You may be wondering why I’ve misplaced my alphabet but there is method is my “mistake” as today Down Under we commemorate Anzac Day. It has become traditional over the years to write a commemorative blog post for both Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. You can find mine by using the search box. While you … More War – Anzac Day
I wrote this to commemorate Remembrance Day 2020 in Australia, a day when we reflect on the service and sacrifices of those who went to war. Somehow I forgot to post it at the time so I’ve decided to just go ahead and submit it now. Rather than write a new post I thought I’d … More Remembering the Prisoners of War
It has become a tradition for Australian and New Zealand bloggers to write a post each year to commemorate Anzac Day and honour all the men and women who served during our two countries’ wars. Over the years I’ve written about family members or other servicemen. This year I thought I’d continue my theme of … More Fill the Billy for the boys: Anzac Day 2021
Brisbane in the late 1930s was a sleepy town more reminiscent of a country town than the capital of the state of Queensland in the land Down Under. That would change in 1939 when Australia entered World War II and men and munitions were despatched forth for embarkation to the European front. Japan entered the … More Sepia Saturday: Wartime in Brisbane
Today is Anzac Day Down Under and many genealogy bloggers from Australia and New Zealand will be writing about their families’ military history. This year I was inspired to write about my mother’s (Joan McSherry) civilian service during the war, after listening to an excellent talk from Caloundra Family History member, Ian Edwardson via Zoom. … More Volunteer Air Observer Corps
It may be that, on a daily basis, I take our country’s peace for granted rather than give thanks for it. Yes, it has things that could be done better or differently, but overall we are indeed the Lucky Country when it comes to peace. Yes, I am aware that our Indigenous Australians paid a … More The Price of Peace
For the astounding loss of human life and potential around the world. For those who served and gave their lives, ally or enemy For their country’s cause, safety and honour. For the ANZACs who travelled so far to fight in distant lands. For the families and communities left behind to wait and mourn, And the … More Lest We Forget 2019
This series of blog posts is part of the A to Z 2019 Blogging Challenge in which I will write snapshot memories of my early married life in the then Territory of Papua New Guinea. No, I haven’t forgotten my alphabetical order, but today is Anzac Day in Australia so I’ve jumped over V to … More War in PNG – Anzac Day 2019
In exciting news received via Facebook genimates, I learned yesterday that the University of Melbourne holds the Australian Red Cross cards for World War II until 1973. They’ve now been digitised and indexed and can be seen on the University of Melbourne’s Archives site. They also maintain a blog which has two posts about these … More Red Cross cards and Vatican Archives WWII
This photo gave me an instant connection to some from my 3rd cousin’s photo albums. This particular cousin, Nora, has provided me with so much information over the years: old histories, photos of my Kunkel ancestors and our mutual O’Brien relatives. I owe her an enormous debt in terms of what she’s given to my … More Sepia Saturday 258: Meeting the GI Cousin in Sydney WWII
Family history across the seas 