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Listening POSTSEPT 2014 Vol 37 - No 4 THE CENTENNIAL EDITIONS 2014-18 ANZAC lighthouse legend grows Story page 26 The Official Journal of The Returned & Services League of Australia WA Branch Incorporated 2 The Listening Post SEPT 2014 State Executive contents 2011-2015 3 Life on the ANZAC convoy State President 4 Diary of Fred White Mr Graham Edwards AM 5 From the President’s Pen State Vice President Mr Denis Connelly 6 Your letters State Treasurer contact: 7 Bits & Pieces Mr Phillip Draber RFD JP Editorial and Advertising 8 Anyone for a brew? State Executive Information Mr Bob Allen OAM, Mr Scott Rogers Acting Editor: Amy Hunt 9287 3700 10 Poppies link to a mother’s love Mrs Judy Bland Mr Peter Aspinall Email: [email protected] 17 Women’s Forum Mr Gavin Briggs Mr Ross Davies Media & Marketing Manager: Mr Bill Collidge RFD Mr Tony Fletcher John Arthur 0411 554 480 19 Vietnam Veterans’ Day Mr David Elson BM Mrs Donna Prytulak Email: [email protected] 21 Albany ANZAC Centenary Mr John McCourt Graphic Design: Type Express Pages Trustees Printer: Rural Press 27 Albany’s sailing disaster Mr Don Blair OAM RFD ED Mr Kevin Trent OAM RFD JP Contact Details 29 WA’s ANZACs depart Mr Wayne Tarr RFD ED The Returned & Services League of Australia - WA Branch Incorporated 30 Goldfi elds honours 187 ANZAC House, 28 St Georges Tce 34 Sub Branch News Deadline for next PERTH WA 6000 PO Box 3023, EAST PERTH WA 6892 37 Anne Leach - Red Cross icon edition: Nov 17, 2014 Email: [email protected] 38 Sculptors’ iconic designs If possible, submissions should be typed Website: www.rslwahq.org.au and double-spaced. Preferred method Facebook: www.facebook.com/rslwahq 40 Honouring the fallen of receiving submissions is via email. Telephone: 9287 3799 41 Cheops Pyramid project Photographs should be colour. This is your journal and contributions are welcome. Fax: 9287 3732 42 HMAS Toowoomba departs WA Country Callers: 1800 259 799 Address to: The Editor, 43 Sudoku and Crossword The Listening Post RSL, PO Box 3023 East Perth, WA 6892 Contact Directory 45 Notices & Reunions CEO / State Secretary: Email: [email protected] 47 Last Post Philip Orchard AFNI RAN (Rtd) Opinions expressed by contributors in Assistant State Secretary: Nola Keen articles and reproduced articles are ANZAC House & Club Manager: the individuals opinions or the authors Matthew Holyday: 9287 3714 Welcome to your of such reproduced articles and are Membership: Andrea Hunt not necessarily those of the RSL. (Mon-Thurs): 9287 3705 new Listening Post! Reproduction of articles (or extracts) Financial Services: contained in The Listening Post are Peter McGlade: 9287 3718 This is our 2nd edition of The welcomed, provided the source is Helen Beech (Mon-Thurs): 9287 3703 acknowledged. The Editor reserves the Listening Post in its new magazine right to accept, reject, sub-edit and re- Events Manager: Caitlin Harnwell format. We focus, of course, on the arrange material submitted for publication. Acting Editor & Social Media 100th anniversary next month of Infringement of Copyright Laws: We Manager: Amy Hunt Australian and New Zealand troops Receptionist: Wendy Quinn cannot accept Newspaper clippings for departing from Albany for Egypt publication without express approval from Records and Information Manager: and ultimately Gallipoli. We hope the Newspaper Editor as we may infringe Helen Starkie (Tue and Wed): 9287 3713 on Copyright Laws. Centenary Program Manager: the stories and guides to events in Sharon Harford 9287 3706 Albany and in Perth are helpful and Support Services: Welfare: Rosalind Howat: informative. Publishing 9287 3707 / 0417 905 742 Don’t forget to enter our competition Publishing of The Listening Post: Snr Advocate: Jim Boland: 9287 3708 on page 12 to win a magnificent Silver Published 4 times a year and has a Coin from the Perth Mint ANZAC readership of over 25,000. Spirit 100th Anniversary Coin Series. To all sub branch Presidents’ and Secretaries: Send photographs and a WIN This is your magazine and we short article on special activities at your AN ANZAC welcome your ideas and comments. sub branch to The Listening Post. SILVER COIN! YOUR GUIDE BEGINS ON See page 12 Albany Centenary PAGE 21 The Listening Post SEPT 2014 3 Next month, tens of thousands of people will gather in Albany and Perth to commemorate the departure 100 years ago of ANZAC troops for Egypt and Gallipoli. In access of 26,000 troops left King George Sound on 1 November 1914 and 1,590 left Fremantle on 31 October 1914. This is the story of one of those men who kept a meticulous diary of the first convoy’s journey. Life on board ANZAC convoy 100 years ago A 100 year-old diary, written by a and Western Australia, along with the enlisting, he broke the record for the cycling champion, has emerged to tell Japanese cruiser, HIJMS Ibuki and Fremantle to Adelaide section.” the personal side of the first ANZAC HMAS Pioneer. A second convoy Fred, who died in 1972 aged 92, is convoy’s historic journey from Albany departed in late December 1914. remembered as a man of imagination to Egypt. Albany is the last Australian port these and big ideas who developed orchards, Fred White was a relatively old 34, troops saw before commencing their training in Egypt and, for the majority, dug deep wells and a seasoned WA builder, when he and around joined the convoy of more than 40 ultimately taking part in landings at Gallipoli from 25 April 1915. 1960 took it ships to depart King George Sound on upon himself 1 November 2014. Fred White’s family recently handed to repaint In his handwritten diary, Fred over his diary to The Returned & all of the carefully details the Battle of Cocos – Services League for safe-keeping. plaques to in which Germany’s destructive raider His grand-daughter, May Hayes- fallen soldiers in SMS Emden was attacked and forced Thompson (78) was raised by Fred at Kings Park. aground by one of the convoy’s escorts Hovea (Parkerville) from the age of six Continued – of seven men going overboard during after her own father was imprisoned at page 43 the journey and of the often ‘plurry Changi in 1942. hot’ and hellish conditions. “Before the war grandfather rode everywhere by bike,” recalls the In Wiluna he’d former Kellerberrin District High cycle 60 miles School principal. “In Wiluna he’d for a dance. cycle 60 miles for a dance. “In those days, cyclists crossing the He details ships colliding at sea, the Nullarbor were six a penny. Twenty boredom and routine, and the choking years earlier his brother, Alex, was dust of Egypt. the first to ride completely around the coast of Australia. Another, Frank, set Fred was born in Wellington, educated the world long-distance ride of Perth in Melbourne, and worked in WA as to Rockhampton and return. a ‘chippie’ and amidst that, joined the Army in 1903 to be stationed “In 1911, grandfather rode from at Albany’s famous Princess Royal Fremantle to Fred White Fortress. Sydney in was a cross- record time, Australia He was one of more than 26,000 beating the cycling Australian and New Zealand troops record by champion. who left Albany on 1 November 1914 a couple of in 38 transport ships escorted by three hours. He His diary cruisers - His Majesty’s Australian went alone begins Ships (HMAS) Melbourne, Sydney and carried over page and Minotaur. (For more details about everything he the centenary of the departure see needed on pages 21 to 26) his bike. In The convoy was joined at sea two 1914, just days later by two ships carrying before 1,590 troops from South Australia 4 The Listening Post SEPT 2014 The diary of Fred White – ANZAC convoy 1914 Fred White kept a meticulous Friday 6 November diary throughout his journey from It is reported that a man was buried at Melbourne to Mena, the training camp sea from the Rangatira last night. A outside of Cairo where the Australians staff sergeant went overboard in King trained before heading to Gallipoli. He George Sound and was picked up on boarded the SS Shropshire on Tuesday Middleton Beach and buried at Albany. 20 October 1914 at Port Melbourne. On Sunday 25 October 2014, the Saturday 7 November Shropshire arrived in King George Soldiers were paid today - $1 each. Sound, and anchored alongside about • May Hayes-Thompson, grand-daughter Sunday 8 November 19 other transports. The next day it of Fred White, was raised by him after the was ‘raining like hell’. Another man was buried at sea this Second World War. morning. These are excerpts from his off her crew, then sank her. She then handwritten diary, given to the Monday 9 November returned again to the ‘Emden’, (which) RSLWA by his family: We just got the good news that one of surrendered. our escorts, the ‘Sydney’ engaged the Sunday 1 November 1914 The ‘Sydney’ is not with us now; she German cruiser ‘Emden’ and wrecked On guard all last night, no sleep. The will sail for Colombo as soon as she her completely. Our loss was two men had got the German wounded and (King George) Sound looked lovely in killed and 15 wounded. There was the moonlight, all the transports got prisoners on board. God save the King. another burial at sea about 1.30pm (Again, good information about the steam up and we left very silently at from the Euripides. 7am. It was a grand sight to see the Battle of Cocos. fleet file out of the Sound in lines, no Tuesday 10 November SMS Emden had wreaked havoc in whistles were blown, a crowd of about We have just received full particulars the region, capturing nearly two dozen 100 people witnessed the departure of the fight between the German ships, attacking Penang and sinking from the Marine Drive.
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