Melbourne’s Swanston Street in 1914 – calm and confident before the Great War.

Photo courtesy of the Pictures Collection,  State Library of Victoria.

Phil Mounsey shares the story of his Grandfather, Jonathan Mounsey and his Great Uncle, Walter Mounsey – both men served in the Great War.

Jonathan Mounsey was born in Ballarat in 1892. He was a toolmaker by trade, serving his apprenticeship in a blacksmith shop. Before WWI broke out he was working in a factory in Brisbane. Not wanting to be condemned for ‘dodging Military Training,’ he enlisted in the permanent army. He had just finished his rookie training when war broke out. He embarked aboard HMAT Argyllshire from Sydney on 18 October 1914.

Jonathan, also known as Jack, was proud of his regimental number 149. He served in the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Battery, 1st Australian Division, A.I.F. He was a driver and gunner. He served on Gallipoli from the morning of April 25, 1915 until the last night of the evacuation. He saw action at both ANZAC Cove and Cape Helles. After the evacuation, Jack was shipped to Egypt, then onto France and the Western Front. He was promoted to Bombardier and later to Corporal. Wounded in action, he remained on duty. The second time he was wounded, four days later, was more severe, being a gun-shot wound to the thigh.

Jack was evacuated to England to recuperate and then returned to duty in France, where he was promoted to Sergeant. He returned to Australia on the troopship Port Hacking and was discharged in March 1919. Although he walked with a limp due to his shrapnel wounds, he marched every year on ANZAC Day to remember the fallen. Jack died at the age of 90. 

Walter Mounsey was living with his parents in Wonthaggi when he enlisted on 6 Janurary 1915. He joined the 3rd Reinforcements, 8th Battalion, 1st Australian Division, Australian Imperial Force. He had a letter with him stating he had his parents’ permission to travel abroad – he was only 19.

His regimental number was 1680 and after basic training at the barracks in Broadmeadows he embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Runic on 19 February 1915 to Egypt. From there he was sent to the Gallipoli Peninsular and into the trenches at Lone Pine.

He was seriously wounded in action, with gun-shot wounds to his face, arm and leg. His leg was amputated and he was evacuated, severely ill, to Egypt. There he died from his wounds on 23 August 1915. He is buried at Alexandria Military Cemetery, Egypt. Letters sent to his parents by his mates in the trenches state that he was “not too bad,“ that he had taken himself to the base hospital and they had expected him back in a week or so. We can only imagine the confusion and anguish suffered by Walter’s parents receiving such conflicting information and holding onto hope – a mistake had been made. Lest We Forget.

Community war memorials and Avenues of Honour funding to tell the Anzac story

• 13 Anzac commemoration projects around Victoria to be funded
• Funding to restore war memorials, honour rolls and Avenues of Honour
• Victorian Coalition Government committed to keeping the Anzac story alive for future generations

View the full media release

The Victorian Government is sending 98 Victorian students and chaperones to Gallipoli to attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service in 2015.

Victorian Students will join students from across Australia, as well as descendants of those who served at Gallipoli, Australian First World War widows, and the thousands of Australians who were successful in the national ballot, in participating in the solemn ceremonies that will take place at Gallipoli on ANZAC Day next year.

Victorian students enrolled in years 9 to 12 next year, along with teachers from schools across Victoria, are encouraged to apply.

Find out more and apply now

 

5000 Poppies will be holding an ANZAC Day poppy making extravaganza in Federation Square. Join the organisers this Friday, 25 April, from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m for as long as you like.  In good weather the event will take place in the upper square near the big screen – alternatively it will be in the downstairs atrium.  

BYO yarn and hooks/needles.  A limited amount of yarn and some commercial felt poppy kits for adults and children to play with will be available. 

For more information please visit http://5000poppies.wordpress.com/

Saying goodbye, Port Melbourne

HMAT Euripides (A14) before departure from Port Melbourne, c 1914 – 1919. Photo courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.

The Wimmera’s Rosemary Remembrance Committee has called for volunteers to help make commemorative sprigs for ANZAC Day in the Wimmera and at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance.

The volunteers will make about 80,000 rosemary and poppy sprigs, to be handed out at dawn services.

Last year, 52,600 sprigs were made in Horsham. Committee secretary Lynne Wright said the rosemary and poppy sprigs were a way to remember everyone who had been affected by war.

Ms Wright praised the support of a Balmoral rosemary farm, which donated 150 kilograms of rosemary and said any level of contribution would be greatly appreciated.

For more information and ways to contribute please call:

Lynne Wright on 5382 6361

John Byrne on 0429 808 250

Alma Pitt on 0438 812 396 

See more Community Projects

Free public transport services will be available for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service

• Free buses, early morning trains and extra trams for people attending the ANZAC Day Dawn Service
• Free travel available for veterans and war widows on 24, 25 and 26 April
• Free buses running from 12 RSL locations across Melbourne

For more information please read the full Media Release

People from all walks of life are encouraged to take part in Australia’s first ANZAC Run in Melbourne on April 21.

The 11 kilometer run starts near the corner of Domain and St Kilda roads, at the Cobbers statue – a Digger carrying a wounded mate to commemorate the 5,533 Australian casualties at the WWI Battle of Fromelles. Runners then go down St Kilda Road to Anzac Avenue, around the Tan track twice and across Morrell Bridge to finish at Gosch’s Paddock, where WWI soldiers once camped.

Proceeds from the run go to the RSL, Legacy and Stand Tall for PTS, a charity that helps sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder. For more information and to register visit anzacrun.com

Tomorrow at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance – don’t miss this compelling lecture recounting the lives of eight remarkable nurses whose resilience, courage and skill took them from Australia to Gallipoli, Lemnos and the Western Front.

Find out more here.