Just 8 days after my Grandfather applied to enlist in the Australian Imperial Forces, his application was accepted and he was enlisted on 21.2.1916 to the AIF 45th Battalion. He was about to go to war.
He served from 21.2.1916 until his discharge on 4.9.1919 - 1291 days - or 3 years, 6 months & 14 days.
His time on foreign soil fighting in WW1 was 1049 days - or 2 years, 10 months & 15 days - I have read letters that he had sent home to his family (he wasn't married at that stage), and it is sad to read them....it must have been a living hell.
His time away from his homeland was 1153 days - or 3 years, 1 month & 27 days.
Lucky for us, he returned to Australia safe & well on 19.7.1919
This photo is my mum, who sadly never had the fortune of knowing her father - he died when she was just 4 years old....she is holding a photo of her dad, which has his dog tags draped over the corner of the photo, and she is also wearing his medals that have been loaned to us by another family member, for us to take back to France when we embark on a very special pilgrimage to visit the battlefields he fought on & to pay our respects for Anzac Day this coming April.
My mum is one who does not like to have her photo taken, but she did agree (although hesitantly) for me to do this photo, being 100 years to the day that her father was enlisted into the Australian Army for service in WW1. He served his King & Country well, and did his family proud - Lest We Forget.
This is such a special and poignant photo of you Mum, a beautifully composed tribute. We visited the WW1 battlefields and memorials in France last year - an extraordinary and moving experience. When are you going?
@dayle@365projectorgjenfurj@barb_b@gilbertwood thank you all for your beautiful comments. It certainly will be a treasured photo, especially since we don't have many of my grandfather.
@judithdeacon thanks Judith. We are going this April & the tour includes Anzac Day dawn service at Villers Bretonneaux. ...which I imagine will be a very moving & emotional day
Thank you for sharing your storey. I'm sure you will find the visit to the battlefields and graveyards very moving. A view years ago we went to the grave of my wife's great uncle who had died in WWI, my wife was the first family member to have visited the grave, it was a truly moving experience.
@tommykeith Thank you both so much. @bob65 yes I imagine it is going to be a very moving experience - we will be attending the Villers Bretenneaux dawn Anzac Day service, which for us Aussie's is a very special day & event.
" Lest we forget."
@bob65 yes I imagine it is going to be a very moving experience - we will be attending the Villers Bretenneaux dawn Anzac Day service, which for us Aussie's is a very special day & event.