In Their Footsteps calls for wartime descendants

23 Responses

1. Two of my husbands great uncles went to the First World War. They were both in the 53rd battalion and served on the western front from 1917-18. They came from near Crookwell country NSW and were from a family of 12. They were remained together for most of the war and were in bombing raid parties which was a very risky activity. One, Percy was injured slightly on the finger while Syd got through the war uninjured. This was very lucky as so many families lost sons and daughters and the risk was greater having two sons at teh front. They hated the troop ship on the way over to the front so when the war was over they paid their own way home via the US and had a bit of a holiday while there. We would lke to trace their movement on the western front and find out move of what they endured. I have some letters they wrote home but these can only relate what the boys were allow to say.

   1. It’s great people are sharing their stories, but as some people are under the illusion that leaving a Comment on this blog is some kind of application I am now closing Comments.

      The link to apply is in the story thanks.

2. My Great uncle Arthur Gross was captured at the fall of Singapore in 1940and like many others spent 4 years in Changi. In early 1945 he was loaded on to the japanese ship Rakuo Maru to be taken to Japan to work as slave labour in their heavy industry along with 4000 other prisoners. 2 days into the trip, the convoy the ship was in, was attacked by the US submarine fleet and blown out of the water. Many prisoners died, some were rescued by the US Subs 4 days after the attack and taken to Townsville. My uncle spent 6 days in the water before being “rescued ” by the Japanese Navy. He then spent the next 9 months in Japan working, only to then be bombed again by the attacking Allied forces. He passed away 18 months ago aged 92. At age 90 he had his leg removed, but had no fear as he had seen Weary Dunlop do this many times. Just before he passed away I found a book at the Canberra War Memorial titled “Heroes at Sea” in which he was mentioned and had a photo. he was very proud in this his last few months to show his Dr’s his war experiences, that few would know about

3. i would like to know more abouy my grandfather & my great uncle

   1. Please contact the show via the links in the story.

      I don’t run operate these shows guys!

4. My Father, Joseph William Curran, was wounded in Lai, New Guinea in 1942, I think. He passed in 1973. He was a gunner apparently and was shot in the
   back whilst in a ditch. He was flown to Townsville to recuperate. He had malaria
   and trouble with the morphine. When I read others ‘ accounts of their fathers
   I can certainly identify with such fathers not talking about their experiences. Such
   trauma would be difficult to express.

   I am an Oz actor would love to revisit my Father’s experience.

5. One of my Grandfathers was at Gallipoli and the western front with the 3rd Field Ambulance while his German born parents were “watched’ in Australia. My other Grandfather was at Tobruk and then in PNG with the 2/24 Field Engineers. I would love to further my understanding of their journeys.

6. My Great Uncle came from a small family in Dungog NSW and become the Deputy Town Clerk of Kogarah. He was in the first enlistments, enlisting on the 29th Aug 1914 and traveled to Egypt on the Afric one of the first ships to carry our troops. He landed in Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. He was killed on the 15th of April 1918 outside a small town in northern France called Strazeele, body not found. I visited the site were he lost his life and the ground were I believe he is still buried along with about 30 other Australian Soldiers. I wish I could be able to give him and his comrades a proper burial. Lest WE Forget.

7. What a fantastic program this will be. So many of us I am sure, would just love to know more than the little our families disclosed to us.

8. My father Herbert Francis Lee (deceased) also lied about his age to get into the army and ended up being a clerk in Japan after Hiroshima. From what we can tell he was part of the clean up after the bomb hit. When he came home to Darwin my mother Mary Agripina ( nee Cubillo ) Lee said that was was in really poor health. They eventually got married and had 11 children. He never ever talked about his time in the army and was still involved in the services in one way or another until his later years. My mother was here in Darwin when the japanese dropped their bombs on the wharf and unfortunately her father John Roque Cubillo was killed. She was evacuated to Balaclava in SA. She is still with us and in good health . My siblings and i would love to know more about that time in their lives.

9. My grandfather, Benjamn Arthur Wilson put his age up so that he could fight in the Boer War.
   He then enlisted in the military and fought in France during World War 1.
   He enlisted again in the military when Australia became involved in World War 2.
   At the fall of Singapore he was taken prisoner by the Japanese and was imprisoned in the Changi Prison until the surrender of the Japanese in Augest 1945.
   In order to enlist for World War 2 he again lied about his age by claiming that he was age 38 when in fact he was in his early to middle fifties.

10. If you should extend the series to cover Australian immigrants who have British relatives – I had an Uncle who was a Hamden Bomber pilot stationed at RAF Harmston in Lincolnshire and he was on bombing missions to Dresden and Berlin in Second World War

    1. Readers interested in this show should get in touch with the programme via the link.

11. My Father was the youngest of three brothers, two of them went to fight in the second world war. Irvine McClure served was with the 2/6th AIF was killed in the Africa campaign shortly after they liberated Tobrok, at a place called merca mercu. Stepped on a land mine whilst on patrol in the desert. He is buried in the El Alamein cementary Eygpt.His war records show only seven lines for his efforts. There is more to his story than that miltary record, considering I have the letters between Irvine and Gordon (my father).

    Victor the other brother, fought in PNG and was lucky enough to return. Living out his days at Wangi NSW. I have little information on Victors war details but his son may have. My Father (Gordon McClure) was the youngest and took employment with the NSWTD with the Railways as an apprentice. He was seen as essential service and was given exemption to join the others at war.

    I intend to go to El Alamein this next February March with my Wife Elizabeth to visit his grave and pay respects on behalf of our family. My son Shawn serves in the army at present with 1RAR in Darwin.

12. my grandfather lance corporal wilfred shepherd chapman was in ww1 he was shot in the right leg they had to amputate it later he got an infection in it which caused him to die.he was 28 when he died on 2/10/17 he was buried in lijssenthoek military cemetry,poperinge west-vlaanderen.belgium,i have a photo of the beautiful cross that was put on his grave.now i guess they only have plaques .also my great uncle private archibald daniel poole was in ww1 he was only 20 when died on 4/4/18 only 6 months after his brother in law wilfred died ,i dont know if he was buried or not but he is remembered with honour at villers-bretonneux.somme,france.i would like to know more about what both did before they died/

13. Great idea, I had a Uncle whose plane was shot down near Merauke, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. He & his plane were never found.
    To find him would be amazing for his last remaing sibling , my Aunty, it would be closure at long last.

14. I would like to find out about my grandfather Joe Baillie.He served in ww1 in europe where he lost both legs, he returned from England with my grandmother whom he met whilst recovering from his injuries,she was from Wales and apparently was a nurse who looked after him.When they returned they were given a brand new home by the city council in Adamstown,96 Teralba Rd a suburb of Newcastle,donated by the gratefull citizens as it was told to me when i was older. All I know about him was that he was an active member of the local Masonic Lodge and much respected in Newcastle,although I asked him many times he would never discuss what he had gone through.

15. Grandfather killed in the Battle of Fromel lasted six days in france and left a family if five childran

16. What a great idea, My grandfather was one of seven Hutchins brothers from Woorinen in country Victoria that served with the AIF during World War 2, four of his brothers never made it home – 3 died on Ambon with the 2/21st Battalion (Gull Force) and 1 died on Rabaul with the 2/22nd Battalion (Lark Force). All four were reported in early 1942 as believed missing or P.O.W’s for 4 years their Mother had to live with not knowing what had happened to them, in March 1946 she received four telegrams – three arriving together. The poor bugger could never speak of her lost boys, she had been given a 7 star relative’s brooch by the Army, which she held until the day she died in 1956. I have spent the last 5 years researching their history and have brought my family a lot of closure in finding some answers. I hope this great project will give Families some answers and importantly closure. It will also give the wider community a better idea of just how these Australian service men and women gave up so much for our freedom!! All the best with the project.. Regards Paul Liversidge

17. My father and his two brothers served in the first world war on the Western front. Dad was with “C” Coy 3rd Machine gun Bn and his brother Alf was with the 27th BN and Les was with the 10 Bn. Dad [Alen] was award the Meritorious Service Medal from the Kings Birthdays Honour List of 1918 and Alf was awarded the Military Medal and Bar for braveryin the field. Les was medevac home with TBand died of the same in the early 1920’s. After the war Dad was employed in the BHAS in Port Pirie and his General Manager was Cat Oliver WoodWard MC and BAR X2. Dad died when I was 9, in 1956. I served in the Aust Army seeing service in Vietnam and New Guinea. I have the military records of the three boy and they are extremely interesting. They all served on the sWestern Front.
    What you are doing with this project is extremely exciting and will bring awarenes to our next generation along with my generation of the massive hardships our farther went through for many years. Our general population do not understand just what continuous service in a front trench sitkuation does to the human mind. I wish you all the best with your great project
    Best Regards Mal Fergusson

18. What a fantastic idea i come from over the ditch and a resident of australia it will be great to watch when it comes out.uncle at anzac cove uncle at the somme uncle in the islands cousin in Afganistan my grandfather and father were the only ones who came home

19. My grandfather was in the Boer War and at Gallipoli but I am really interested in finding where my father was in new Guinea. He told me a little when I was young but would never say too much. Now I am retired, I would love to research his footsteps after he enlisted.

20. This sounds fantastic – as a History teacher I love seeing this kind of commitment to teaching today’s youth about our past – my grandfather was in Changi so any information being out there on that is always appreciated!!

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