Tobruk Diaries: Getting hotter…

30 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, Exhibition, Rats of Tobruk, stretcher bearer, Tobruk, wounded

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 30^th May 1941

More digging today and it was through solid rock.  The weather is getting hotter.  We came home by another route – past Fort Palestrino – and it was the roughest ride I’ve ever had.  We were pulled out of the water in a hurry and were made to stand to in expectation of an attack which did not eventuate. read on

Tobruk Diaries: Swimming, digging and a spot of baking

23 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 23^rd May 1941

Another raid by night DG.  Mass of B.V.M [Blessed Virgin Mary].  Down for swim with Gardy and John Rue – pretty good too.  Disappointing morning among patients – 2 dogs and 2 first confessions.  Dust started early arvo.  Len flat out on German things at front very quiet.  Evacuation tonight in the dust – Gunner going back for supplies but hating his luggage.  Steele wrote a loving stinker to Tim – 1^st class Chaplain now.  Dick brought in more breads.  Some confessions tonight for Morrow’s feast.  John still in hospital and I will have to do the church on Sunday…  read on

Tobruk Diaries: The first VC

16 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. 2 Comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, Edmondson, Rats of Tobruk, Second World War, Tobruk, Victoria Cross

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 16^th May 1941

Up often for warnings – no bombs – alarm failed…so no Mass…No communion either.  Wrote to Aileen and I will post it this time.  Jerrys in Syria and Irak will probably affect our air mail.  Push on today by 2/12.  Plenty of casualties but none serious.  Two Jerry prisoners – first for long time.  Eyetie prisoner who threw grenade brought in…  Going to teach Fr. Borsorelli English and he can teach me Eyetie.  Frank Reynolds in today.  Says 12^th have straightened their line.  Raid tonight scattered us just as I started to write this.  Reading supplies badly needed.  No word from Len…   read on

Talmadge Johnson and USS Mugford

15 May 2011 by Dianne Rutherford. 5 Comments
From the collection,News,Personal Stories, AHS Centaur, Second World War, USS Mugford

 

The Australian War Memorial recently received a significant donation associated with an American sailor, Gunner’s Mate Talmadge Johnson, who served aboard USS Mugford, when she rescued the survivors from the sinking of AHS Centaur on 15 May 1943. read on

Tobruk Diaries: Masses, Miracles and a Godsend

09 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. No comments
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, Commemoration, Rats of Tobruk, Second World War

Cosgriff’s Diary:  Friday 9^th May 1941

Mass of BVM [Blessed Virgin Mary].  Evacuation flopped…ship failed to turn up – tonight?  Gave McIven Dr. Regiss card to give to Eyetie chaplain.  Two bombs very close to wards 2 and 7 – if the first had hit so would the second.  The new shelter in 7 stood it with full marks – second miracle this week.  Two very sick patients Lemon and Kennedy holding their own.  Quiet at front and here too.  Out of stockings – got…from Q. N. Store.  McQuillan lent me Irish papers – ports question and De Valera – good reading.  Everybody wondering what our next escape will be like.  “In Te Domine Speravi” [God, refuge of the oppressed]. DG. read on

Some fun moments – Simpson Prize 2011

04 May 2011 by Stuart Baines. No comments
Battlefield Tours, Simpson Prize 2011

As promised just a few moments that I thought were fun. Stay tuned for more.

The Last Days and Hours – Simpson Prize 2011

03 May 2011 by Stuart Baines. No comments
Battlefield Tours, Simpson Prize 2011

Well like most great things, they do have to come to an end. As quickly as it seemed to begin the Simpson Prize trip for 2011 has wound up. The last few days were a blur of buses, shopping and food. It seemed that everyone wanted to get their last empty spaces in their cases filled so we hit the Bazaar for the last time.

There was no stopping this gaggle of shoppers as they set their sites on last souvenirs and gifts. For some of us it was a necessity as we had slightly underestimated the underwear and sock count back home in Australia, for others part of the purchasing was buying bigger bags to carry home their loot. The Bazaar is an amazing place. Like markets everywhere there is a lot of the same and you can move along and buy the same things somewhere else and hopefully get it cheaper. Occasionally around the twisting alleys and brightly decorated lanes you find that little gem souvenir that you know will mean something special. We had all had bargaining experience now and enjoyed the game. Walking away mid negotiation was a favourite with the guys and the girls it was the sweet and innocent, braver men than I may say, “act”. In the end we came back with bags and armfuls and everyone had their fill of gifts, even Gene who has, like all good Italian boys, have many siblings and cousins that he just had to buy for. Our Turkish guide, Ozgur, had let me know about one of the hidden gems of the Bazzar so that was the last stop for me. It was a little area just outside of the main undercover area with second hand bookshops everywhere. Tucked away hidden in tis tucked away corner of the Bazaar was a great little antique shop. It was dusty and smelled funny and was full of all sorts of wonderful little items all with a rich history just waiting to be discovered. It will definitely be on my list of places to visit.

So the trip is over but the blog is not. I will sort through my photos and re-read the scribbled notes that I took down and hopefully I will post some of those great memories and highlights over the next few weeks. But just one last note of seriousness from me. Sometimes people do things in their job that is just something they do, just part of the gig and sometimes you get to do some pretty fabulous things as well. I think I have been lucky to do what I have and visit those battlefields. To experience some part of what it was like for those men who served there so long ago and be able to try and pass on that experience to young people is a privilege. Beyond that, I have to say that our goodbyes at the airport were difficult because of the wonderful kids that shared this experience with us. Each and every one of them were amazing people and each of them surprised me every day. It is comforting in many ways to know what good young people are around today. It was a fantastic experience that was highlighted by the people I was with and I hope that I can consider each and every one of the Simpson Prize winners this year a friend. I will miss you all.

Please go back and read about the trip if you have missed the previous posts.

Tobruk Diaries: Questions, ‘furphies’ and rumours

02 May 2011 by Carlie Walker. 1 Comment
1941, Tobruk,Tobruk diaries, 2/4 AGH, Exhibition, Second World War, Tobruk

Bryant’s Diary:  Friday 2^nd May 1941

Artillery could be heard all day as the battle continues.  It appears as if the [G]ermans have captured 14 outer perimeter posts, but have not penetrated beyond them.  Some big German planes came extremely low today bombing and machine gunning, but three and possibly four were brought down by S.A.A fire.  Fred Legge of “C” Coy was killed accidentally today by an Italian hand grenade. read on

Our Second Last Day in Turkey – Simpson Prize 2011

28 April 2011 by Stuart Baines. 1 Comment
Battlefield Tours, Simpson Prize 2011

Today we visited Hagi Sophia. Now a museum it was once one of the biggest churches in the world and then after the Ottoman Turks conquered the city became a mosque. It is an incredibly impressive building outside and in and walking in and looking up at the dome knowing that is the same width in diameter across the dome as an eleven story building is quite amazing. It is a museum now so it is not actively used for worship but it has taken nothing away from the grandeur of the place.

We also visited the Basilica Cistern, a huge underwater storage area that is now disused for anything but tourists and fish. It is atmospherically lit and walking around in the cold dampness really showed us cultural differences of the different people that have lived in the city and also at the engineering marvels that they were able to produce. Another surprise for me was the Suleiman Mosque. To me it had the same understated appeal that Chora Church but I had not seen the renovations on this mosque. It is beautiful and still being a functional house of worship it felt like it still had life and energy. The stark white and pinks of the walls and the shimmering black and gold glyphs makes it an amazing visula feast. It is not the most ornate or the biggest but there was just something magical about this place.

After lunch the kids were finally let loose on the Bazzar. Wow, they can really shop. Everything from scarves, shirts, tracksuits, spices… you name it they have bought it, including suitcases to bring it home in. It is a great cultural experience to walk the criss crossing streets of the Bazzar which is filled with people and sound and everywhere you look another bargain and another assault of colour and smells for your senses. It is a very easy place to get carried away in and we did our best to keep a lid on the spending. Some Simpson prize records were broken again at the Bazzar, 75 Camels were offered for Chelsea and I think J.P. may have come close to the most amount of shopping by a guy on the trip. All in all it was great day and all that remains is to wave the city goodbye by mid morning… just enough time for a early morning trip to the shops.

ANZAC Day at Gallipoli – Simpson Prize 2011

25 April 2011 by Stuart Baines. 3 Comments
Battlefield Tours,Family history, ANZAC Day, Gallipoli, Simpson Prize 2011

Well today was the day, the pinnacle of the experience and certainly a big part of why these students entered the prize.

The day started for us with a midnight wake up call. We needed to allow plenty of time to beat the traffic and certainly to get as close as we can to the service. When you consider that our hotel is the closets hotel to the dawn service and that we are only about 8 kms away, you can start to imagine how hard it is to get people into the site for this commemoration. So it was a heart starter coffee and on the bus by 1 am and the anticipation from the students was palpable. They certainly recognised the significance of what they were about to do. I think they were all excited before hand as well because despite our best advice of when to sleep, it went unheeded and they played poll and Backgammon right up until it was time to go. They are paying for it now though as most of them practically fell asleep in their lunch.

Arriving at the service we went through the usual security checks and then it was on to our reserved seating. We knew we had a long wait and we rugged up, got some sleeping bags and wore half our suitcases at once. Four hours in the cold before the service was to start so we didn’t want to be under dressed. I didn’t have a sleeping bag and Lauren lost hers somewhere (turns out it was on the bus) but Chelsea was kind enough to unzip hers and share. I think they made a psychological difference more than a physical barrier from the cold. All around the centre of the site was a sea of long coloured sleeping bags and the backpackers cocooned inside them. Oddly enough it made me crave snake lollies. The big screens showed snippets of documentaries about the campaign and the Air force band played some nice tunes. As the morning went on it grew colder and colder and activity had to happen to take our mind off it. We walked down around the food stalls and smelled the beautiful BBQ’d meats and coffee and looked at the market stalls. It was all you would probably expect, t-shirts, jackets, blankets and the food was mainly kebabs, hot chips, skewers etc. On the boards of more than one food van, under the high priced food list was a dish called “Observation”. Despite our best efforts we still don’t know what observation was and if it was tasty but it was 10 Turkish Lira and some sort of obscurely miss translated food.

The service was beautiful and very solemn. The crowd were in the spirit of the occasion and it looked to be a good size crowd. We sat at the front of the seated section and watched the dignitaries walk along next to our stand to make their entrance. All the speeches were great and as seems to be the case the last post moved many to tears. Just as the light started to gently wash over us and as quickly as it had all begun it was over and those thousands of visitors shuffled out quietly to the sound of waves lapping at the shore of the beach.

We then started our long trek up the artillery road to the Lone Pine service. This service would have special meaning for all the Simpson Prize kids as they would play and active and very important role in the service. They were to act as the wreath orderlies. What an exceptional job they did. They had been well drilled by Andrew and I and I am sure that the organisers were a little shocked, but pleasantly so, that the students knew exactly what they were doing. This ceremony kicks off mid morning and is a different kind of ceremony. IT is much more relaxed and in some ways the relaxed and more intimate commemoration touched a few of the students more than the dawn. The Fanatics were there and very well behaved and good to see their numbers still good for this important day. At the end of the service the students lay their own wreath and to me it seemed like a very fitting way to mark the end of the day and cap of their experience.