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100 Years
1st November 2014 will mark 100 years
since the first convoy set sail from Albany carrying Australian
and New Zealand troops to the First World War.
For many Albany was their last sight
of Australia. Now, generations later, the Anzac legend lives
on
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Albany, WA pays
tribute to the men and women who sailed to war
On November 1, 1914, the
first Anzac troops bound for the Great War’s bloody battlefields
left Albany in a convoy that stretched more than 12km into
the Southern Ocean when it steamed away from the West Australian
coast.
The Anzacs
At the outbreak of WWI
Albany was chosen for the first two troop convoys to congregate
due to the large sheltered anchorage provided by King George
Sound and the available bunkering facilities. They departed
on the long next leg of their voyages to the battlefields
of Gallipoli and Europe within two months of each other at
the end of 1914. The 54 Australian and New Zealand ships of
these two convoys carried a total of 40,000 soldiers and nearly
17,000 horses. They were the two largest convoys to depart
from Australia for the whole of the war and together carried
10% of Australian soldiers to war. All of these soldiers embarked
at east coast ports. None joined their ships in Albany.
The ships anchored in designated positions in King George
Sound and in turn replenished coal bunkers and freshwater
in Princess Royal Harbour. While this was happening the soldiers
were landed for route marches. No shore leave was allowed.
New Zealand ships joined the convoys
in King George Sound. The first meeting of the Australian
and New Zealand forces is aptly described by Major Fred Waite,
author of The New Zealanders at Gallipoli, as: “Thirteen
days after leaving Wellington the New Zealand ships crept
into the spacious harbour of Albany, Western Australia. Here
were gathered innumerable vessels of every line trading in
the Southern oceans. Not painted uniformly grey like our ships,
but taken in all their glory of greens, blues and yellows,
they rode on the calm water of King George's Sound packed
with the adventurous spirits of the First Australian Division.
The cheering and counter-cheering, the Maori war cries and
answering coo-ees would have moved a stoic. Young Australia
was welcoming Young New Zealand in no uncertain manner in
the first meeting of those brothers-in-arms soon to be known
by a glorious name as yet undreamed of.”
Although the first two convoys were
the only convoys to depart from Albany, Albany still played
a significant part in the maritime war effort. From November
1914 to May 1919 a total of 243 Australian and New Zealand
troop and hospital ships called at Albany, both outward and
homeward bound. Sick and wounded soldiers were treated at
Albany Hospital. Unfortunately a few died and are buried at
the Memorial Park Cemetery, Middleton Road.
Albany Historical Society Inc
Route march along Marine
Drive. First convoy anchored in King George Sound in the background.
After several months training
in Egypt and the Middle East, Australian and New Zealand troops
landed at dawn on the beaches of Gallipoli,Turkey on 25th
April 1915. Although troops from many different countries
landed on the Peninsula, this was the site of the first major
battles undertaken by Australia and New Zealand troops, those
who would become known as our iconic ANZAC troops.
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Our Canadian friends
Dan & Cheryl run up the last few steps to the newly renovated
ANZAC Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
One of the two mountains
that protects Albany is Mount Clarence. At the top, you will
find the Desert Corp Memorial with views over the Princess
Royal Harbour and King George Sound.
The ANZAC Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
is a duplicate of the original statue erected in Suez in the
1930's. With 360 degree views from the top of Mount Clarence
Middleton and Emu Beaches and Emu Point can be seen in the
distance
Alaine, Cheryl and Dan
checking out the Memorial
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London Bridge
has fallen down
Repairing a kayak at
the London Bridge, Victoria in 1975, before part of it collasped
In 1990 as part of my
24,000km Around Australia Expedition I cycled the Great Ocean
Road. It is pretty stunning.
London Arch is a natural
arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. The arch
is one of the tourist attractions along the Great Ocean Road
near Port Campbell in Victoria. This stack was formed by a
gradual process of erosion, and until 1990 formed a complete
double-span natural bridge.
The arch closer to the shoreline collapsed
unexpectedly on 15 January 1990, leaving two tourists stranded
on the outer part until they were rescued by a helicopter.
No one was injured in the event. Prior to the collapse, the
arch was known as London Bridge because of its similarity
to its namesake
Our Canadian friends
at the London Bridge, now London Arch last week. Along the
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean
Road
The Great Ocean Road is an Australian
National Heritage listed 243 kilometres stretch of road along
the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian
cities of Torquay and Allansford. Built by returned soldiers
between 1919 and 1932 and dedicated to soldiers killed during
World War I, the road is the world's largest war memorial.
Winding through varying terrain along the coast and providing
access to several prominent landmarks, including the Twelve
Apostles limestone stack formations, the road is an important
tourist attraction in the region.
Construction effort
Construction on the road began on 19
September 1919, built by approximately 3,000 returned servicemen
as a war memorial for fellow servicemen who had been killed
in World War I. An advance survey team progressed through
dense wilderness at approximately 3 kilometres a month. Construction
was done by hand; using explosives, pick and shovel, wheel
barrows, and some small machinery, and was at times perilous,
with several workers killed on the job; the final sections
along steep coastal mountains being the most difficult to
work on. Anecdotal evidence from ABC archives in 1982 suggested
workers would rest detonators on their knees during travel,
as it was the softest ride for them.
The soldiers were paid 10 shillings
and sixpence for eight hours per day, also working a half-day
on Saturdays. They used tents for accommodation throughout,
and made use of a communal dining marquee and kitchen; food
costing up to 10 shillings a week. Despite the difficulty
involved in constructing the road, the workers had access
to a piano, gramophone, games, newspapers and magazines at
the camps. Additionally, in 1924, the steamboat Casino became
stranded near Cape Patton after hitting a reef, forcing it
to jettison 500 barrels of beer and 120 cases of spirits.
The workers obtained the cargo, resulting in an unscheduled
two-week-long drinking break.
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Old Baden Powell
Campground in Lane Poole Reserve Dwellinup Closed
The Department of Parks and Wildlife
wishes to advise that the old Baden Powell campground in Lane
Poole Reserve has now been closed and is no longer available
for camping.
The site will be harvested by the Forest
Products Commission and then redeveloped as a day use area.
Alternative locations for camping within
the reserve include Nanga Mill and Nanga Townsite campgrounds.
Sites at Charlie's Flat, Tony's Bend, Yarrigal, Chuditch and
new Baden Powell can be booked online at the Park Stay website
http://parkstay.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
Parks and Wildlife apologises for any
inconvenience caused.
For further information, please contact
the Parks and Wildlife Perth Hills District office on (08)
9290 6100.
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Not-so-smart
Canoe Thief Rescued in Seattle
October 25, 2014. Burien, WA, USA
During dangerously high winds and stormy
weather near Seattle, a man in his 20's snuck onto a person's
private beach property and stole a canoe. Police say the man
couldn't find a paddle and decided a shovel would suffice.
However, once the man was on the water
he encountered winds of 30 mph with gusts of up to 44 mph,
according to police. He had to call 911 to rescue him, and
was found adrift in the Puget Sound near Seahurst. His makeshift
paddle had dropped into the water and floated away.
The Coast Guard rescued the thief and
brought him safely back to land, where a Burien officer awaited
him. The man was booked into jail for investigation of theft.
He also had two outstanding warrants
for theft as well," police noted in a news release. "He
may be enjoying some institutional oatmeal and powdered egg
mix as you read this."
Source: KIRO-7 TV Eyewitness News
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