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QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Monday 18th April to Sunday 8th May 2005

 

Cliff CHARLESWORTH (47B) & his wife Pauline

 

[Reporters: Greg PECK & George MILLIE]

 

 

Day eight – ANZAC Day Parade, Toowoomba

 

Monday 25th April

(George MILLIE)

Special permission had been sought by me and granted by the organizing committee for the FEOFA contingent to march in the ANZAC Day parade at Toowoomba. Although we would have preferred to form a separate group this was disallowed on the grounds that it may set a precedent leading to fragmentation of the parade in future years and we were consigned to the ranks of The British Ex-Services Association (B.E.S.A.) of which organization I am a member. All those on parade were to be at the designated assembly area by 9.15 am, to form up in groups and prepare to march off in column of threes at 10.00 am.

 

(Greg PECK)

ANZAC Day started for the Peck household at the ungodly hour of sparrowf@rt as the queue formed for the washbasin and the toilet. A hasty breakfast was consumed and then the car was loaded with all the requirements for the 145 kilometres trip up to Toowoomba.

 

Yetaboon” – Cliff & Pauline

(Photograph: Margaret Peck)

 

Clad in our "grovel" shirts and strides but not our highly polished shoes, jackets bedecked with commemorative medals, and berets. These were safely stowed in the back of the wagon. We set off at 06.10 hrs, with all the signs of a fine day clearly evident. Our route was via the Logan/Ipswich Tollway, Ipswich Freeway and the Warrego Highway. Traffic was very light and we had no problems making good time.

 

The countryside we passed through showed clear signs of drought stress, which was a pity, as it is a very pleasant drive when all is greened up and thriving. The various valleys that the Warrego Highway traverses had pockets of mist in them, an indication that a modicum of moisture remains in some of the creeks that run though these valleys. Cliff, for once, managed to stay alert for the whole trip, without once checking the small print on the inside of his eyelids. Keeping a wary eye open for the dreaded radar traps, we maintained a modest 5 kph above the speed limit, as this is the leeway the police will permit before they get a grip.

 

We finally ascended the very steep climb up onto the Great Dividing Range, where Toowoomba sits atop the very edge of the escarpment and made our way to the home of George and Marion Millie, where the faithful were to gather prior to heading off to the ANZAC Day parade muster point in Margaret Street. We arrived at 07.40 hrs on the dot, having gone door-to-door in ninety minutes. George spotted us arriving and, with a cry of: "The kettle’s on!" ambushed us as we unloaded the wagon

 

After Cliff and Pauline had been welcomed by George and Marion, we had a leisurely cuppa, a chinwag and a biscuit, before we marchers started to put on our "regimentals", as we like to call them.

 

FEOFA HQ, Toowoomba – Gerry & Cliff dressed for parade

(Photograph: Margaret Peck)

 

Reg and Vera turned up and we organised the best way for all of us to get to the muster point. George had arranged for us to march with the Pommy mob (B.E.S.A.) and because we did not and would not sport the red and white hackles with which B.E.S.A adorn their badges, we Brats were to be tail-end Charlies amongst the Veterans. Our objection to the red and white "feather duster" that B.E.S.A. place behind their cap badges is that it is identical to the Fusilier "Hackle", which is a battle honour from the Napoleonic wars and therefore, to our mind, sacrosanct and not to be mimicked.

 

George and Reg were to be dropped at the muster point by Reg's wife Vera, while I took Margaret and Pauline as close as I could get to the Cenotaph and from where we parked, Cliff and I would walk to the muster point. We duly set off and made our way past the whole length of the route that would be followed by the parade. Many others, in various forms of attire appropriate to the occasion, were also wending their way along Margaret Street and Cliff, who is quite gregarious, struck up a conversation with a bloke carrying a huge standard; he turned out to be a highlander originally from the Scottish Islands and he was very informative.

 

At the assembly area – Greg Peck, Cliff Charlesworth, George Millie, Reg Harper

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

Note 1: The “Commemorative Medals” being worn with due entitlement on the left breast should not be confused with Honours, Awards, Campaign and Service Medals.

 

Note 2: Protocol dictates that medals awarded to members of one’s family be worn on the right breast.

 

In due course we arrived at the assembly area and I immediately spotted Reg, who was chatting away to a matelot. I scolded him for doing a "Hullo sailor" the minute he was left to his own devices. He and his new friend had a good chuckle at that. There were a surprising number of former matelots amongst the B.E.S.A. contingent and I have to say that they made us very welcome indeed. We chummed up with a bloke who had served with both the British and Aussie SAS, although fully entitled to march with the huge Aussie contingent he opted to march with us at the rear of the parade. He too had no "hackle" and said that as his SAS badge was a cloth one, he would have had a job to do so anyway. He was also of the opinion that it was pretentious and not appropriate to the SAS.

 

We were finally organised into a marching squad immediately prior to the commencement of the parade. Promptly at 10.00 hrs, the bands at the head of the huge column of well over 2,000 participants struck up the march and we were off. A few obvious civilians (marching for deceased parents) made a bit of a mess up of the marching to start with but by the time we had covered the first two hundred metres, they had fallen into a semblance of step and had recognised the cadence from the band to our immediate rear. Behind us stretched a huge column of youngsters from various organizations, especially cadets from the various branches of the Australian Defence Force. The Regular Forces and the Reservists were also strongly represented.

 

F.E.O.F.A. - rearguard to the B.E.S.A. “Hat ‘n Hackle Brigade”

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

Note 1: FEOFA’s allotted position at the rear of the parade was intended as a slight, but it is well known

that any field commander worth his salt always uses his elite troops as the rearguard.

Ergo, a slight honour was unintentionally bestowed upon us.

Note 2: Has anyone ever seen a sailor, or an airman, or an artilleryman, or a woman,

or anyone else not in the Fusiliers presume to be entitled to wear the hackle?

 

The Veterans were resoundingly applauded by the considerable crowds that lined the pavements along the entire route. I do not consider myself immodest when I say that as we of the rearguard of former Servicemen marched past, the clapping grew louder. We ex-Brats had decided to lay on "bags of swank" and the crowds loved it! Reg was holding out very well and with an artificial leg to contend with, his enthusiasm fired us all up. Indeed, it was at Reg's suggestion - nay, his insistence - we actually march in the parade.

 

Bringing up the rear - Gerry Peck, Cliff Charlesworth, George Millie

Note: Reg Harper, out of frame to the left, is marching in front of George

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

Vera, his better half and an excellent photographer, kept popping up throughout the march to take photographs and her smiling face was a highlight as we pounded along with our tongues hanging out like little red socks. I don't know where she gets the energy from but she surely has a good turn of speed!

 

The cloudless autumn day had turned quite hot (24 degrees Celsius), even though it was only mid-morning and everyone felt the effects of the heat as we made our way along the route to the Cenotaph opposite Queen’s Park. Before some wag asks, we did not see any Rangers. Fortunately, the organisers had foreseen the problems that can arise with unseasonably warm weather and as we formed up before the Cenotaph a group of "Gunga Dins" moved amongst us with bottled water donated by a local firm.

 

Honour Guard

“Passing the Torch”

(Photographs: Vera Harper)

 

The ceremonies scheduled took almost an hour to elapse and were very moving. As regards the comfort level for those of us standing in the hollow-square around three sides of the Cenotaph, this was harder on us than the march itself. Instructions that we all recalled from our misspent youth served us well and although several young soldiers passed out, none of the old soldiers did. Youth was given a prominent part to play in the rites as observed and it augurs well for the future that so many of them proudly attended and participated.

 

For all of us, it was an emotion-charged experience and I for one am not ashamed to say that my eyes were moist as I listened to the speakers who dedicated their words to the spirit and concept of ANZAC.

 

After the parade - Reg Harper, George Millie, Greg Peck, Cliff Charlesworth

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

At the conclusion of the ceremonies we were joined by the ladies and spent some time taking pictures.

 

In Queen’s Park - Cliff, Margaret, Pauline, Gerry, Vera, Reg, George, Marion

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

We then returned to George and Marion’s place1 to quickly freshen up before making our way to a restaurant selected by Marion to enjoy a meal.

 

1 We took the opportunity of this break in proceedings to present Cliff with a special commemorative pin and what has now become a FEOFA tradition, an “Old Fart” mug. (George MILLIE)

 

The FEOFA “Old Fart” mug

(Photograph: George Millie)

 

We had been joined for this by George and Marion’s very special friends Robin and Jeanette Lamont. Robin is another Scotsman who has made Australia his home and he is a veteran of the Vietnam conflict (served with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals). He is a terrific cook and so is his wife Jeanette, she is also a very talented artist; they are always a very welcome addition to our happy little band whenever we gather in Toowoomba.

 

At the Mothers’ Memorial

Greg Peck, Cliff Charlesworth, Robin Lamont, George Millie, Reg Harper

(Photograph: Vera Harper)

 

At the restaurant Maggie and I ordered beer battered “fish of the day” for our meal and so did many of the others. It turned out to be "sweet lip", a very tasty delicacy and we received a huge serving, accompanied by chips and a substantial side salad, all for a mere $14.95. We had all chipped in $25 a head so that we could also enjoy the excellent house wines with our meal. Marion definitely hit the jackpot with her selection of a place to eat; it was spot on in every way.

 

After an excellent meal and a most convivial gathering, we Brats made our way back to George and Marion’s place for a final chinwag, laced with many anecdotes and "do you remember?" We enjoyed a final drink before heading home to Logan City after an absolutely brilliant day. The return journey was as trouble free as the journey out had been. Again, it was ninety minutes door-to-door and I have to say, without fear of contradiction, that none of us would have missed it for quids!

 

 

More ANZAC Day photographs

 

Published: May 2005