I'm not sure who of you are aware of my family connection (Alison) to the Anzacs but our chance to be in Albany for Anzac Day has excited both of us.
A little background. My grandfather on my fathers side was Charles Burkin Burchell. He was an ANZAC. He was a Vetinary Farrier though enlisted as a Shoesmith. He was 37 years old, running a family business and had 5 children when he enlisted. One of those children was my father, Ronald.
Its only been over the last few years that I have discovered exactly how Charles fitted into the ANZAC story.
Charles enlisted in September 1914. He embarked, with many other young men, from Adelaide SA on the ship 'The Medic' on October 20th 1914. The ship stopped off in Albany for a short while and then proceeded to Egypt, Alexandria to be exact, to prepare for war. Albany was the port where the first of our Anzacs left our shores.
Charles was a member of the 3rd Brigade FAB. The 3rd FAB were the first to land on Gallipoli on the morning of 25th of April 1915. They provided cover fire for the landing itself.
My grandfather survived the war but he served in Gallipoli, Belgium (The Somme), Possieres and France. He was released from his post because his father who was taking care of the family business while he was away, died, so Charles had to return to look after his children and business..there was no one else.
My grandfather was only 5ft 4" and he suffered with a bad back. I have his records and it shows he spent weeks in hospital in Alexandria because of his back. Ha, genetics.
Albany is the site of the first embarkment of the first ANZACS and its the site of the first Dawn Service in Australia in 1930. Mount Clarence in Albany is going to be the site of a very important dawn service for this years centenary.
Anyway, we have found ourselves close to Albany leading up to ANZAC day. Our original plans meant that we would have been in Albany at the end of the month or early May. BUT we are ahead of time. Soooo we had run into some folk who had booked Albany for ANZAC Day two years in advance. Crumbs we thought we've got no hope of getting in. Well, we rang the Caravan Park closest to town so we could walk to all the events, and there had been a cancellation that day, and bingo we got in. What a buzz. The events are: The Dawn Service on Mt Clarence, Breakfast at The Entertainment Centre, ANZAC DAY March, street markets, concerts and the opportunity to visit their ANZAC Museum.
It will be an emotional and wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to those who fought for what we can be thankful for here in Australia. Plus I will have an opportunity to more personally thank my grandfather at this event, as I have never met him, he died quite young, sadly.
There will be photos I am sure. A