by my sister Jen Shearing

A beautiful sunrise as we left the Dawn Service on ANZAC Day. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

my sister at Lone Pine memorial

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Anzac Day 2024

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Lest We Forget

The 'Ode of Remembrance' comes from the poem "For the Fallen", written by Laurence Binyon.

These words are spoken at war memorials - the big and the small - all across Australia and New Zealand, and around the world at Gallipoli in Turkey, France, New Guinea and many other places on Anzac Day - 25th April - the anniversary of the dawn landing at Gallipoli in 1915 - the day that we have set aside to remember those who lost their lives or have come home damaged from war. 

I believe it is Australia's most important national day. 

Every year we go to the Dawn Service to remember two family members who we have never met but who are part of the reason we live in the freedom of Australian as we do. 

Norman Clayden - my great uncle who was killed at Gallipoli on 27th April 1915, just two days after the beach landing - aged 19 - no known grave.

As well as his name on the Lone Pine memoral at Gallipoli, and the Perth War Memorial in Western Australia, we last year found his name on the memorial at Pingelly in the Western Australia wheatbelt, from where he enlisted. He looks so proud in his uniform this photo.

And my husband's uncle Richard Ramsden who died in a prisoner of war camp in Myanmar (Burma) on 29th October 1943 in World War 2 - aged 23 - buried at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Mynanma - a place where his family have never been able to visit. We only just recently learnt about some of what he might have gone through as a wounded and sick captured soldier who was forced to work.

Two young men cut down in their prime. What a waste. With the wars still going on around the world, it is obvious we have learnt nothing.

We are grateful to the people who look after these resting places far across the oceans.

I have shared some of this before in different ways -

Anzac Day 2022

Anxac Day 2019 - Field of Lights, Albany

Remote Anzac Sunrise Reminders - 2023

Gallipoli and Anzac Day 2021

Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you have an Anzac Day commemoration where you live? Is there someone you remember on that day?

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

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Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

Talking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

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Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service - 25 April 2022

It is three years since we were able to attend an ANZAC Day Dawn Service due to Covid restrictions. But today we were able to attend again at the war memorial in Bunbury with many others to commemorate and remember those who lost their lives or came home broken defending our freedom. It is a solemn and reflective occasion as we stand with heads bowed during the minute silence, the reading of the Ode, and the sounding of the last post on the bugle. 

It was not lost on us this morning the significance of the Ukrainian and Polish flags also flying at half mast at the memorial in remembrance of the deadly destructive war raging in the Ukraine today.  

As we drove home we stopped to view the magnificent blood red sunrise over Koombana Bay. It seemed a fitting reminder of the blood still being spilt in conflicts around the world. Will humanity never learn from the past?

A few facts about ANZAC Day. 

"ANZAC" is an acronym for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. -  the name given to a combined force of First Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Army troops who rowed ashore on Turkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula at around dawn on Sunday, the 25th day of April, 1915, barely nine months after the outbreak of World War I. 

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign of WWI- the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during WWI.

Each year on the 25th of April we reflect on all Defence Force personnel, past and present, and the sacrifices they’ve made. ANZAC Day is one of Australia’s most important national occasions.

Not only at the grand momuments, but in the little towns too, throughout Australia, people gather to remember and pay respect.

Traditionally, rosemary is worn on ANZAC Day. Rosemary is found growing wild on the Gallipoli peninsula.

The Australian War Museum in Australi's national capital, Canberra, is one of our most important memorials, achives and museums. The names of those killed in action in the first and second world wars are written on the remembrance walls.

Here we laid poppies for my Great-Uncle Norman Clayden who died at Gallipoli on 27th April, 1915 (aged 19 - no known grave), and my husband's uncle Richard Ramsden who died in a prisoner of war camp in Myanmar (Burma) on 29th October 1943 in World War 2.  (aged 23 - buried at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Mynanma).

The RED Poppy symbolises peace, death and sleep of the fallen servicemen and women. While the PURPLE Poppy represents remembrance of the animal victims of war. The ORANGE Poppy represents the acknowledgement of the Service families, and also acknowledges the families’ loss due to veteran suicide. The WHITE Poppy worn between 1918 - 1939 symbolises the wearers’ commitment to peace.

'Lest We Forget' is an expression of remembrance

The 'Ode' comes from the poem "For the Fallen", written by Laurence Binyon. The verse, which is commonly known as 'The Ode Of Remembrance', is as follows:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Lest We Forget

The first ever recorded Dawn Service in Western Australia was conducted by Anglican Chaplain Padre White (44th Battalion AIF) on 25 April 1923 in Albany, and has been held ever since with several thousand-people participating each year.

For many Australian's Albany was the last sighting they had of Australian soil before sailling to Egypt.  Below is the war memorial on Mt Clarence in Albany.  You can read more here: Albany Field of Lights for ANZACs

On the way to the Dawn Service this morning, we heard the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo on the radio from Canberra. The sound always stirs something deep inside. For the first time, Ngarla Maumahara, the Indigenous ANZAC Day Service was held in Perth.

I have just now picked up off my shelf a small poetry book which was my mother's entitled "The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels" collected by Sapper Bert Beros and dedicated to Australian soldiers and the peoples of New Guinea, the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, who gave invaluable help to the Allies during WW2. I opened the book randomly and this poem was on the page - here is an exerpt -

The Coloured Digger - written at Donadabu rest camp, dedicated to Private West

He came and joined the colours when the War God's anvil rang,

He took up modern weapons to replace his boomerang,

He waited for no call-up, he didn't need a push,

He came in from the stations and the townships of the bush.

......

He proved he's still a warrior, in action not afraid,

He faced the blasing red-hot fire from mortar and grenade;

He didn't mind when food was low, and we were getting thin,

He didn't growl or worry then, he'd cheer us with his grin.

......

You might like this You Tube video

This afternoon we went for a drive around to some of the war memorials in our local area - Burekup, Dardanup, Boyanup, Capel, Bunbury and Rathmines (also in Bunbury). It was a lovely afternoon and we saw some memorials which we had never seen before, or had seen but never stopped at. Thankyou to Capelberry Cafe in Capel for serving us coffees and delicious Anzac biscuits sandwiched with chocolate ganache, even though they were about to close up for the day.

A few of my previous posts about ANZAC Day here:

Darwin Remembers, Northern Territory, Australia

Anzac Day 2016

Spirit of Anzac Centenary - 2017

Gallipoli and ANZAC Day 2021

ANZAC Day 2014

Thank you so much for stopping by this ANZAC Day. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   
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Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Anzac Day 25 April 2017

On Anzac Day morning at dawn we will join thousands of other Australians and New Zealanders who come together for Dawn Services at memorials in towns and cities across Australia and across the world to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free.  With service personnel still serving in conflicts overseas, Anzac Day goes beyond Gallipoli and as the crowds at Dawn Services grow each year it is still as relevant today as it was then. The spirit of Anzac, with its qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity. 
You can read more about the Dawn Service tradition here - Anzac Tradition 

Muffled voices. Shuffling feet. Drizzling rain. I pull up the collar of my coat. The beat of a single drum echoes up the street. Then the stamp of marching feet. I look through the rain towards the sound, see them emerge from the gloom into the flickering light of the street lamps.  Grim faced they pass us by, halt and turn as one towards the memorial. We bow our heads as the words are read. The lone bugle calls to the dawn. My tears mingle with the rain on my cheeks as I remember them. 

They were too young to die. My Great-Uncle Norman, aged 19, on the ridges of Gallipoli on 2 May 1915, and my husband’s Uncle Richard, aged 23, as a prisoner of war in Burma on 29 October 1943. Their lives had barely begun before it was snatched away. 

I never knew them. They were ghosts to me until I placed the poppies next to their names at the Canberra War Memorial in 2012. On that day they became real to me. My tears are for them.  

And for all those who died and those who returned maimed in body and spirit. Their youth and dreams lost in the pages of history.

Both these young men, are buried overseas as are thousands of others. Norman Albert Clayden at Lone Pine in Gallipoli and Richard Ramsden at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar (Burma). 

from - War Graves Photographic Project -

 

Norman Albert Clayden

Cemetery: Lone Pine Memorial Country: Turkey Area: Gallipoli

Rank: Lance Corporal Force: Army Official Number: 881 Unit: 11th Btn.Australian Infantry, A.I.F.  Nationality: Australian

Details: Killed in action 02/05/15 Age 19,  Son of William George and Clara Clayden, of Craigie, Kulyaling, Western Australia. Native of Pingelly.

I never knew what Norman looked like until last night when I discovered this blurred photo of Norman on the web - Discovering Anzacs

---

Richard Ramsden

Cemetery: Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery Country: Myanmar Area: Yangon  

Rank: Gunner Force: Army Official Number: WX14461 Unit: A.I.F. 2/1 Hvy. Bty. Royal Australian Artillery Nationality: Australian

Details: Prisoner of War. Died of disease. 29-Oct-1943 Aged 23, Son of Philip Alfred and Janet Ramsden, of Perth, Western Australia. A16. C. 15. _______________________________________________________________________________

In January we felt privileged to be able to view the Spirit of Anzac Centenary travelling exhibition which tells the story of Australia's involvement in the First World War, featuring artifacts from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. 

Part of the exhibition was this fascinating display where you can look through the "camera" and view of the iconic photo of 11th Battalion taken on Sunday 10 January 1915 at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Most of the 704 men who posed for this iconic image have never been named or identified and it is likely that this is the last photograph of many of them.  I know my great-uncle is among them. But where? There is a project to identify these men. You can find out more here  - 11th Battalion Project

The images and stories throughout the exhibition, and also when we visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the National Anzac Centre in Albany, left me with an overwhelming feeling and sense of the tragedy and waste of war - both for those who died and especially those who came back damaged in body and spirit. Those who returned were often suffering from "shell shock" or what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, as they struggled to return to their pre-war lives. 

Total Australian Casualties from World War 1 - 155,000 wounded, 61,514 deaths, 4,044 prisoners of war, deaths on Gallipoli 8,709.

Many who returned wanted to put their experiences behind them, many could not. Often they and their families suffered years of torment. Have we learnt from any of this?

 And the final panel of the exhibition -

Whatever these men did, nothing can alter now. The good and the bad, the greatness and the smallness of their story will stand. Whatever of glory it contains, nothing now can lessen. It rises, is it will always rise, above the mists of the ages, a monument to great-hearted men, and for their nation, a possession forever. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you reflect on a passed loved one on Anzac Day? Perhaps you'd like to share in the comments. 

You can search for the war records of your family member at the National Archives of Australia here -  NAA - Service Records

You might also like to visit - 

Anzac Day 2016 - we will remember them

Anzac Day 2015 - Centenary of the Gallipoli landing 

Armistice Day 2015 - on the 11th hour of the 11th month 

Anzac Day 2014

Anzac Day 2012

War Letters home

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday

Our World Tuesday

Through My Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Lifestyle Fifty