Overseas ANZAC Day Representation
Mount Lawley Senior High School has a long tradition of involvement with remembering those working and suffering in times of war and peace keeping.
Each year we have students involved in ANZAC day services around the world.
In 2016 we had students in Thailand and Malaysia and I've been in France commemorating the Somme.
Hellfire Pass
This year we had three Year 11 history students travel to Thailand to commemorate ANZAC day with the POWS of The Burma - Thai Railway.
They spent a dark oppressive morning at Hell Fire Pass to remember the suffering of those men forced to build a railway line, that was never to be used by their captors.
They have learnt of the work and determination of men such as Edward (Weary) Dunlop and the suffering of men such as Snow Fairclough and Neil MacPhearson.
It has changed their perspective on humanity. Clancy, Cale and Olivia will always remember this once in a lifetime experience.
Sandakan
Johanna, of Year 12, also travelled to Sandakan in Borneo on the State Premiers tour.
This group learnt of the sufferings of men while building an airstrip, also never to be used by their captors.
Struggling through an 8 kilometre section of the Death Marches will be a significant memory for Johanna.
She was also asked to deliver the student address at the ANZAC dawn service in which she related the sufferings of the men who were never to return.
Villers Bretonneux
I travelled to France to join the thousands braving the freezing conditions at Villers Bretonneux.
The beautiful scenery makes it hard to visualize the harsh realities of the "War to end all Wars".
This was also poignant for me as my grandfather fought and returned from the Somme, surviving 3 years there.
Two of my great Uncles were both lost there.
One never to be found and the other only discovered and matched through DNA a few years ago.
Lynne Noack, HoLA, HASS
This year marks the 100 th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme - the bloodiest of all long protracted battles, battles to end all wars. In 2018 the 100 th anniversary will fall upon the end of The War to end all Wars - WW1. Those men who went probably thought "Remember me: We are the Diggers of Gallipoli, of Vignacourt, of Fromelles, of Poziers, and of many other far flung places so far from home. Why do we remember WW1? It was the first war that a new nation, Australia, willingly entered. It was our "Baptism by Fire; the birth of a nation; our blood letting".
It was not to be the War to end all wars, it was closely followed by WW2, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Gulf war, The Afghani War and countless others that Australian men and women have witnessed, suffered and died - they too say "Remember me: We are the diggers of far away"
During WW1 a total of 32,231 western Australians enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and saw active service. The state raised the 28 th , 44 th and 51 st battalions of the Australian army corps, along with the 10 th light horse brigade of the ill fated "Battle of the Nek", so famously immortalised in the closing scenes of the movie "Gallipoli". A total of 6,800 West Australians did not return from war.
In 1916 Australian soldiers were fighting to the north of Amiens, part of the Somme battles. The city was an important communications centre, and they stood in front of the advancing German invaders. They maintained their terror in battle north of Vignacourt and forced the Germans back, the only respite given to the Australians was in the ancient town with French families, and their cameras. But they became permanent brothers in arms, having fallen on the field of honour, sleeping eternally while the French continue to look on.
Many fell and remained in unmarked graves. One such man was Private Edward Higgins from Pingelly in the WA wheat-belt. He was only 17yo and raised his age to 22yo to enlist. He was over 6 feet tall, which helped him disguise his age. He fought with valour and was promoted to lance corporal. He was wounded twice in France, before finally dying in action on ANZAC Day 1918 - he was 19 years old. His brother, John Murray Higgins, who was in the same battalion, was killed ten months earlier. The brothers had joined together and travelled together in September 1915 after enlisting earlier in June. A country family had lost their only two sons. The family mourned…
In 2014 relatives travelled to France to be matched through DNA testing, with their long lost Great Uncle - he had been found in a mass unmarked grave - nearly 100 years later. Photos of the other brother had also found in 2011 on glass-plate photographic negatives found in a farm barn near Vignacourt, France.
After nearly 100 years the brothers were brought home in spirit to the Pingelly family, having never been returned to their parents in 1918, like so many others. They can now say - Remember me: I am a permanent brother in arms, having fallen on the field of honour, sleeping eternally while the French continue to look on. Remember me….
Speech given by Lynne Noack, HoLA, HASS
