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PREFACE
This book concentrates on the service of local soldiers in World War 1,
who went to Gallipoli, the Middle East and particularly those who served
in Northern Europe.
Our soldiers had the perhaps naive but principled idea that they were
advancing Australia’s ideas overseas as they fought beside other
Commonwealth countries to defend the mother country, England, and her
allies, Belgium, France and Russia, against Germany, Austria, Hungary
and Turkey. None were prepared for the horrors they were to face.
The
Redhead War Memorial
is a tribute to the hard work of a local
Redhead War Memorial Committee under the leadership of Don “Banjo”
Paterson, and Secretary Gordon Moody.
We give special acknowledgement to Jim Timmins who has played a
significant role in all the special days and their preparations at the
memorial since its construction. His one desire was to reach the milestone
of one hundred years between the ANZACs landing at Gallipoli and
ANZAC Day, 2015. He reached that milestone but failed to reach his
personal milestone falling one year short of 100 years. He will be missed.
The use of Redhead Public School students’ concepts and designs in the
final memorial design has helped to further strengthen already strong
bonds between the school and the local community. The school feels very
connected to the community and plays a special role in the in the ANZAC
Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies.
This existing co-operation, together with the opportunity provided by the
ANZAC Centenary Project Funding for murals, plaque and this booklet
will further strengthen that special bond.
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It should be noted that the research carried out in the
project was based principally on the involvement of the
infantry section of our armed forces and relates to the
battles and battlefields of Western Europe.
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