ANZAC Day thread

[Miss Chicken]

A sad start to ANZAC Day

A New Zealand air force helicopter has crashed killing three people and seriously injuring another.
The Iroquois air force helicopter crashed just before 6:30am local time in a hilly area near Pukerua Bay, 40 kilometres north of Wellington.
There was heavy fog and it is believed the helicopter was one of three heading to Wellington to take part in Anzac Day services.

Source


On this day I want to especially remember my great-uncle, Roy Harold Figg. Roy was one of the original Anzacs, landing at Gallipoli on the first day. A few weeks later Roy was wounded while advancing on the enemy.

Though he returned to Australia, Roy vanished without a trace in about 1919. It is possible that he died during the Great Flu Epidemic and no-one knew who he was. My great grandmother, my grandmother and her sisters hired a private detective to try and find him and the army searched for him as well but he was never found.

I thought I might have discovered his fate a couple of years ago under a known alias but I am now doubting it is him.

Wherever he is, whatever his fate was - he will always be a hero in his family's eyes. My father was named Roy Harold after him.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

My late grandfather served in the Australian army.

Lest We Forget.

 

[Finn]

Um...

Typical American here....

What is ANZAC Day?


On a side note, Miss Chicken, that story about your great-uncle is interesting. You said you thought you had located him. Are you using the services of a private investigator like your grandmother did?

 

[clint g]

I believe it's a joint Australian/New Zealand military unit that fought in World War I and World War II

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

What is ANZAC Day?

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries.

More...

 

[Miss Chicken]

Um...

Typical American here....

What is ANZAC Day?


On a side note, Miss Chicken, that story about your great-uncle is interesting. You said you thought you had located him. Are you using the services of a private investigator like your grandmother did?

No, I have been using computerised records which is something that the private investigator hired by my great-grandmother never had.

I found a death record for a Roy McDermott who died in 1920. My great-uncle used the surname McDermott because he hated his father, ran away from home and lived with a family of that surname. After his father died he returned to his family and then went off to war. He first went into the navy under the surname McDermott, but later he is in the army using his real name. We know that it was the same man because he was sending some of his pay to look after his mother and youngest two brothers.

The Roy McDermott who died in 1919 (in Ballarat, Victoria) was the right age to be my great-uncle. I can find no record of a Roy McDermott being born anywhere in Australia around the time these men would have been born. The death certificate list his parents as "being unknown" which would lead to suggest that no-one knew much about the man who died. Also Roy Figg's elder half-sister had lived in Ballarat a couple of years before this an died but had then moved to Western Australia. I thought Roy might have gone to Ballarat not knowing his sister had moved.

However I since found a family called McDermott living in Ballarat. If the Roy who died belong this family than he could not have been m great-uncle.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Oh dear - there has been another serious ANZAC Day mishap

An old military truck has ploughed into a group of marchers at Melbourne's Anzac Day parade after a suspected mechanical fault.
Three Sri Lankan ex-servicemen aged in their 70s and 80s have been injured in the crash.
The crash happened around 12:30pm along the route the parade through the city.
Witnesses say a World War II era truck taking part in the parade surged forward suddenly.
The truck crashed into a group of veterans that were marching in front.
The three men aged in the 70's and early 80's are part of the Ceylon ex-serviceman's association.
Witness say the scene was horrific, with four or five people dragged underneath underneath the vehicle.
Police are interviewing dozens of people who witnessed the crash

SOURCE

 

[gturner]

I suspect some people have never heard of Gallipoli.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYcuY8MgqoQ[/yt]

ETA: link to part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5

 

[Tulin]

I like that ANZAC Day is getting bigger and bigger every year.

Just when I think younger people are not worth the air they are breathing they surprise me and actually show some respect and consideration for their forebears.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I am looking forward to seeing how big an event it will be in 2015, the 100th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli.

 

[ChocyClaire]

Miss Chicken,

I'm very intersted in your comment, I've been researching my family tree, and we are from the same family line. My Great Grandfather James Edward Kelly and your Great Uncle Roy Harold Figg are half brothers. Would love to know more about the family history.

Let me know if you want to get in contact,
Thanks
C

 

[Miss Chicken]

Miss Chicken,

I'm very intersted in your comment, I've been researching my family tree, and we are from the same family line. My Great Grandfather James Edward Kelly and your Great Uncle Roy Harold Figg are half brothers. Would love to know more about the family history.

Let me know if you want to get in contact,
Thanks
C

Not half-brothers, As far as I know they were cousins. Roy Figg's mother was Lydia Hoad and her sister Harriet married Michael Kelly and their first born son (and second child) was James Edward Kelly. That makes Roy Figg and James Kelly first cousins.

It also makes us 3rd cousins once removed.

Are you doing research yourself. If you are - have you know anything about the origins of Mary Holland (Lydia and Harriet's mother)

We certainly should compare what we know. I will send you my email in a PM.

Edit to add - I can't send you a PM at the moment.

Does anyone know if a person need a certain number of posts before they can be sent a PM or does ChocyClaire need to click on something in her USER control panel?

 

[ChocyClaire]

Sorry my mistake, yes cousins! I've only just found this family line in the last few days. I'm also very new to this forum, so not sure how to pass any contact details on!

Haven't found anything out about Mary Holland yet. Although turns out my G Grandfather, James Edward Kelly did a runner in 1927, just after he separated from his wife. No one ever saw him again. Divorce papers make for some intersting reading...police hunts etc.

I'm happy to send you all the info I have found so far.

C :-)

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Does anyone know if a person need a certain number of posts before they can be sent a PM or does ChocyClaire need to click on something in her USER control panel?

From the FAQ:-
Level 2 - Requires: 14 days and 28 posts
Benefits: avatar allowed, private messaging (100 messages storage)

So ChocyClaire won't be able to send or receive any PMs for two weeks minimum.

 

[ChocyClaire]

Miss Chicken,
I've made my profile details only viewable to contacts, I've added my facebook link on there. Guessing you have facebook??

C :-)

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have sent you a friend's request on Facebook.