A Dog, A Cemetery, And An Odd Bod's Act Of Bravery

We get some wonderful stories from the UK and this one has all the elements of a best seller. Not only does it include a dog, a cemetery, and an Odd Bod, but the dog and the Odd Bod receive medals for service above and beyond.

Let's start with the dog. His name is Sam and apparently, throughout the year, he and his owner place flowers on the RAF and RAAF aircrew war graves at Selby a town on the river Ouse, just south of York in the UK. Their regular trips have not gone unnoticed, and although Sam is now too old to visit, he and his owner were asked to make one more trip so that Sam could be presented with a Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. 

The medal was presented at Selby Abbey which, according to our correspondent, is a similar sized church to the famous Westminster Abbey, and was built by William The Conquerer in 1069

Our correspondent goes on to say "Before you ask, it’s a Pommie thing to give a medal to a dog in an abbey. It’s what we do. It is our normal, because we Brits are all on the eccentric spectrum. Must be something to do with the wind and the rain." 

Whatever the eccentricity, this sounds like a perfectly wonderful practice.

And now to the Odd Bod - One of the graves that Sam and his owner visits to put flowers on is that of a certain Robert Wilson Baxter, from Colac in Victoria, and winner of the George Medal no less  (The George Medal is like a Victoria Cross, but for extreme heroism that’s not in the face of the enemy. They are about as common as hen’s teeth and only awarded for unbelievable acts of the utmost bravery). 

Baxter received his award as Pilot of a Wellington Bomber which, after a successful raid on Germany, landed back in the UK, but burst into flames. The crew escaped except for the Wireless Operator, and at great personal risk, Baxter re-entered the burning aircraft to secure the release of the trapped crewmember. 

Sadly Baxter was killed in an aircraft crash near Snaith on 7th August 1942, and is buried at Selby Cemetery.

Of course this is just one of many stories to come out of WW2. However linking the brave acts of wartime, with todays generations remembering those sacrifices, has particular relevance for an Association like ours.

NOTE: A big thank you to FOTOBAI member Bryan Wilcockson who lives in Selby, and has provided us with this story and many others over the years. As Bryan says, the connection between Selby and the Odd Bods is quite amazing, and we are most grateful for his ongoing contributions. 

Odd Bods Make Substantial Donation to Ryder Cheshire:

Friends of the Odd Bods have just made a substantial donation to Ryder Cheshire. In December a sum of A$2500 was donated which included funds directly allocated by members as part of the association’s annual subscription process.

Ryder Cheshire operate homes and clinics in India and Timor-Leste. We asked them if we could donate to a specific program of their choice and they nominated a special need for IT equipment at the Klibur Domin Centre in Timor-Leste. 

Klibur Domin is a centre based at Tibar, about 17km from the capital, Dili. It provides a variety of programs to help those in need in Timor-Leste. These programs include an Inpatient Program for those recovering from illnesses or injuries, a Community Based Rehabilitation Program which supports children and adults with disability and provides respite care and access to education, a Mobile TB team to diagnose and treat those with tuberculosis in the community, and a dental clinic to provide dental treatment and oral health education.

On 2/1/2023 Ryder Cheshire wrote – “Thank you again for this very generous donation which will assist our home in KD Timor-Leste in upgrading its systems and accounting packages, thereby improving the efficiency with which they can deliver health programs.”

Friends of the Odd Bods also sponsor 4 students at the Raphael Centre in Dehradun, India, at a cost of A$1200 annually, and continue the good work set up by Odd Bods over many decades.

"Pressing On.... Remembering"

 

Golfing Rules During WW2 Bombing

“Temporary” rules for playing golf at Richmond Golf Club in Surrey, UK, during World War II that have re-emerged nearly 80 years later, after the release of an historic photograph archive, reveal how golfers at that club refused to let Hitler’s Luftwaffe interrupt their games, even as bombs fell on their course.

More than 1,000 bombs were dropped on Richmond between October 7, 1940 and June 6, 1941, the Daily Mail reported, with several hitting the golf club property. One destroyed a laundry used by the club, as the German Luftwaffe turned its attention from targeting RAF airfields to attacking London and other major cities towards the end of the Battle of Britain.

The following rules were apparently genuine and illustrated the bold determination of English golfers.

1.Players are asked to collect Bomb and Shrapnel splinters to save these causing damage to the Mowing Machines.

2.In Competitions during gunfire or while bombs are falling players may take cover without penalty for ceasing play.

3.The positions of known delayed-action bombs are marked by red flags at reasonable but not guaranteed safe distance therefrom.

4.Shrapnel and or bomb splinters on the Fairway or in Bunkers within a club’s length of a ball may be moved without penalty and no penalty shall be incurred if a ball is thereby caused to move accidentally.

5.A ball moved by enemy action may be replaced or if lost or destroyed a ball may be dropped not nearer the hole without a penalty.

6.A ball lying in a crater may be lifted and dropped not nearer the hole, preserving the line to the hole, without penalty.

7.A player whose stroke is affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb may replay another ball from the same place. Penalty one stroke.

Vale Geoffrey Conacher

We sadly report the passing of Odd Bod, Geoffrey Conacher, on 20/11/2022. We are advised by his wife, Marion, that Geoffrey passed peacefully in comfort.

 Geoffrey  CONACHER   419799  PLT  622 Squadron.

Geoffrey Conacher grew up in Australia and after a few months in the army he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942. After training he flew 14 operations as a pilot with 622 Squadron (see below). His aircraft was shot down and he baled out over liberated France. 

Geoffrey joined the Odd Bods in 1992 and featured at the unveiling of the Odd Bods Bronze Plaque at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in March 2020.

Geoffrey Conacher (second from left) at Odd Bods plaque unveiling Canberra 2020.

An IBCC interview was conducted with Geoffrey back in 2017 and is available online. Geoffrey gives a fascinating account of his wartime experiences. At the end of the war Geoffrey flew Lancasters that were bringing POWs back to the UK, some of them after 5 years of internment. He particularly remembers the delighted looks on their faces when they returned to England. Here is the link to the audio interview - https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/3378

Our condolences and best wishes to Marion and family.

622 Squadron: No. 622 Squadron was first formed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on 10 August 1943, equipped with Stirling Mk.III bombers, as part of 3 Group in Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Lancaster Mk.III bombers in December, after briefly operating Lancaster Mk.Is that month. It operated in Bomber Command's Main Force as part of No 3 Group until April 1945 when it moved to humanitarian duties dropping food to the Dutch (Operation Manna), repatriating POWs (Operation Exodus) and ferrying troops home from Italy. The Squadron was disbanded at Mildenhall on 15 August 1945.

POSTSCRIPT: 1/12/2022 - At today's funeral we were treated to a variety of moving stories about Geoff's life and particularly his love of family. The photo tribute included a number of photos from the Odd Bods Bronze Plaque unveiling in Canberra. An RSL component in the service gave details of Geoff's war service as a Lancaster Pilot.

Remembrance Day In Selby UK

 

Selby is a market town in North Yorkshire about 22k south of York on the River Ouse. On Remembrance Day (11th November), local school children place a poppy cross on each of the war graves. Most Commonwealth War Graves are aircrew, and of course some are RAAF.

We know this because one of our members, Bryan Wilcockson, a resident of Selby, regularly corresponds with us, and this year he has sent us photographs of the Remembrance Day service in his town.

Just as our Odd Bods shared a unified determination with UK service personnel to protect our freedom during WW2, it is gratifying to note that the “remembering” is also shared by today’s communities on both sides of the globe - Lest we forget.

Remembrance Day 2022

The 11th day of the 11th month is steeped in Australia's history as the day we celebrate the end of World War 1, and the day we remember all service personnel who died in the line of duty.

For Odd Bods there is a special place where we observe Rememberance Day and that is the Repatriation Hospital in Heidelberg, Melbourne. One of the original Odd Bods banners was made at the Austin/Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital by a seamstress in the hospital laundry. That banner served many good years at Odd Bods events including the Anzac Day March and is now on display in the hospital chapel.

A service is held in the grounds of the hospital each Remembrance Day and the following photos were recorded at todays service attended by a number of our Association members. Thank you to Peter Randell for supplying the photos.

Vale Arthur Atkins DFC

Arthur H.C. Atkins DFC 418514 Pilot 625 Squadron.

Arthur Atkins, a life subscriber to the Odd Bods, has passed away at the age of 105.

Arthur passed on 26th October and was a stalwart member of the Odd Bods, an attendee at Bomber Command Commemorative Association presentations, and Patron and Life member of the Mercantile Rowing Club.

In WW2 Arthur transferred from the Army to the RAAF and did his elementary flying training at 11 EFTS Benalla, then SFTS at Mallala on Avro Ansons. He was posted to England, where he trained on Wellingtons then Lancasters at No1 Lancaster Finishing School. Arthur completed 31 missions and was Pilot of a Lancaster Bomber, earning a DFC in the process. 

Arthur was the subject of a number of veteran interviews, audio, video and written, and you will find links below. There are many fascinating stories of war service.

Our condolences to the family of Odd Bod Arthur Atkins.

https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/2319

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2792491

https://somethingverybig.com/tag/bomber-command/page/2/

Vale Allan Couper 18/11/1924 – 21/10/2022

 

Couper Allan Joseph 430013 NAV(B) 75(NZ) Squadron. 

Odd Bod Allan Couper passed away on 21st October 2022 at the age of 97. Allan was a regular attendee at Odd Bod’s functions and will be sadly missed by  members. Our sincere condolences go out to family & friends.

Allan was a WW2 veteran, serving in 75 (NZ) Squadron as a NAV(B). 75 Squadron was an RAF squadron with close ties to New Zealand and following WW2 the squadron name was bequeathed to the NZ government in recognition of outstanding service to the war effort.

From Wikipedia:75 (NZ) Squadron was engaged constantly against Germany from 1940 to VE day. The squadron flew more sorties than any other Allied heavy bomber squadron, suffered the second most casualties of all Allied squadrons, and dropped the second largest weight of bombs of any Allied squadron.

Avro Lancasters replaced the Stirlings in 1944 until August 1945 when after moving to RAF Spilsby the squadron began converting to Avro Lincolns.

Allan was the subject of a video interview concerning his wartime experiences and it contains some fascinating insights particularly concerning the trauma of bomber flying. Here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYtFut9pLKY

 

2 comments:

1. 
   Adam Purcell28 October 2022 at 10:00

   I recorded an audio interview with Allan in 2017 as part of the International Bomber Command Centre's Digital Archive project - a blog post about his story is here: https://somethingverybig.com/2017/01/08/ibcc-interview-10-allan-couper-75-nz-squadron-bomb-aimer/ and the interview itself can be found on the IBCC's website.

   ReplyDelete
2. 
   Editor30 October 2022 at 16:32

   Thanks Adam.

Lancaster Movie Earns Acclaim

A new movie by the makers of feature length documentary "Spitfire" has received acclaim from critics for its portrayol of the wartime history of the Lancaster bomber.

"From the team behind SPITFIRE comes LANCASTER, the story of the iconic WW2 bomber told through the words of the last surviving crew members, re-mastered archive material and extraordinary aerial footage of the RAF's last airworthy Lancaster. Responsible for some of the most famous and infamous missions in WW2 history, from the Dambuster raids to the controversial bombing of Dresden, the Lancaster would help turn the tide of war. But there was a deadly price to be paid. 55,000 young men - half of all Bomber Command's aircrew - died over Nazi occupied Europe. Their average age was just 22. LANCASTER is an epic and poignant story of courage, fear, friendship and the moral complexities of war."

The film will be screened at select cinemas and for those in Melbourne a viewing is being organised at The Palace, Como, on 10th November. Interested members can email Noel Tresider at ntreside@bigpond.net.au for details.

Australian Aviator's Bravery Remembered At Memorial Service, Bowen Gardens Boroondara

Wing Commander (Ret'd) Mike Oram

A moving memorial service was held at Bowen Gardens, Camberwell on Saturday 1st October 2022 to pay tribute to Australian aviator, Les Knight whose bravery has touched many in Australia and overseas.

Leslie Gordon Knight, DSO (7 March 1921 – 16 September 1943) was an Australian bomber pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1943 for his role in Operation Chastise while flying with No. 617 Squadron RAF. Knight's crew, flying in N-Nan, attacked, hit and breached the Eder Dam, the second dam to be attacked, after his comrades had previously scored one hit and one miss. 

Knight was killed later the same year while taking part in Operation Garlic – the Dortmund–Ems Canal raid. After his Lancaster's engines were damaged by clipping a tree while flying at low level, he was able to allow his entire crew to bail out. At the same time he steered his doomed Lancaster bomber away from the centre of a Dutch village averting possible further death and destruction, but was unable to land the aircraft without crashing. He is buried at Den Ham General Cemetery in the Netherlands.

FOTOBAI members were active in the memorial service with a reading from Jan Dimmick, "For The Heroes", and a speech from Wing Commander (Ret'd) Mike Oram. Mike was good enough to provide us with a copy of his speech - 

"Firstly let me pass on an apology from Air Commodore Frisina AM, the Senior Air Force Officer Victoria, who unfortunately could not be here today due to previous commitments.

I am greatly honoured to be able to play a small part in this service not only as a representative of the Air Force of today, but also due to my own personal connection to Bomber Command through my father, Flight Lieutenant Johnny Oram DFC and Bar, who was, like Les Knight, a Bomber Command Lancaster pilot.

After being approached to speak at this service and beginning to research FLTLT Knight DSO I was immediately struck by the thought “why haven’t I heard of this incredibly brave and daring aviator before now?” His role with the legendary ‘Dambusters’ of 617 SQN RAF alone should have bought him lasting fame – and if there was any justice in the world, after having survived such an incredibly risky mission he would have survived the rest of the war - and returned to Australia to do those things we now take for granted – chose a career, meet a partner, start a family – enjoy a life.

But as was the case for so many Bomber Command aircrew, surviving great danger and achieving spectacular mission success was not an opportunity to seek respite – rather such brave conduct was expected again and again – in an air battle which generated higher casualty rates to the aircrews than those experienced by infantry in the bloody trenches of WW1.

It is unfortunately not surprising that, against the maelstrom of World War II many individual acts of valour were not given due regard in the aftermath of conflict - particularly for those who did not return. For Les and others like him there would be no joyous family reunions, no experience of the camaraderie of ANZAC with other veterans, no Squadron get togethers. It is a sad fact that for many of these young men their daring exploits were known only to a handful of family and fellow veterans. At the end of the war the focus was understandably on the living and building a brighter future - but for the families of the fallen a lost loved one was a constant gap in their lives that could never be filled. Recognition of individual acts of valour and sacrifice can never fill those gaps, but they can help to provide a degree of closure to those who are left. I am honoured today to play a small part in providing that recognition albeit so many years after Wars end.

As an air force pilot, I can honestly say that reading the story of Les's final mission literally raised the hairs on the back of my neck. It is hard to imagine how such a young man managed to act with such skill and bravery under almost inconceivable pressure that night.

In the Air Force of today, flying a large aircraft by night in poor weather at low level - and without any modern navigation and enhanced night vision equipment, would be considered risky to the point of recklessness and would simply not be authorised. Les and his crew did all that, and did it under near constant attack from well trained and determined German air and ground defences. After striking trees whilst pressing home the attack in the atrocious weather conditions obtaining that night that night, Les’s Lancaster ended up losing both engines on the port side of the aircraft - a condition pilots describe as ‘double asymmetric’. For an aircraft like the Lancaster this can make continued flight nearly impossible in even ideal conditions. But the conditions were far from ideal for Les and his crew. Loss of two engines was not the only damage that the aircraft had suffered. The impact had also damaged the control runs which allowed operation of the aircraft rudders - for the uninitiated effective rudder control is absolutely vital in a situation where the aircraft has one or more engines inoperative. It is not hyperbole to say that this aircraft simply shouldn't have been able to keep flying - but Les somehow managed to not only continue to fly but, with assistance from his crew, to coax the wounded Lanc to climb to a height from which his crew would be able to safely abandon the aircraft.

Having ordered his crew to bail out, Les remained at the controls, unable to bale out himself. In a final act of heroism which would cost him his young life, Les steered the aircraft to a crash landing in an empty field, avoiding the small Dutch village where the aircraft may otherwise have crashed.

FLTLT Les Knight DSO, from the the nation you helped keep free, from the Air Force of today that stands on the shoulders of you and those like you, and, personally, from the son of another RAAF Lancaster pilot - thank you." - Mike Oram

Bruce Waxman & Jan Dimmick

Wreaths At Memorial

Les Knight

Odd Bods at Gallipoli

A Royal Navy, Henri Farman, tandem seated float plane, possibly from HMS Ark Royal, returning to its launching ramp. Contributed by Australian War Memorial Photo: Australian War Memorial

The famous Gallipoli landings of WW1 (1914-18) form an iconic part of Australia’s military history. The term “Odd Bods” emerged in WW2 (1939-45) to describe a large group of Australian aviators in Europe, but did Odd Bods actually exist at Gallipoli?

During WW2 Australian aviators who served in non-Australian squadrons (usually British) were called odd bodies, later shortened to “Odd Bods”. 

Aviation activities in WW1 were nothing like those of WW2. In WW1 there were fewer aircraft, they were slow, much less sophisticated, and their main task was reconnaissance. They did however occasionally drop bombs and the first aircraft carrier was devised in WW1 to service seaplanes during military maneuvers.

By contrast, Air Force involvement in WW2 was pivotal with Bomber Command being a large focus of war effort and expenditure by the allies. Over 10,000 Australians were involved.

Historian Hugh Dolan is the author of “36 Days - The Untold Story Behind the Gallipoli Landings” in which he exposes some of the mis-truths about Australia’s involvement in the landings during WW1.

Dolan - a former RAAF intelligence officer who directed allied aircrews on their missions during the second Gulf War - also brings to light the Royal Naval Air Service was far from an all-British affair. At least 26 Australians are believed to have served as either pilots or observers, including Captain Thomas Piper, who had been holidaying in England when war broke out.

Captain Thomas Piper

An aircrew observer aboard the Ark Royal - the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier - Piper flew numerous missions over the Gallipoli peninsula and was involved in an aerial assassination attempt on the German Kaiser when the Kaiser visited Gallipoli after the Anzac withdrawal.

The Australian aviators involved in the Royal Navy Air Service during WW1 were clearly Odd Bod forerunners and their participation in the Gallipoli campaign is another significant component in Australia’s military history.

The Friends of The Odd Bods Association has grown from a fledgling group of Australian odd bodies who searched for an identity when they returned to Australia in 1945. They wanted to create a social identity for their members as they recovered from the horrors of war, and ensure that the sacrifices made by so many comrades were not forgotten by future generations. 

The Association’s motto is “Pressing on… remembering”

References:

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6171147/wings-over-gallipoli-our-stealth-mission-revealed/

https://books.google.com.au/books/about/36_Days.html?id=Jk4cmwEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ark_Royal_(1914)

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C91376

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/LIB100042863

 

New Book Relevant To Odd Bods

FOTOBAI member, Fay McPherson, got in touch with us recently concerning a new book about 186 Squadron. Fay's husband Gerald McPherson flew in 186 Squadron and Fay was asked to write a foreword for the book which has now been published.

The book is titled "Target Germany 186 Squadron 1944- 1945" by Steve C. Smith. Steve writes in his preface - “This is the history of a single squadron that played a pivotal role in destroying Germany’s oil and transport facilities.  Each member of the squadron can be justly proud, as can their relatives.  Their story is one of heroics and perseverance in getting the job done.” 

Here is the book summary on Amazon.com -

"Formed in October 1944 in No.3 Group RAF Bomber Command, No.186 Squadron was pitched immediately into the relentless bomber offensive from its formation. Initially established with the help of No.90 Squadron, the new squadron would be equipped with the excellent Avro Lancaster.

From the very outset, the squadron was staffed by the very best crews that No.3 Group could offer. This included its commander officer, Wing Commander Giles DSO DFC. Under his leadership, the squadron quickly earned a reputation as reliable and highly motivated. This was not surprising given its Commanding Officer, handpicked flight commanders, and many second tour crews. The squadron would play a pivotal role in the destruction of Germany's important transportation and oil facilities over the last seven months of WW2. Sadly, this success came with a price in young lives. By May 8th, 1945, the squadron had flown 871 sorties. Target Germany combines the operational history of the squadron with individual stories from those who served, with numerous never before published photographs. This is a long-overdue book on a forgotten squadron."

The book was released in June 2022, and according to the Amazon website is currently out of stock. We assume it will become available for those interested.

Odd Bods, The Queen, Spitfires & Hurricanes

 

It was a long held practice at events and functions of the The Odd Bods Association to toast Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Many veterans felt a close association with royalty through service on RAF and RAAF squadrons in WWII. 

Princess Elizabeth insisted on joining the women’s branch of the Army as soon as she turned 18 in 1944, and was in a similar age group to many Odd Bods. She has been described as Britain’s rock from WWII to the pandemic.

At this year’s Battle of Britain Airshow at Duxford some 20 Spitfires and Hurricanes from WWII took part in a special tribute to Her Majesty following her recent passing. Click on the photo below for a video coverage of the event and enjoy the wonderful footage of these surviving fighter aircraft including take-off, landing, formation flying, and aerobatics.

"God Save The Queen"

Odd Bods Increase Support To Ryder Cheshire School India

 

Over recent years Friends of the Odd Bods have maintained a tradition of supporting three students at Raphael, the Ryder Cheshire School at Dehradun, Northern India - Asma, Sarthak Belwal and Abbas Hussain Zaidi. 

In 2022 we commenced supporting an additional student, Ishant Rawat. Following are reports from the school on Asma, Sarthak and Abbas. We expect to receive a report on Ishant in due course.

Film Of Dunsfold WW2 Bomber Activity Discovered

A film has recently surfaced from English archives showing activities of B25 Medium Bombers at Dunsfold Airfield towards the end of WW2.

Dunsfold was home to 180 Squadron, an RAAF squadron of a number of Odd Bods including founder and long time Secretary, George Smith. The Uncle of our current President, Bruce Waxman, was a pilot on 98 Squadron at Dunsfold and subsequently KIA in 1944 over Arnhem. 

The film depicts airfield activities including bomb loading, aircraft take-off and landing, aircraft servicing, and shows a number of Australian and NZ aviators. 

If you recognise anybody in the film we would love to hear from you.

Ballarat Aviation Museum

FOTOBAI Vice-President and Secretary, Peter Randell, recently sent us some photos from the Ballarat Aviation Museum and it looks like this location should be on all our visit lists. 

The Ballarat Aviation Museum houses a collection of aviation memorabilia, relating to the use of the Ballarat aerodrome as a RAAF base in World War 2. The museum contains static displays including aircraft in various states of repair, and is open Saturdays, Sundays, and most public holidays.

 

Spirit Of ANZAC - Two Great Essays

Each year since 2016 the Friends of the Odd Bods Association has awarded a prize for the best essay by a Wesley College student about the Spirit of ANZAC. The George V. Smith Award has enabled our association to focus on the Spirit of ANZAC as a key ingredient in Australian culture. 

A recent article on the Australian War Memorial  website and the surfacing of an essay from this years crop of submissions from students at Wesley has presented two excellent discussions on the Spirit of ANZAC.

"We were lucky, very lucky"

"We were lucky, very lucky" -  is an article on the Australian War Memorial website, written by Claire Hunter (thank you Claire), about Vietnam veteran Mike Ruffin. Mike received the Medal of The Order of Australia for his service to the SAS, and was a speaker at this year's dawn service at the AWM. His story is a harrowing account of war service and he talks about the importance of mateship ("Mateship means absolutely everything.") and the significance of ANZAC Day. 

The full article can be found here - "We were lucky, very lucky".

"If Australia is good enough to live in, it is good enough to fight for."

Wesley Student Essay - this years George V. Smith Award for the best essay about the Spirit of ANZAC was presented to a very worthy student author in Khushi Deol (see article and essay in following articles). But there were many student essays and another has come to attention for a unique perspective on the Spirit of ANZAC that you may not have considered before. It concerns the contribution by Chinese ANZACs, the rascim they faced, and their indomitable determination to fight for Australia. Here is the essay - 

Creative writing- World War I Research Task

August 1917

Dear son,

How is the battle going? I miss you everyday with concerns of your safety.

Your brother has told me that 213 other Chinese ANZACs like you have enlisted for this bloody war, and I am troubled for them as if they were my own sons, for how the military is treating them. And here I thought that the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 excluded our people, but they have released further legislations to restrain even the right to defend for your own country.

Despite the country's racism and discrimination, I am proud of you for making it through military training and finally be able to fight for the ANZACs. The Defence Act 1909 denies people 'not substantially of European origin' of enlistment. It was during your childhood that they released this law, but where their idea of exclusion and 'appropriate defence system for Australia' should have left you empty of loyalty, your naivety and courage has increased your sense of nationalism.

Regardless of my own conflicts with the current bureaucracy, I am continuously in encouragement of your thirst for justice, freedom, and peace. There are many others like you who wish to directly contribute on the warfront, however, were denied service. The community is taking out war loans to fund for war efforts on the homefront. That is how much they value fighting for their country. You are considered lucky to have passed the medical examination, where the medical certificate published you 'fit for active service', however, your brother's fate was unfortunate.

Two months after you had gone away to fight for the Australian Imperial Force, your brother was denied enlistment by a medical officer because he was 'not substantially of European origin'. He signed the attestation paper and answered the questions appropriately, stating that he is an Australian and was born in the country. The Defence Act 1909, preventing people 'not substantially of European origin or descent' to enlist in wartime, is no different from the Immigration Act of 1901 when they excluded specific nationalities. In the 1850s, in the goldrush fields, they feared we would 'outnumber the adult male population and lower the living standards of the white working class'. I have heard that the expeditionary forces on the battlefield excluded Chinese ANZACs, hence why I am so worried for what else they are excluding you from, which you rightfully deserve. 

It breaks my heart you anglicised your name so that they could accept you. Australia is your only home, and you deserve appreciation of your identity just as much as your fellow diggers. I admire your spirit to fight and defend for this country, but this poor treatment and racism cannot go on. Chinese ANZACs Samuel John and Hedley David Tong Way served as sappers in the 3rd Division Signal Company in WWI. They signed up for gallant and selfless acts of service on the warfront and are sent off to repair communication lines nowhere near battle. The Langtip family that I am close with has had their 6 sons volunteer as enlistees, but two were turned away because they were from the same family. I am in disbelief of the logic of these medical officers. There are others I have heard whom received Distinguished Conduct Medals and the Bar and Military Medal but fought with strain to achieve recognition. You may know these heroic diggers- Caleb James Shang and William Edward Sing. Of the soldiers that ever returned home, only 19 Chinese Australians have received bravery medals. Not all Chinese diggers received the medal that they deserved for their contributions. When  you come home, just know that I am so ever proud of you for every contribution you have made for this country.

You once told me that 'if Australia is good enough to live in, it is good enough to fight for'. I hope this is still true in your case. The current conditions they put our family through is becoming too harsh for me to bear. The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 is a policy denying residents with Chinese origin of being naturalised as British subjects. Our family has lived in this country for over 70 years, but I am still unable to be naturalised as a resident in the country. You might be familiar that a consequence of the war is that residents who are not naturalised or born in Australia are deemed as 'aliens' by the government. One month after your brother was denied enlistment I was registered as an alien. Soon I will have to register at the police for national security reasons, to which I respond in low spirits.  

I pray your experiences differ to mine, and that you are fighting well, healthily, and strongly for Australia.

Please, take care of yourself out there, I longingly wait for your return.

Mary Tong Way

References:

Chinese Museum (2021) Benjamin Moy Ling [Retrieved on April 1st 2022]  https://www.chinesemuseum.com.au/beniamin-moy-linq 

Chinese Museum (2021) Caleb and Sidney Shang [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.chinesemuseum.com.au/caleb-and-sidney-shang

Chinese Museum 2021 Chinese ANZACs [Retrieved on_April 1st 2022]

Chinese Museum (2021) Langtip brothers [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.chinesemuseum.com.au/langtip-brothers

Chinese Museum (2021) Lepp cousins [Retrieved on April 1 st 2022]  https://www.chinesemuseum.com.au/lepp-cousins

Fang Jason et al (2019) ANZAC Day 2019: Historic racism hides the true extent of Chinese soldiers' legacy, historian says [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-0425/chinese-soldiers-reflect-on-forgotten-anzac-history/11037594

History Teacher's Association of Victoria et al (2015) Chinese ANZACs [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] htt s: cv.vic. ov.au media 1289 chinese-anzacs-ed-kit. df

National Archives of Australia (n.d.) Chinese-Australian brothers enlist twice in World War I [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] htt s: www.naa. ov.au learn learnin -resources learning-resource  themes/war/world-war-i/chinese-australian-brothers-enlist-twice-world-war-i

 National Archives of Australia (n.d.) Chinese-Australian serviceman- attestation form [Retrieved on April 1 st 2022] https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resourcesllearning-resourcethemes/war/world-war-i/chinese-australian-serviceman-attestation-form

National Archives of Australia (n.d.) Chinese-Australian serviceman has 'Advance Australia' tattoo [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resourcethemes/war/world-war-i/chinese-australian-serviceman-has-advance-australia-tattoo

National Archives of Australia (n.d.) 'Exemptions from personal service'- Defence Act 1909 [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resourcethemes/war/world-war-i/exemptions-personal-service-defence-act-1909

National Archives of Australia (n.d.) Mother enquiring about welfare of soldier son [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learninq-resourcethemes/war/world-war-i/mother-enquiring-about„welfare-soldier-son

National Archives of Australia (n.d.) World War l: Chinese ANZACs [Retrieved on April 1st 2022] https://www.naa.gov.a u/learn/learning-resources/learninq-resource-themes/war/world-wa ri world-war-i-chinese-anzacs

VE Day 2022 The Shrine Melbourne

Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945.

A service remembering Victory in Europe Day was held on the forecourt of The Shrine, Melbourne at 4:45pm Sunday 8th May 2022.

Friends of the Odd Bods Committee Members, Jan Dimmick and Jenny Hibbens represented the Friends of the Odd Bods Association, with Jenny reading the Ode, and Jenny and Jan laying a wreath at the perpetual flame.

A video of the service commencing with the wreath laying may be found by clicking here - VE Day Service Wreath Laying and Ode.

A video of the full service may be found here - VE Day Service Melbourne Shrine