2 thoughts on “Gallipoli – 100 years on”

  1. Dear Caite,

    Seeing you have an interest in the ANZAC story, allow me to share this with you.

    My grandad James Daniel Byrne went to Gallipoli in August September 2015 as part of the 2nd Light Horse reinforcements after the August offensive. He left there and went to England and then to the European front. He survived and returned to Australia.

    Attached is a copy of his war will which includes such phrases as, “In the event of my coming a gutser,” and “Should Kaiser Bill throw us the bath ….”

    While in England after Gallipoli, Grandad was prosecuted by the army because while looking after prisoners (they being allied troops who had transgressed, probably by suggesting to British Officers that they had several fathers) he signed for receiving 80 or so prisoners and at the end of his shift, signed for handing over about 50. I reckon I know what happened because it was 25th April 1916 and Australia formally ceremonially remembered even that first anniversary. I reckon a bunch of Aussie prisoners said to Grandad, just let us go to the pub for a couple for ANZAC Day. He said ok, be back before the end of my shift and they got distracted !

    He was fined and later sent to France. He returned and died in the 1960s. He used to say, “Before we came back to Australia, everyone said nothing will be too good for our returning heroes…. and when we got back, nothing was too good,” and nothing was what we got !

    On 20th August this year, my wife and I and our 18 y/o son (also a James Byrne) are going to Turkey and Greece (if it is still there) and will visit Gallipoli 100 years to the day after Grandad was there. I have found books detailing exactly where his unit was at that time.

    Kind regards,

    John Byrne

    Byrnes – Business Lawyers

    40 Stanton Terrace, Townsville

    “Dreams Fulfilled !”

    07 4772 4851

    mobile: 0427 166 248

    email: jdblaw@ozemail.com.au

    Website http://www.byrnesbusinesslawyers.com.au

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