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Serving Faithfully Serving Faithfully Newsletter of the Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services April 2021 Published by the Diocesan Curia. Editor: Brigadier Alan Hodges AM, KCSG (Ret’d) Issue #38 In This Issue THE RISING SUN AND THE TRUMPET CALL US TO NEW LIFE ♦ Page 2 nce again we are raised WGCDR Whiting writes about the O observing ANZAC DAY incorruptible, and origins of Australia’s involvement in the in the midst of Easter Time! we shall be air war and the Centenary of the Royal This year Easter Sunday was changed.’ Australian Air Force. 4th April. In 1915, Easter (1 Cor 50 – 52) Sunday was also on the 4th St Paul gives this ♦ Page 3 April. We are told that the teaching in the The story of World War 1 Chaplain Australian and New Zealand context that Edward O’Sullivan Goidanich MC and a forces stationed in London marched through Christ’s portable altar in need of conservation. the city and held a memorial service in Resurrection is Westminster Abbey on the first anniversary of the very the landing and Easter Day in 1916 was on the foundation of this ♦ Page 4 23rd April. I was also recently reflecting that promise. A detailed eyewitness account of the Anzac Day rarely falls on a Sunday, and that is Our Anzac first week at Gallipoli by Private Murray the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, but it does observance is Aitken, later promoted to Lieutenant this year. In any event, the day of observance marked by many and awarded the Military Cross. He was falls within the extended days of celebrating symbols and two Bishop Max Davis AM, DD killed in action in August 1918 in France. Easter every year. of the most Military Ordinary This article also poignantly shows the Our Catholic tradition, coming as it common are the loss suffered by his family. does from Sacred Scripture, contains a Rising Sun badge (of the Australian Army) and marvellous truth of faith that gives us the the sounding of the trumpet (more accurately ♦ Page 5 assurance that we remain close to those who a bugle perhaps). For Christians especially Army Reserve Chaplain Fr Kene have gone before us into eternal life. An these have special significance. The orientation Onwukwe received the annual 414 important part of that tradition means that we of our churches traditionally face to the east – award for extraordinary service during can rely on the prayers of those who have to the sunrise – because for over two gone before us and that our prayers for them thousand years that has reminded us of Christ last year’s bushfire and pandemic crises. influence the achievement of their eternal Risen from the dead bringing new life and light The award recognises the service and happiness. This is not a tradition that is held by to our existence. In many places, a special sacrifice of the 414 military chaplains all. Of course, it is effort is made to who served the nation’s imperial forces important that, as a Our Catholic tradition, coming as it does celebrate Easter Sunday during World War I, and is given to one society, we remember, from Sacred Scripture, contains a Mass at sunrise. Many chaplain each year. reflect and honour marvellous truth of faith that gives us the would agree that the those who have given assurance that we remain close to those Dawn Service on Anzac ♦ Page 6 their all for us. And we who have gone before us into eternal life. Day is most reflective LTCOL Barham Ferguson has given do that in various ways and moving. The other permission for his touching poems to be through, for example, Dawn Services, ‘stilling’ moment is when the bugle or trumpet reproduced. These reflect on Anzac Day Memorial Marches, and the traditional pause sounds the Last Post, followed by the minute and service of leaders and chaplains in during the evening in most RSL Clubs. of silence, and then the Reveille that heralds the ADF. However, drawing on our tradition we people resurrection. I find it difficult to identify any of faith have a special contribution to make. If other observance that links Christ’s ♦ Page 7 there is anything that is keeping those who sacrifice, death and resurrection with those An update is provided on the approach have died from their enjoying final eternal who have paid the supreme sacrifice in of the Plenary Council and the destination, we can assist them by our prayers. service to us. We pray frequently for the souls of those who This year especially, as we gather involvement of the Catholic Military have died. They are remembered in a for our Sunday celebration of Holy Mass on Ordinariate. particular way during the Eucharistic Prayer at Anzac Day, the whole Church has an Read also the background of LT Owen every Mass. In addition to the Funeral Mass, opportunity to pray for the repose of the Geddes, who is currently studying for a often family members will request a Mass be souls of those who have died in our service Bachelor of Theology as part of his offered at times of anniversaries of death for that they may enjoy the risen life that preparation to become a chaplain. the repose of the souls of those they continue Christ has won for us. to love. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, ♦ Page 8 As St Paul reminds us ‘See, I will tell and let perpetual light shine on them. MAJ Gavin Keating provides a scholarly you a mystery: we shall not all die, but we shall May their souls and the souls of all the faithful article on the influences of culture and be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of departed, religion in relation to our approach to an eye, at the last trumpet. through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. Anzac. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be Lest we forget. Serving Faithfully is a newsletter of the Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services. It is published quarterly by the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia. The Diocese comprises members of the Australian Defence Force and their families, wherever they may be serving. Its people are scattered widely across Australia and overseas. Serving Faithfully aims to be a means of sharing events and experiences from across the whole Diocese. Articles are welcome to be submitted for publication to The Chancery, Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia PO Box 63, CAMPBELL, ACT 2612 Telephone: (02) 6248 0511 Email: [email protected] Website: www.military.catholic.org.au Any opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Catholic Bishop of the Australian Military Services Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander (Dr) Mary Anne Whiting he ANZAC legend inspired by the casualities of that day’s T bloody campaigns of World War I has fighting. become an important part of shaping The next day, Merz Australia’s views of the past and the and Burn went missing on future. operations near Abu Salibig ‐ This period of separation from Australia and New Zealand’s each other ‐ away from our traditional first casualties of the air war. gathering places ‐ provides us with an They did not die in vain: their opportunity to think about the many air reconnaissance justified a actions and battles throughout the history more confident advance on of Australia’s Military Service, and to remember the debt we owe to Kut and pilots were issued the generations who came before us. We can also draw some with rifles. connections and parallels from our past history and our current In all, four Australian Instructors and pupils of the situation. Flying Corps squadrons served 1st flying training course. When Britain created the Royal Flying Corps in April 1912, with the British during the First Back row: R Williams; T White. with a Military Aviation Corps and Naval Wing (later the Royal Naval World War. Of these, Front row: G Merz; H Petre; Air Service), the Australian Army was already recruiting ‘mechanists No 1 Squadron flew against the E Harrison; D Manwell. and aviators’ for a Central Flying School. Turks and Germans in the Middle By March 1914, and with five aircraft purchased from Britain, East, while Nos 2, 3 and 4 Squadrons served on the Western Front test‐flying began at Point Cook. Captain Henry Petre and Lieutenant between September 1917 and the Armistice. Eric Harrison were selected as instructors, together with four On the Western Front, the AFC was possibly the last Australian mechanics, Chester, Fonteneau, Heath and Shortland, and appointed formation to go into action when Nos 2 and 4 Squadrons took to the to the new Central Flying School. By July, No 1 Flight of the Australian air on 10 November 1918. Enemy trains were bombed and troops Flying Corps (AFC) was ready to commence flying training. were strafed along the roads as they retreated back through Belgium The outbreak of War in August 1914 meant the existence of towards the borders of Germany. the new flying training school at Point Cook, Victoria, made it possible The AFC was disbanded at the end of the 1919, while the to contemplate the reality of air operations. On 18 August 1914 Central Flying School continued to operate until 1920 when the instructional flights began. The first Australian soldier under Australian Air Corps (AAC) was formed. The following year, on instruction was Lieutenant George Merz. 31 March 1921, the AAC was separated from the Army to form the On 8 February 1915, the Australian Government received a Australian Air Force.
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