ANZAC Day 2017
On April 25, we honour the people who sacrificed their sanity and lives to protect the goodwill of others around the world.
On a personal level, I have always felt great pride in being both Australian and Kiwi. Anzac Day has always meant more to me than every other day on the calendar.
Thanks to my father, Maxwell Jones, I have been granted the privilege of reading excerpts from his grandfather’s World War I diary. Dad was able to transcribe the diary before it was donated to the Australian War Memorial and makes for some compelling reading. It gave me a stronger appreciation of hardship and sacrifice.
The diary of Alexander Gordon Maxwell gives a glimpse into the life of a member of the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train (RANBT) – Australia’s most decorated naval unit of World War I. The diary also depicts how life was on board the SS Port Macquarie as it travelled from Port Melbourne in June 1915 to Colombo, then Bombay and finally, Gallipoli.
Influenza was rife on board, not just between the humans, but also 420 horses of which 70 died.
The seas were high and stormy, the wind sprung up and blew harder than Alexander had ever seen a north wind blow along St Kilda Road.
Through tough conditions, Alexander took solace in the daily provision of bread and marmalade … Far out, we take our daily meals for granted …
After the SS Port Macquarie departed Bombay, the ship continued to travel through the Suez Canal to the island of Imbros just off the coast of Turkey.
Only miles from Gallipoli, the heavy gunfire could be heard. This photo sourced from the Australian War Memorial (www.awm.gov.au) shows how close Alexander was to enemy bombardment. How frightening it must have been for everyone serving and supporting.
TechTiger honours the Anzacs on April 25.
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
