"Remembrance Day a personal view " Topic

couldn't post this in its orginal title on the WWII boards so..
link

I did a similar thing, made a little slide show / film and stuck in on facebook. Featuring my mum and dad who as kids lived through WW2 and their fathers who both served in WW1, and a step uncle who died in the far east as a POW.

Great post

Lest we forget

That chap with the donkey originated in South Shields in the North East of England. There is a life size statue of him (and the donkey) on Ocean Road in the town.

Yes ! Good post !

John Simpson Kirkpatrick, the bloke with the donkey..

The Donkey was called Murphy wasnt it?

I see that the last WW1 veteran in Perth boycotted the rememberance day services as he says he thinks it just an excuse for the glorifacation of War

I suppose I can see his point in this, what does everyone else think?

"Rememberance Day," is that what you call 11 Nov down under? We call it Veterans Day here in the States. Originally it was Armistice Day, but after WW2 it was renamed to include veterans of that and any other wars lying around loose.

At least 3 (maybe 4) of my father's older brothers served in WWI. The oldest was a medic in the Army, and the second was an infantryman, who suffered a gas attack, which he lived thru but received a pension for ever after. (affected his lungs, I guess). I'm not sure about the 3rd brother. I know he died before I was born, but not before fathering my cousin who fought in WW2. Brother No. 4 evidently also served but I never knew that until my aunt, the youngest of that generation, mentioned it years and years later -- long after that uncle was dead. My father was too young for WWI and too old for WW2.

actually I grew up with Armistace Day and am much happier with that, I really haven't a clue what it is called now,,Rememberance just came to hand..
My Grandfather in his 8-1/2 months on the Penisula, , met Kirkpatrick in more than mildly uncomfortable circumstance..my grandfather had been hit in the cheek with a nearly spent shrapnel ball ,which still knocked out 3 of his teeth. He called him "Murph" even 50 years later , and always though he was called Murphy.there is a bit of mysterey surrounding Simpson, he effectively deserted his unit and worked solo with his donkeys sharing quarters , virtally in the open, with some Indians..mountain gunners or transport , can't quite remember..he may not actually be the selfless hero of current Nationlistic spin..well in reality nobody really could be that good..
amongst other things My grandfather witnessed the torpedoing of HMS Truimph from very up close..being on a hospital ship moored very nearby. after walking back to the beach in Kirkpatricks company..I don't imagine he was talking much but then again he could talk underwater..
as Kirkpatrick was killed on the 19th of May and the Triumph was sunk on the 25th of May my grandfather must have been one of the last lot to have had dealings with him…
link
link

I'd like to thank Cardinal Hawkwood for sharing with us his grandfather's fascinating story about 'The Man with the Donkey' at Gallipoli. I've been researching the story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick for some time now and I'm always on the look out for information about him and his fellow ANZAC's. I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone whose ancestors met, saw or knew him, or were brought to safety on his donkey at Gallipoli?

I wish I had known my Great Uncle, as he served on the steamer Barryfield at Gallipoli. As a side wheeler she could work close inshore and was used as a transport and landing craft from invasion to evacuation.
link
It's odds-on that at least some of the wounded men brought in by Pvt. Kirkpatrick were taken off on my Great Uncle's ship.

My wife's grandfather had the tips of the fingers on one of his hands shot off at Lone Pine…He was discharged in the UK, (after convalescing at an ANZAC rest camp in Dorset later turned into a school where his granddaughter taught for 15 years some 90 years later) and went along to take a test and interview at The Times newspaper for a copy boy.

He failed the typing test and the interview also wasn't going well but when asked why his typing was so slow he mentioned losing his finger tips to a Turkish bullet. He was offered the job there and then!

He returned to Aus 10 years later having resigned as a Sub Editor…..apparently the War (including a stint on the Somme)wasn't too bad but the drinking in Fleet Street would have killed him eventually…..

Thanks for your fascinating posts guys. If anyone else has heard stories about 'The Man with the Donkey' at Gallipoli, I'd like to hear them.