Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."*
Remembrance Day is a day when all Australians pause to honour and acknowledge those who died valiantly defending their country in war. The tradition is observed all around Australia, as we remember the soldiers and armed forced members who died in the line of duty.
This year at Catholic Healthcare, led by our Mission Team, all staff will pause at 11.00am to remember those veterans who sacrificed so much. We will also pay a silent tribute to their families – remembering those whose legacy will always live on through the generations.
Many of our residents and clients have experienced wars firsthand, having lived through challenging and unprecedented times of conflict and struggle.
John, a community Home Care client who resides at Royal Freemason’s Benevolent Institution (RFBI) Hawkins Masonic Village in Edgeworth, has experienced a lot during his lifetime. John, who is 89 years of age, still recalls a pivotal moment in his life:
“When I was six, I was with my father and we were driving down the road in his truck. There was a radio announcement calling for men to enlist in World War II,” says John.
“I asked innocently, Dad – will you be joining?
“My Dad replied ‘no son, I am too old now’.”
John’s father served in World War I, enlisting when he was just 16 years of age. He fought in the imperial camel corps of which there were eventually four battalions. He travelled across the Sahara Dessert, where he rode a light-horse. He also fought in the famous Battle of Beersheba in 1917.
Above: John's father in the Imperial Camel Corps
With an ongoing interest in the armed forces due to his father’s influence, shortly after World War II had ended, John joined the army at just 15 years of age. At this time, there was an increasing need for ‘tradesmen’ to join the army. John undertook an apprenticeship for four years, initially training in carpentry and joinery, followed by further training in using explosives, and then in construction.
Above: John at 15 years, joined the army
After 12 years of service, and having moved through different army units, when John’s time in the army ended, he travelled to New Guinea where he lived for a decade. During this time, John built and constructed major bridges, airstrips, shopping centres and churches using his construction and building skills. John later moved back to Australia, where he married and settled near Edgeworth, before moving to the Hawkins Masonic Village, where he has been living for just over three years now.
“John is a really humble, kind man who has experienced many different things in his lifetime. We can definitely learn from him and those of his generation – they have so much wisdom to offer,” says Linda Pyke, Care Advisor for Home & Community Services, Hunter region.
For John, and many of our other clients and residents, Remembrance Day is an intensely personal experience.
‘Every conflict of war over the last few decades – whether that be in Malaysia, Korea or Vietnam, I’ve lost mates and friends to the wars,” says John.
“Remembrance Day is a time when I can reconnect with those who have survived these wars and experiences. We have an enduring connection and mateship which still lives on – it’s a unique connection.”
Today, as we pause on Remembrance Day, we can reflect on the many sacrifices made by these brave men and women – those who suffered, so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today.
* The ‘Ode’ comes from ‘For the Fallen’, a poem written by the English poet and writer, Laurence Binyon, published in the ‘Winnowing Fan; Poems of the Great War in 1914.’
April 22, 2021
Residential Aged Care, CHL
Residents and staff at St Anne’s Aged Care in Hunters Hill were delighted to welcome local visitors to their Home in preparation for ANZAC Day, which takes place on Sunday, 25 April.
