25Th April 2012
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25th April 2012 Commemorative booklet proudly presented by Michael McCormack MP Federal Member for Riverina graphic cover of this real meaning in publication leaves a lasting impression red poppies upon visitors. “In Flanders fields the poppies blow Those sombre lists Between the crosses, row on row.” include the names of many locals … THESE are the opening lines of the Riverina’s best and moving poem In Flanders Fields written bravest, gallant men in 1915 by Allied Lieutenant-Colonel from the South IN REMEMBRANCE: The message on the gates to Tallimba’s Memorial Park serves as a the anzac John McCrae. West Slopes. solemn reminder. The Flanders poppy symbolises Their sacrifice is also remembered on legend Remembrance Day, the commemoration monuments across the district and ANZAC stands for Australian of the Armistice of 11 November 1918 honoured on 25 April each year as and New Zealand Army when the guns finally fell silent on The communities gather to commemorate memory of sacrifice lives on Corps. Great War battlefields. the first landing on Gallipoli. The soldiers in those forces More and more, the poppy is also The red poppy signifies remembrance HIS name has long faded on the Among them are three women: Privates became known as ANZACs being used as part of ANZAC Day and will be worn with pride as we again monument dedicated to Tallimba’s Audrey Brideoake and Ruth Watt of – all of them heroes as the observances, its link to the sacrifices by solemnly mark the ANZAC spirit, our brave Diggers nearly a century ago paying respect for the duty done in World War II fallen, but Bernard Keith the Australian Army Medical Women’s postcard from The Great War Wilkinson’s service to his country will Service and Lance-Corporal Mary era below depicts. as strong now as it has ever been. the past and offering hope for the safe return of our servicemen and women not be forgotten while ever ANZAC Day Patten of the Australian Women’s Army The ANZACs’ pride in their During World War I, red poppies were is commemorated. Service. among the first plants to spring up from on deployment in Afghanistan and name and what it represented elsewhere. Sapper Wilkinson’s name is at the foot of endures to this day. the battle-scarred ground of northern France and Belgium. the six gallant heroes who gave their lives The 25th of April was during those dark years of 1939-45. officially named ANZAC Day Soldiers’ legend decreed that the dramatic burst of colour of the poppies The test of time has taken its toll on the in 1916 when a wide variety of black lettering where Spr Wilkinson’s came from the blood of their comrades MICHAEL McCORMACK MP IMPOSING: Barellan’s war ceremonies and services were name is etched into the marble plaque. monument. held across Australia. drenching the ground. Federal Member for Riverina But as the Australian flag flaps proudly in There was a march through The vivid splash of red from the poppies placed alongside names of fallen soldiers the breeze beyond the marker, the solid Barellan’s London and a sports day in shrine itself is a permanent reminder of the Australian camp in Egypt. in honour scrolls at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra as shown on the what those brave souls did to keep our In London more than nation safe and free. COMMITMENT 2000 Australian and New junee district did its duty Born at Cootamundra the son of FIVE Barellan-born men saw Zealand troops marched Joseph and Maud Wilkinson on 30 active service in the Vietnam through the streets with one April 1920, Bernard was just 20 years War. British newspaper headline CROSSES alongside 13 of the 36 names of age when he enlisted with the calling them “the knights of chiselled into a marble plaque on a Army at Wagga Wagga as the first Of those, Mervyn Lewis, who Gallipoli”. granite obelisk at Junee Reefs (pictured) year of the war drew to a close. was a Temporary Sergeant indicate the heavy war price the with the Royal Australian He was living at Yalgogrin North at district paid. Engineers, served the longest the time. An older monument at the site, upon period, being engaged from which stands a silent sentinel watching Less than eight months later Spr 1965-72. Wilkinson, a member of 2/4 Field over the Junee Reefs-Ivor Hall, records In all he served 712 days. those who died as “The brave boys of this Company, tragically became one of district who answered the Empire’s call the more than 39,800 Australian Temporary Corporal Stanley and fought for us and liberty in the Great military lives lost in World War II. Taylor also served in the European War 1914-19”. He died on 10 April 1941 in the Army while Sgt Richard A plaque at the Junee monument reads: Absell (Air Force) and the Junee Reefs and the nearby town, which “These died the noblest death a man may Middle East and was buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery. Navy’s Able Seaman Ian has a splendid 1926 vintage clock tower die fighting for God and right and liberty McIntyre and Petty Officer Memorial in Broadway, sacrificed much and such a death is immortality. Australia For a district with only a small Underwater Control Robert carry on.” to help Australia’s war efforts. population, Tallimba contributed Priest also did their duty. mightily to the war effort. Thankfully all survived the OFFICES OF MICHAEL McCORMACK: On the gates which form an archway conflict. CANBERRA: PO Box 6022, Parliament House, ACT 2600 P: 6277 4725 F: 6277 8563 entrance to the peaceful Memorial GRIFFITH: 100 Yambil Street P: 6964 1212 F: 6962 7722 Park where the ANZAC Day Service MONUMENT: Tallimba’s tribute to lives lost Australia’s Vietnam deaths WAGGA WAGGA: Suite 2 11-15 Fitzmaurice Street P: 6921 4600 F: 6921 5900 is conducted, the names of 89 locals in World War II and (above) Sapper Bernard totalled 521 while more than E: [email protected] www.michaelmccormack.com.au who served in World War II are listed. Wilkinson, killed in action aged just 20. 3000 were wounded. TEMORA FARMER COULD NOT WAIT TO do HIS duty a QUAINT country church, sadly no longer used, He was among the first to sign up; Britain having declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914 and has a fascinating history which includes the tragic Australian Prime Minister Joseph Cook stating the very PEACEFUL: Callaghan Park, Temora, where next day that “... when the Empire is at war, so also is Bernard Cartwright’s name and many others are tale of a brave young temora farmer who drowned immortalised. on his way to gallipoli when his ship was torpedoed Australia.” in 1915 during World War i. Cartwright’s enthusiasm to get a uniform and get to war to their stations and lowered the boats in an orderly was shown by his low service No. – 538 – and he sailed manner. The subalterns searched the interior of the ship Saint Stephen’s Church of England is a red brick building out of Sydney with 1 Brigade Australian Field Artillery for wounded and finally came on deck to find only the entirely paid for by William Cartwright and his wife on HMAT Argyllshire on 18 October. general staff on board. They helped to lower the last boats Louisa as a memorial to their only son, Bernard Ray Like so many others – 61,520 in fact of the AIF’s total and got into a half swamped one themselves. Fourteen Cartwright, brother of Florence and Lillian. Great War enlistments of 416,809 – young Cartwright persons were killed by the explosion and 22 were drowned including Brigadier General Linton.” The church, at Bagdad, 14 kilometres south of Temora, never made it back home. was also dedicated to WJ Cartwright’s grandfather, the While en route from Egypt’s largest seaport Alexandria to Among those lost was the Temora Digger who had been REMEMBERED: Bernard Cartwright’s name lives on at Reverend Robert Cartwright, the first Anglican Minister Mudros, a small Greek port on the Mediterranean island raring to do his duty. the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. to conduct a service in the Canberra region. of Lemnos and a strategic base used by the Allies in the Indeed, young Cartwright was perhaps too keen to see St Stephen’s foundation Dardanelles campaign, the ship Driver Cartwright was action as a letter in his personal war file revealed … and stone was laid on 12 aboard as a stowaway, the ill-fated HMT Southland, was his eagerness cost him his life. torpedoed. January 1921 by Mr In the correspondence, Aida Whitton of Gulgong wrote Cartwright and the new Southland ventured into the path of German submarine “....his eagerness how she had received a letter from her brother Tom, a church was consecrated UB-14 travelling to Constantinople (present-day 22-year-old grocer from Boree Creek, and how he and by Bishop of Goulburn, Istanbul) to join the Constantinople Flotilla. Cartwright had decided they would take the first boat the Right Rev. Dr Lewis they could to Gallipoli. Radford, on 8 June the Commanded by Heino von Heimburg, UB-14 had sunk cost him his life.” same year. Gallipoli-bound British troopship RMS Royal Edward on “I understand by my brother’s letter the boys were tired of 13 August, the ship going down by the stern within just being in camp and thought it their duty to get to the front Bernard Cartwright six minutes, causing a dreadful death toll of 935.