Day 125

Day 125 Canberra

Well we got to the War Memorial. We arrived right on opening at 10 and put our name down to do a

Kirkpatrick - simpson and his donkey

Gen. David Chalmers

wreath laying. Turns out it is a big day, they were honouring Edward Sheean. They pick a name from the honour roll of fallen soldiers and today was Eddies turn and family from around Australia were turning up. There was also a lot of Navy coming as well as they had named a submarine after him, the first able seaman to be honoured this way. He was a naval rating on the Corvette HMAS Armadale when it was attacked by a big mob of planes and bombers. The Armadale was hit by a number of bombs and torpedoes and was

Me and Dave at the Honour Roll

Edward Sheean

sinking. The crew were abandoning ship when Edward turned back from the side of the ship and strapped himself into his gun and continued firing and shooting down one of the bombers, he was till at his gun and was still firing when the ship went down.

I made out my card to Grandpa Bathgate #356 Clarence Bathgate, 10^th Light Horse Regiment, 3^rd Light Horse Brigade, Machine Gun Squadron. I was walking around the displays later and came across a guy on the Family Information stand were you can look up family service records and mentioned to him that he was in the 10^th Light Horse and he immediately went into the site to look up the details and the regiment history that is now on line at the website and was informed that it was the 10 ^th LHR that was involved in the Battle of the Nek (as shown in the film Gallipoli) and that the Machine Gun Squadron was instrumental in the taking of Beersheba. This guy was a mine of information and obviously loved his job.

The ccurrent plate - updated every 11/11

Edward Sheean at his gun

Talking of loving his job, we were told to wait in the foyer after doing our wreath card as there was a guided tour starting and we thought it would be a good idea. The guy who took us obviously loved his job too. His name is Dave Chalmers and he started at the Roll of Honour which is where all those killed are listed. Each brass plate is numbered and if you look up a name, it will give you the plate they are displayed on. They are sorted by regiment and some soldiers transferred around such as airmen and it was the regiment they died in that is the one they show up under. He also pointed out the there are no rank or service medals shown as all men who died are equal. Just as the 4^th name on the first plate is the name of the commanding

Soldiers kit including gun and grenades

Aussie modified 25 pounder

General of the ANZAC forces who died 2 weeks into the campaign. We went around the hall and saw Eward Sheean’s name and as we did three members of his family rolled up to look as well. Dave showed us through the museum and stopped at different points to highlight interesting points and one of those was the display of the Armadale and Edward Sheean. We also went into the hall of Remembrance where the unknown soldier is buried.

As we went around the museum we got to the Timor display and he was showing us a painting of Kylie Minogue entertaining the troops ( not a good picture, short and dumpy, wont get this artist to do my portrait!) and he said that he was over there the following year when another show came in and they had invited the locals to come and they did in good numbers. The first act was on and the band was singing some slow ballads and he noticed that the locals were starting to leave. This immediately

Speccial forces vehicle

Vietnam display of Huey landing

had him concerned that it indicated that an attack was imminent and he started to order his troops to go on alert when the next group Killing Heidi came on and started rocking it out and the locals stopped and came back, turned out they were just music critics and were voting with their feet. As we were moving off a guy on our tour (there were only 4 of us as 5 others had dropped off when their kid started grizzling- just as well – bah humbug, noisy kids!!!) asked him if he was a captain or lieutenant or something like that? He said yes something like that, he was a General! Poor guy, just left him speechless. Doug, you might remember him as he did fly a few times with the civilian helicopters.

Anyhow our 1 ½ hour tour turned into nearly 2 hours as he went through the museum. We ended up

Carley float from HMAS Sydney

Sandikan's victims

near the café so we had lunch as it was after 12. Following lunch, we split up. Maureen wanted to do the Vietnam section and I wanted to do the WWII section. We agreed to meet up before 4:30 to do the wreath stuff and off we went. The museum is just fantastic. Each section has sound and light displays, they have stuff from everywhere. The amount of stuff they have from the Sudan in the 1880’s and through the Boer War was amazing, full uniforms and kits and weapons and pictures, just amazing. Talking about the lit, Dave was showing us around and came to a uniform and weapons that a soldier used during WWII and it had an Owen Gun (Australia’s answer to the Sten gun), pistol and hand grenades. They knew it

Quilt made by nurses as POWs

Belt woven with butterflies

was authentic as they were given to the museum by his family after he had died and they found his trunk with all this stuff in it, gun and grenades and ammunition, the lot, just sitting in the attic. Australia had never made a car before the war and withing 18months was producing armoured cars and tanks!

Again, trying to cover off everything they have is pointless and would take ages. Maureen took some pictures so I will let them give you a taste. We also went to the Afghanistan display and watched their sound display, very moving. Maureen and I crossed paths at 4 and we decided I would go down at 4:30 to get the wreath stuff started as she wanted to do the WWII section and would see me there. Off she went and I went into another section for the last 30 minutes and nearly missed 4:30. I went to the front foyer and they have a Chief Usher there who took us through what we had to do, where to walk, how to lower the wreath, how long to stand there and that we were not to worry about making a mistake, just enjoy

Our wreath

Other wreaths ours is down the front

the moment. We went outside and Maureen was still not there and it got to about 4:55 and still not there, I was confident that she would show as the closed the displays at 5. Well she finally showed up, she too had wandered past the information display and the lady there had nabbed her. Our old neighbour from home’s father had been on Sandikan and had not survived the death marches, he was not among the 6 who survived. Maureen often spoke to Syd whilst I was at work so she knew his story and the lady was able to show her his records and then looked up which board he was on and even grabbed some poppies for Maureen so off she went to put them next to his name.

The wreath laying ceremony got under way and we were told it went out live to a webcam on the museum site and we had asked our kids to record it as it was middle of the day in WA. Maureen also filmed it and as it turned out, just as well as they said the camera moved away just as I was about to lay my wreath, obviously did not want the system to go into overload with such a sexy man on screen. I must admit the Beast made another first, they have had wheel chairs before, but no Scooters, strike up another record for the Beast! Got the wreath down without dropping it and looked as solemn as I could whilst keeping the Beast from driving over the other wreaths. I was the last one out as they had told the bagpipe player to look for me as the marker for him to finish after me.

A very moving activity and I must admit, it did bring the odd tear, must be getting old.

That was the day, we thanked all the staff there as they were very helpful and friendly and accommodating for me and although they said it was their job, it was how they did it with goodwill and friendliness that was different, they did it because they wanted to, not because they had to.

Tomorrow we go to Parliament House to see our government in action.