ANZAC: Another Perspective
Posted
on Apr 25, 2012
 |
Cathy came all the way from Robinvale to Kooyong by train and bus, starting very early to be able to speak to Hawthorn Rotary members. In her own way, she was emulating the sense of purpose and dedication that characterized the World War One identities she was to speak about. |
First, James Martin who lived here in Hawthorn. His father had not been able to join up so James, at the age of fourteen in 1915, lied about his age and enlisted but not without some misgiving by his parents. The ship in which he was sent overseas was torpedoed but he still managed to join the Anzac forces in the trenches at Anzac Cove on September 8th. He soon contracted typhoid fever and was shipped out protesting that he ‘was alright’. James died on October 25th and was buried at sea. His only medals were the 1914-15 Star and the Victory medal that were sent to his parents.
The second was George Robin Cuttle who was born in Melbourne, but lived with his parents in rural Victoria. By 1912 he was a car repairer; but when the war broke out he set out to join up only to be rejected on account of his six foot eight inch height. Determined to join in the war, he went to the U.K, where after similar initial rejection, he was able to join the Royal Field Artillery. Soon he was a Lieutenant and had won the Military Medal in the Battle of the Somme. Finally he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps; and as an Observer he was shot down and killed at Villieres-Bretonneux, a village 16kms from Amiens. Back home his family extended their rural holdings and established a small town that they named Robinvale, in memory of their son. In further memory, the town set up a link with Villieres-Bretonneux in France.
Cathy then told of visiting Villieres-Bretonneux where she met a farm girl who had spent a great deal of her life contacting the families of those who fallen to save her town and doing what she could to keep their memories alive. Her gratitude was, and still is, shared by all the French for the 779 Australians who gave their lives for that town. Annual services are held and memorials have been erected.
Finally, she told of those who were not in the battles of World War One but carried out work that affected its outcome and displayed a similar degree of dedication and purpose being shown by those who were fighting the war. They were Dr. Charles Robert Young and his assistant Winifred Ross in the Department of Chemical Warfare. They were tireless in their efforts to determine what could be done to alleviate the effects of the mustard gas being used by the Germans. Not only did they not let up in their efforts to overcome this problem but continuously exposed themselves to the effects of the gas. After working so closely together, their affection grew and they married but Winifred died 10 years later and Robert, similarly affected lived by the exposure to the gas, lived for 20 years. They were Cathy’s grand parents.
What Cathy brought out so well in her talk was that, whilst it is important that we avoid conflict of the nature of the World Wars, there is no doubt that it brings out great dedication, sense of duty and the will to continue on, as well as producing acts that can only be described as noble.
By Jack Ings
The second was George Robin Cuttle who was born in Melbourne, but lived with his parents in rural Victoria. By 1912 he was a car repairer; but when the war broke out he set out to join up only to be rejected on account of his six foot eight inch height. Determined to join in the war, he went to the U.K, where after similar initial rejection, he was able to join the Royal Field Artillery. Soon he was a Lieutenant and had won the Military Medal in the Battle of the Somme. Finally he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps; and as an Observer he was shot down and killed at Villieres-Bretonneux, a village 16kms from Amiens. Back home his family extended their rural holdings and established a small town that they named Robinvale, in memory of their son. In further memory, the town set up a link with Villieres-Bretonneux in France.
Cathy then told of visiting Villieres-Bretonneux where she met a farm girl who had spent a great deal of her life contacting the families of those who fallen to save her town and doing what she could to keep their memories alive. Her gratitude was, and still is, shared by all the French for the 779 Australians who gave their lives for that town. Annual services are held and memorials have been erected.
Finally, she told of those who were not in the battles of World War One but carried out work that affected its outcome and displayed a similar degree of dedication and purpose being shown by those who were fighting the war. They were Dr. Charles Robert Young and his assistant Winifred Ross in the Department of Chemical Warfare. They were tireless in their efforts to determine what could be done to alleviate the effects of the mustard gas being used by the Germans. Not only did they not let up in their efforts to overcome this problem but continuously exposed themselves to the effects of the gas. After working so closely together, their affection grew and they married but Winifred died 10 years later and Robert, similarly affected lived by the exposure to the gas, lived for 20 years. They were Cathy’s grand parents.
What Cathy brought out so well in her talk was that, whilst it is important that we avoid conflict of the nature of the World Wars, there is no doubt that it brings out great dedication, sense of duty and the will to continue on, as well as producing acts that can only be described as noble.
By Jack Ings