Christopher Coyle shares the story of his grandfather, Ernest John Coyle.

My grandfather joined the 9^th Battalion in Queensland on the day war was declared. He carried the first flag ashore at Gallipoli and was badly wounded there also. Upon his return to Australia in 1916, he was a founding member of Legacy and in 1919 as President of the RSL Camberwell sub-branch made the first move that ANZAC Day be gazetted as a closed public holiday throughout the Commonwealth of Australia. He died of his war wounds in 1937.

I never met my grandfather but I have learned a lot about him as the family historian. After moving to Western Australia he joined the 11th AIR and in 1911 he received the KGV Military version of the Coronation Medal. After moving to Queensland, he joined the 8th AIR. After WWI he moved to Melbourne and in 1930 he organized and convened the world’s biggest poultry and egg laying test.

His history inspired me to have a great respect for his efforts and those of his era. I still wear his uniform each year on the 25th of April and the 11th of November.

For over 8 years I marched in a re-enactment group on ANZAC Day. I also acted in a Battle of Long Tan documentary. I proudly continue to march and continue to collect the autographs of Premiers and Prime Ministers in the families ANZAC Autograph book. The First flag ashore at Gallipoli , that of the 9th Battalion, hangs proudly in the Hyde Park war memorial in Sydney bearing the autographs of General Birdwood, Lord Milne, Lord Baden Powell, The Duke of Gloucester, and the Duke of York.