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The Silver Anzac Matchbox goes home

Dennis will answer you more fully the weekend as I am using a laptop away from home
 
Wonderful information about the Aussies and Kiwis to share with the world. May we all be granted peace now.
 
The following info was wrote from information supplied by Kate and Chris
The 4th Battalion was formed in New South Wales within a fortnight after the Great War was declared in August 1914 along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions
3 months later they were in Egypt as their final destination was Gallpoli
The 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th battalions, which formed the 1st, Brigade landed on Anzac cove on 25th April 1915 as part of the 2nd and 3rd waves.
The 4th Battalion Commander was Lieu. Col.A.J.O. Thompson who was killed the day after landing and defending the beachhead with the rest of the battalion
After the evacuation of Gallipoli in December they then sailed to Egypt before going to France on March 1916.
Fighting on the Somme and Ypres. Their first major battle was at Pozieres on the Albert to Bapume Rd in 1916 were the village was wiped from the face of the Earth during the terrible fighting that went on there
The 4th Battalion served on the Western Front right up to when the guns fell silent in Nov 1918
What remained of the 4th Battalion then headed home for Australia to be demobbed and discharged
 
The Anzacs supplies being landed at Gaba –Tepe which was on the right hand side of Anzac Cove .
The word ANZAC was coined from Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
 
Australian Gunners at Anzac Cove after the guns have been unloaded
 
Pom Glad to hear the matchbox has arrived OK in New Zealand
I have checked all the spelling and places that are on the Matchbox and all are correct
The landing at Gallipoli took place on the 25th April 1915 the evaquation took place on the 9th April 1916
So if on the Matchbox it says
August 17 1914-17 should it not read August 17 1914 -18
Was this the mistake why they were not sent and just forgotten ? I can only Guess as there is no one left to tell us
 
:angel: I think that was what I was trying to say in my email to you Crommie mate... O0 :2funny: :2funny:

if on the Matchbox it says
August 17 1914-17 should it not read August 17 1914 -18
Was this the mistake why they were not sent and just forgotten ?

Just a thought on my part...
 
Left to right
Liuet.William John Symons 7th Batt. A.I.F. won the V.C. at Lone Pine
Lieut. F.H.Tubb 7th Batt. A.I.F. won V.C.at Lone Pine
Lieut.Hugo Vivian Hope Throssell 10th Light Horse won V.C. at Hill 60
Private John Hamilton 1st Batt. .A.I.F won V.C. at Lone Pine
 
Four very courageous men.
Cromwell, is it possible to tell us what they did to earn their VC's?
 
William John Symonds led a charge at Lone Pine and took the sap
F.H.Tubb Though he was wounded held the ground under intence Bomb-fire
H.V.H Throssell Who was severly wounded refused to leave his post
John Hamilton fought with complete disregard for his own safety during a heavy attack at Lone Pine
 
I should add that photo was taken at the home of Sir George H. Reid High Commissioner for Australia
Horseferry Road S.W. on Nov 20th 1915
 
I went to the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter today taking a matchbox with me and asked their opinion as to why they would be left and the dates on them
They said mistakes are rarely made as everything is double checked if the date was 1917 that was when the order was placed and the battle of Bullecourt, so everything was put on till that point as they did not now when the war was going to finish. The person who placed the order was very likely killed because he had to leave a deposit and the order was never sent.
So thats another way of looking at it.
 
:angel: Yes Crommie I had thought that the person placing the order could have been KIA. That was one suggestion I put forward to the Museum when talking to the lady as to why the order was never followed through.
All is arrainged and the 'Cover ' is on it's way to Waiouru with the story you put on the forum. Now all we have to do is wait a reply from them with a picture of it on display.
 
Chris
I have this badge in my collection from the Great War Note the dates not 1914-18 but 1914-15 . Not wrong but when it was made.
I thought George was spelt wrong but its been tampered with
 
These matchbox holders are fantastic, I had the very great fortune to hold and examine one last night they really are tremendous things.
 
Yes Grace.......  I also had the good fortune to be able to hold and tinker with lots of other fascinating artifacts from that dreadful war. It's amazing how when you look and touch something like that it connects you with it in a way thats hard to describe. It's not that I like war though I don't!! It's futile and unfair to the Nth degree. But seeing all this stuff on our Forums has made it possible for us to glimpse just a little of the horrors our parents and grandparents must have gone through. As all of us know who are researching our respective family trees its quite something when we connect with any of our past families. I think Cromwell, just like all those of you who work so hard in the genealogy sections!! has done us proud and I for one hope he feels able to carry on posting in the way that he has, it has added yet another important element to these history forums.
 
Couldn't agree more Rod. Cromwell deserves his six stars. The way he posts has such impact and his passion for his subject shines through. I sincerely hope that schoolchildren are reading and trying in some way to understand the sacrifices made. It would be nice to hear from some of them don't you think?
 
:angel: Couldn't agree more Grace, he is so willing to share what he has researched and been lucky enough to obtain, with this community of friends.
 
Thanks for those kind remarks, when I first started to get intrested in the Great War I thought that England dug a trench, the Germans dug a trench opposite and the two sides fought it out.
How wrong I was.
Since learniing all I have I found out , a lot of folk still do not understand what went on, as they say it is to complicated and cannot be bothered to learn or read about it.
so I try to tell them in a way they can understand, not in complicated jargon or gobblegook as some books on the subject are, which become so boring after the first couple of pages you ditch the book.
Most of the books on the Great War are to technical for the average person and should be left for serious students or study.
So along comes Cromwell to make it a bit easy to understand (I am not always right and I try to cut corners to explain things) but I do try to make it understandable and intresting.
And if you want me to explain something better I will, if asked.
All as my aim in life is, is to make sure while I am alive, those men who gave their lives for this country are not forgotten.
 
:angel: Thought I'd better post this as some confirmation:

----- Original Message -----
From: GALLAHAR LAEONIE, MS
To:
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 3:44 PM
Subject: unclassified: Matchbox Cover


Dear Chris,

Just a quick note to say that the matchbox cover has arrived safely, it is a lovely object.  The additional information is also very useful.

Thank you for all your efforts and I will have a receipt out to you in the next day or so.

Kind regards,

Laeonie

Laeonie Gallahar
Registrar

Army Museum
PO Box 45
Waiouru
Ph:   06 3876911 extn 209
Fax: 06 3876319
Email:  [email protected]


Chris :angel:
 
Chris, I have new info about the 4th Batt. I have it on good authority that the 4th Batt was disbanded in 1917 after they were decimated at Pozieres. it was decided to put the remainder of the men in other regiments.
 
Graham - Sorry after all this time I have only just found this thread I must be awfully slow – or I would have commented long ago. . . Curious as to what would be the name of the silversmith on Albion Road who produced ‘The Silver Anzac Matchbox’?

As you know I don’t live in Australia though do know Anzac Day isn’t till April the 23rd when Australians and New Zealanders specifically remembers a lot of young men being slaughtered for nothing at Gallipoli .

When it all comes down to it, men fight for their mates. . They didn't say 'what for?' they just went in loyally and fought their 'bloody war. . They were full of fire and grit - so they charged into fight, and didn't say 'what for,' old mate - both just yelled 'ALRIGHT’ And neither of them wondered' If there was another way?' who were they to question them? (those leaders of the day?)
 
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