Veteran women plan bike ride through southern France to honour war hero Nancy Wake 8-)

Brian Ross wrote on Jan 7^th, 2024 at 11:45am:

Veteran women plan bike ride through southern France to honour war hero Nancy Wake 8-)

Nice to hear, I met Nancy a number of times, we were distant, distant relatives [like about ninth cousins].
She reckoned that the .30 M1 Carbine was the best gun ever invented as it was small enough to be just her size.
She was the only woman I ever met who’d killed a man with her bare hands.
She also looked like Noni Hazelhurst.

---

Australian military women's stories in the spotlight at Sydney's Anzac Memorial for HERstory exhibition [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

HMAS Voyager survivors commemorate maritime disaster's 60th anniversary off Jervis Bay :(

Sir Eoin O Fada wrote on Jan 7^th, 2024 at 10:30pm:

Brian Ross wrote on Jan 7th, 2024 at 11:45am: Veteran women plan bike ride through southern France to honour war hero Nancy Wake 8-) Nice to hear, I met Nancy a number of times, we were distant, distant relatives [like about ninth cousins]. She reckoned that the .30 M1 Carbine was the best gun ever invented as it was small enough to be just her size. She was the only woman I ever met who’d killed a man with her bare hands. She also looked like Noni Hazelhurst.

She was Guest Speaker at a Senior Sailor’s Mess Dinner at HMAS CERBERUS I attended many years (decades!) ago.  A riveting speaker who absolutely controlled the room during her presentation.  No fancy graphics, no power point, just her.     At the end of the evening, when all the formalities were over, she sat with a few of us in the Mess until the early hours - no one else spoke as she continued her stories.  what a wonderful and fascinating part of Australian Wartime Histroy she was!   The white Mouse - a true legend!

Bombing of Darwin remembered 82 years on as families uncover WWII histories 8-)

Brian Ross wrote on Feb 19^th, 2024 at 11:06am:

Bombing of Darwin remembered 82 years on as families uncover WWII histories 8-)

I had a cousin who was there, he’d got sick and was downgraded to a wharf labourer, his mates ended up in Changi or on the Burma Railway; said he was pissed off at the time but thanked the Lord later on.

Worked with a bloke who’d been an ammo handler on an anti-aircraft gun on an island in the approach to Darwin, couldn’t read or write but had exceptional long range vision. Told me that he’d seen a Betty bomber heading their way and told the Boss, but the Officer said he was imagining things, so said have a look through your glasses, up with the binos and the mate got instantly promoted to spotter.
We were working on the local shire council and he said to me “Don’t look, but the Engineer and his mate are watching us through the theodolite”
He told me where so I had a covert look and could see a faint red spot on the far hill.
“That’s the Engineer, he’s got a red cardigan on”.
A couple of hours later the Engineer [the boss] pulled up to see how we were going and he was wearing a red cardigan.

My father arrived in Darwin after the bombing and said the place was, "flattened" by the Japanese.  He served mainly south of the city but was often woken by the sound of fighter engines as they flew over on their way to intercept the Japanese raiders.

Another Darwin story.
I met a bloke years ago who’d served in Darwin, he’d been a wireless mechanic/electrician in the RAAF, and often flew on operations in bombers because to avoid aborting, he’d keep working on a problem and fly, most times he fixed it and the plane took part in the raid, sometimes they had to abort but most times he saw action. After the war he was denied any medals and recognition of his service on the grounds that he was not authorised to fly on missions.
Many Officers had attested to his devotion to duty but to no avail and it finally took Ministerial intervention to get him recognition.

DNA test could help match WWI Battle of Fromelles fallen soldier with living relatives 8-)

Bestselling US author Kristin Hannah honours Vietnam War nurses in new novel, The Women 8-)

Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon mourned in hometown tributes after RAAF parachute training death :(

American World War II veteran, 100, to marry sweetheart near D-Day beaches 8-)

Tributes flow at funeral of Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon after death in parachute training tragedy :(

Missing Royal Australian Air Force World War II bomber and crew discovered in underwater wreck in Papua New Guinea 8-)

Anthony Albanese, James Marape to walk Kokoda Track in symbolic Anzac Day visit, as Chinese foreign minister prepares for PNG trip 8-)

While the visit is worthwhile while the Chinese are in the area, he will walk for one hundred metres or so while the photos are taken then jump back into his air conditioned transport and back to the hotel/high commission/RAAF aircraft.   

Former soldier William Halliday laid to rest after nationwide search to reunite his ashes with relatives ends :(

Private Patrick Halley receives retrospective service award in Hobart 53 years after returning home 8-)

Tasmanian veterans reflect on what service means to them ahead of Anzac Day 8-)

Banjo Paterson's son Hugh kept Rats of Tobruk memory alive with poetry 8-)

One fateful night, Keith Payne saved 40 lives. Now he's calling for help to save others 8-)

Kokoda Track in 'worst condition' in more than 30 years amid falling tourist numbers >:(

Veterans highlight 'tricky' but important peacekeeping tours that can 'change quickly' 8-)

Grafton's Sam Darke recognised for his role in Britain's secret nuclear test at South Australia's Emu Field 8-)

Copeman family's legacy of service across WWI, WWII, and Vietnam War to be recognised 8-)

Anzac Day march not on the cards for one of Australia's oldest living World War II veterans :o

Australians gather at Anzac Day services across the country to honour service men and women 8-)

The AM radio crackles, cockatoos caw and the Murray River red cliffs glow at Kulcurna's ode to the fallen 8-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjLOOMCJpBA

Mareeba Pioneer Cemetery headstones repainted by volunteers after historian finds pilot's grave >:(

Ambitious plan to save Tasmanian-built Huon pine warship HDML1321 from slow death in Darwin 8-)

Bullwinkel or Beard? WWII nurses inspire naming of new WA federal seat as locals back hometown hero 8-)

Middle East Area of Operations Commemoration a first step in bringing in RSLs' newest members 8-)

First Nations Keeping Place unveiled at RAAF Base Edinburgh during Adelaide NAIDOC week celebrations [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

'Last Of The Few' pilot celebrates 105th birthday at UK Embassy 8-)

Satellite imagery reveals extent of destruction of Commonwealth war graves in Gaza >:(

Tom Pritchard, World Word II veteran and Australia's last Rat of Tobruk, dies aged 102 :(

Naval Graves Project finds lost burial sites of Australian and allied sailors Naval Graves Project finds lost burial sites of Australian and allied sailors 8-)

Breaker Morant's name will not be added to Adelaide's Boer War memorial, city council rules [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Quite right, wouldn’t do to draw attention to one of England’s infamous judicial murders.

'Sacred ground' in ANZAC Cove under threat as fires rage across Türkiye, PM says ::)

Metal detectorist on mission to return WWII dog tags to soldier's family 8-)

Edward 'Teddy' Sheean is Australia's most recent Victoria Cross recipient. In 2020, almost 80 years after his death, the 18-year-old Tasmanian seaman was recognised for his efforts to save his crewmates aboard HMAS Armidale.

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P11050357

Sam Pearse (1897-1919). He enlisted in the AIF before he had turned 18. After brief service on Gallipoli with the 7th Battalion, he went to the Western Front, where he saw a lot of action and was awarded the Military Medal.

Once the war ended, Pearse went to North Russia with the British relief force. In his heroic exploit there, he went through barbed-wire defences while under heavy machine-gun fire to attack a blockhouse. He single-handedly killed the occupants with bombs, but while fighting on he was killed.

https://iili.io/djRDg6u.md.jpg
https://iili.io/dj5Fihb.md.jpg

From local historical society in Archangel North Russia:

Quote:

Pearce's grave at Obozerskaya station was lost. So we took it upon ourselves to immortalize the feat of the Soldier who fulfilled his combat and comradely duty to the end: we built this cenotaph next to the Chapel of the Virgin Mary. He died a hero's death on August 29, 1919. He fulfilled his soldier's duty to the end. The rest is unimportant.

My dad a Korean War vet died on the 10 of August. I'll share these for rememberance.

---

Thanks...

---

I was fortunate during my time in the Army to serve beside a Korean War veteran.  He had served with 3 RAR and fortunately missed the battle of Kapyong, being on leave at the time in Japan.  He had some very interesting stories to tell, some of which I'm sure were true.  He's now dead, unfortunately.  I attended his funeral a few years ago.   :'(

Brian Ross wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2024 at 9:12pm:

I was fortunate during my time in the Army to serve beside a Korean War veteran.  He had served with 3 RAR and fortunately missed the battle of Kapyong, being on leave at the time in Japan.  He had some very interesting stories to tell, some of which I'm sure were true.  He's now dead, unfortunately.  I attended his funeral a few years ago.   :'(

My dad told some pretty horrific scenarios. As an engineer you build pontoon bridges but when so many bodies are floating, bloated, down the river that they endanger the bridge, you have to do something, They tried pulling them out of the river but that didn't work, their arms, scalps whatever you grabbed just pulled off. The only way that worked was bayoneting their bloated bellies to make them sink under the bridge.

My great-uncle told my second cousin about WW2 stories re: the Papuan Infantry Battalion. It was only hear-say evidence, but Australian veterans along the Kokoda Trail told about Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels getting so caught up in helping transport wounded Australian soldiers back to Isurava, that they occasionally had close calls with large crocodiles in the low-lands near river systems. But these were only isolated incidents where the Papuan Infantry Battalion just shoot the crocodiles that tried emerging from the waters.

Volunteers and students help find WWI diggers lost in unmarked graves 8-)

Descendants want to solve missing WWII Busselton Beaufort Bomber mystery :(

Australians reflect on 25 years since deployment to Timor-Leste for peacekeeping operation 8-)

Likely remains of war hero Samuel Pearse await identification in Russia 8-)

Historic World War II aircraft hidden in plain sight at regional airfields ::)

Royal Australian Mint releases new round of commemorative coins, honouring war animals 8-)

World War II veteran Glenn Dobie, 99, receives full complement of war medals 79 years after conflict 8-)

D-Day veteran George Chandler dies at 99, ashes to be scattered in Adriatic Sea so he can rest with his mates :(

Brian Ross wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2024 at 10:31am:

Royal Australian Mint releases new round of commemorative coins, honouring war animals 8-)

Very interesting , Brian, thanks.

Vietnam veteran receives war medals after decades of being homeless in Newcastle 8-)

How an Italian WWII POW came to call his West Australian prison home 8-)

Artist documents Victoria's World War I memorials in Shrine of Remembrance show 8-)

Remembrance Day services held across Australia to mark 106 years since end of World War I 8-)

Hobart Soldiers Memorial Avenue recognises men mistakenly excluded a century ago 8-)

Teddy Sheean statue and renamed naval training vessel unveiled in Latrobe during Remembrance Day ceremony 8-)

Family desperate for answers three months after disappearance of Vietnam veteran William Wadsworth
:o

After WWII battle with HMAS Sydney, German seamen landed on an outback sheep station :o

Perth WWII veteran Arthur Jones presented with long-overdue service medals on 100th birthday 8-)

Iconic sculpture of Simpson and his donkey craned back into position at the Australian War Memorial, after three-year hiatus [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Harold Ball had a short but impressive football career before he died in WWII 8-)

Veterans group wants to record every Indigenous soldier who fought for their country 8-)

100yo RAAF airman recalls hunt for WWII U-boats in Vickers Wellington 8-)

Adelaide RSL searches for origins of 121-year-old diary from WWI left on doorstep :o

The bombing of Darwin's 83rd anniversary a reminder of Australia-United States alliance, analysts say 8-)

Dogs of war recognised for decades of lifesaving service on Purple Poppy Day 8-)

Animal military mascots celebrated on National Day for War Animals in Australia 8-)

New Zealand family has war medals returned after lucky find in Perth 8-)

The last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John "Paddy" Hemingway, has died at the age of 105 :( :(

Arthur Leggett, WA's oldest surviving World War II prisoner of war, dies aged 106 :(

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/They_Shall_Not_Grow_Old.jpg
They shall not grow old, a documentary movie from Peter Jackson.  He basically uses film from World War One and colourises it and adds voices to what were silent.  It is available on ABC Iview at the moment.  It isn't the first time I have seen it.  It is extremely effective at presentlng the experience of war.  Well worth watching. 10 out of 10. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Brian Ross wrote on Apr 20^th, 2025 at 4:22pm:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/They_Shall_Not_Grow_Old.jpg They shall not grow old, a documentary movie from Peter Jackson.  He basically uses film from World War One and colourises it and adds voices to what were silent.  It is available on ABC Iview at the moment.  It isn't the first time I have seen it.  It is extremely effective at presentlng the experience of war.  Well worth watching. 10 out of 10. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

This is the film where Jackson had lip readers examine the silent film and created the sound track? 

Belgarion wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2025 at 2:24pm:

Brian Ross wrote on Apr 20th, 2025 at 4:22pm: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/They_Shall_Not_Grow_Old.jpg [url=https://iview.abc.net.au/video/ZW3987A001S00]They shall not grow old[/url], a documentary movie from Peter Jackson.  He basically uses film from World War One and colourises it and adds voices to what were silent.  It is available on ABC Iview at the moment.  It isn't the first time I have seen it.  It is extremely effective at presentlng the experience of war.  Well worth watching. 10 out of 10. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] This is the film where Jackson had lip readers examine the silent film and created the sound track?

Yes, it is.  It is done masterfully, they have the accents just right.

'Rejected' soldiers from World War I remembered in Charters Towers

'Lost' WW1 soldiers formally recognised with headstones after community effort

Veteran reflects on 'futility' of war as he prepares for his final Anzac Day march

Horse riders travel 750km in the saddle to honour WWI mounted soldiers 8-)

From pigeons and Morse code to satellites and cyberspace: 100 years of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals 8-)

What day of the week is Anzac Day this year? Where is a dawn service or parade near me?

Navy veteran Luke McCallum is ready to march on Anzac Day after decades of challenges

South Lismore Post Office honours diggers with Anzac Day display 8-)

Bunbury soldier's extraordinary bravery during World War I remembered

Intelligence gathering in Geraldton 80 years on from WWII

Sunshine Coast hinterland hit with flash flooding as Anzac Day dawn services cancelled

Descendant details Queensland family's tragic World War I sacrifice

Firefighting a natural transition after military career, former commando says 8-)

Ex-soldiers preserve emu plume tradition on slouch hats to honour army history 8-)

Vietnam War photographer reflects on conflict 50 years after fall of Saigon 8-)

Western Australia prepares for state funeral for World War II prisoner of war Arthur Leggett 8-)

Historic Vietnam War photograph attribution suspended amid authorship doubts :o

Streets to be named after Kapooka Tragedy victims :(

Amid 'terrible' POW conditions in Italy, these WWII Anzacs made a daring alpine escape 8-)

From a lonely grave with the wrong name to being honoured by the nation 8-)

World War II bomber Hell'n Pelican II sets sail for Port Moresby after 10-year restoration 8-)

Heritage honour for ships sunk in Battle of the Coral Sea 8-)

Stolen memorial plaques of fallen WWI soldiers angers Hobart community >:( >:(

Bronze plaques stolen from a WWI soldiers' memorial found dumped on Hobart's eastern shore [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Unforgivable but any plaque made of a valuable material is disappearing from our cemetery’s and monuments.

A simple solution is any scrap metal dealer caught with these materials is put in jail. Just put out a 10k reward for information and his own family will be ringing in!

Aluminium flag poles are also being stolen.

Sign of the desperate times .

Montevideo Maru memorial in Stanhope helps families better understand POW tragedy :(

Vandals to pay $26,000 for lewd act and damage to Dorrigo War Memorial >:( >:(