ANZAC Day Memoir
(Wilbur Maurice Croker 1922-2009)
Today in our school ANZAC Day service, I had the privilege of sharing my Dad’s story, as he was a World War II soldier.
When I was a little girl, my Dad kept some of his war memories in a cupboard on our veranda, a cupboard that I was not allowed to look in. I didn’t ever know why, so one day I did become curious and I opened the drawers in the cupboard and found Dad’s photos from the war and some of his papers and keepsakes. My Dad was a bit cross with me on this day and told me I had to put everything back and not to touch them again.
Later when I was an adult with children of my own who were in Primary school, my children asked Dad about being in a war, and he got out his photos and started to tell them some of his stories. This was really special to witness, as I could see that Dad was ready to talk about his experiences and memories. I think this was because many of his memories were sad and painful. He only told my children the good memories, he didn’t tell them the sad ones.
My Dad lived until he was 87, and it wasn’t until the last 5 years of his life that he started telling me his stories – both sad and happy stories. We would sit for hours and he talked about many things, some of which he would be happy for me to share with you. I know this because he would always tell me if the story was one I could use in his eulogy or one that I had to keep to myself.
My Dad was in a Machine Gun Battalion. He told me he spent 4 years in the army from when he enlisted at the age of 17, with 365 of those days in actual war zones. He said he travelled on a lot of big ships including the QE2 and he was excited to have been able to travel to other countries he would not get to go to otherwise.
The first time Dad was sent overseas to war he went to the Middle East, to Egypt, Palestine and Syria, where the conditions were terrible for the soldiers but he got to see some amazing things including the pyramids. Following this deployment his platoon returned to Australia where they were involved in defence and jungle training, because Australia was being threatened by the Japanese; so next they travelled to New Guinea to defend this island to the north of Australia.
After New Guinea they returned to Australia for some home leave and more invasion training. And finally they were transported to Borneo, to Balikpapan to protect the port city and in particular for Dad’s Platoon, to protect the oil fields. Dad told me that to protect the oil fields the soldiers had to dig big holes around them and two soldiers had to hide in each of the holes and stop anyone from coming close to the oil fields. Dad and his friend Joe had to dig and get into one of these holes together. One night Dad and Joe heard and felt a thump in their hole, so in the dark they searched for what it was. Dad found a live hand grenade and quickly threw into the air as high as he could, and it blew up over their heads, with neither of them getting hurt. Dad and Joe remained best friends for the rest of their lives.
Dad talked a lot about the mateship that was formed while in the army, and he talked about the courage and endurance of so many of the soldiers too. He also said they had to have good humour and to always find the good in every circumstance – Dad often said to me, ‘we were the lucky ones’. The young men and women like my dad also had a lot of respect for ‘King and country’ and were very proud to have been able to serve in the armed forces.
I personally felt like ‘one of the lucky ones’ to have had many long discussions with my Dad, to laugh and cry with him and to learn about his experiences and memories. So proud of him!
PRINCE PHILIP
It is fitting and with sadness for us to recognise and remember the life of The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, for his love and dedication to his wife HM Queen Elizabeth II, to his family and to other Commonwealth countries, including Australia. He “was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, became a brilliant British naval officer, but chose love and a life of unfailing public service as the Queen’s devoted consort”. (Rieden & Langley, The Australian Women’s Weekly) The Queen is head of state of 16 countries that are a part of the Commonwealth realm and The Supreme Governor of the Church of England (the Anglican Church), which is the titular head of the Church of England, a position which is bestowed on the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth said of her husband, “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and [England] and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know”.
STAFF CHANGES
This week we welcome Mrs Hannah Monaghan to the Year 2 Team to replace Mrs Alanna James for Term 2. Mrs Monaghan is an experienced teacher who worked on Year 2 at the end of Term 1 and has been looking forward to working at Claremont College this term.
This term Mrs James is taking on the position of Acting Deputy Principal. She began working at Claremont 13 years ago as a Kindergarten teacher. She has taught on both Infants and Primary grades. Mrs James joined the executive team at the beginning of 2019 and has been Head of Primary for 2 years and is now Head of Infants. She is an exceptional leader and is looking forward to the opportunities that this term will afford her, while contributing to staff and student learning and wellbeing.
We hope that you are able to join an ANZAC Service on Sunday, to remember and pay respect for all who have served in the armed forces in the past, and for those who continue to do so today. Wishing all of our families a relaxing weekend.
Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us. 1 John 4:19
Janelle Ford
Co-Principal
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