Events at today’s Anzac dawn service were extremely distasteful and so very UN-Australian, but reminded me of a story I was told whilst studying up in New England (you will get the irony later) where I was told about this story from one of William’s relatives I was studying with.

Portrait of Kamilaroi solider William Allan Irwin. Supplied by Australian War Memorial, AWM2017.995.1.1 

William Allen Irwin is a hero who has been forgotten by history. However, his family continues to share the story of his final moments as they fight to honor his bravery.

The family passed down the story of Irwin’s last moments, keeping it safe from claims that questioned his bravery, ensuring that the legacy of his courage would never be forgotten. Now, over a century after his death, his family are fighting to lay him to rest in Country, a longing that embodies their deep connection to the land and their heritage. Irwin was born at Forky Mountain, which later became Burra Bee Dee Aboriginal Mission, near Coonabarabran NSW in 1878, a place steeped in history and significance for the local Aboriginal community.

He was the eldest of three brothers who all worked as shearers across towns like Moree, Werris Creek, and Quirindi, laboring in the rugged outback that shaped their lives and character. At 37 years old, after a horrible heartbreak that shattered his spirit and left him yearning for a sense of purpose, he enlisted to the Australian Imperial Forces, driven by a desire to fight for his country while grappling with the personal demons of loss and longing. His story, rich with resilience and depth, reflects not only his individual struggle but also the collective memories of those who came before him, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by many in pursuit of a better future.

In May 1916, he became one of the first members of the 33rd Battalion, known as “New England’s Own”. This battalion was part of the 9th Brigade in the 3rd Australian Division and left Sydney for the United Kingdom in May 1916, as noted by the Australian War Memorial. After training in England, they moved to France in late 1916 and took part in the Battle of Messines in 1917, and they also fought during the German Spring Offensive in 1918.

The battalion’s first and only commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead, who later became known for his role as commander of the “Fighting 9th” Australian Division during World War II. Praised by both Rommel and Montgomery!

Two years later, Irwin’s battalion was deployed to the Battle of Amiens, in an attempt to gain control over German-held territory near Péronne.

For those who are unaware the fighting near Péronne during World War I involved the capture of Mont Saint-Quentin and the town itself by Australian forces affectionally know as the “Hundred Days” campaign in August and September 1918. This action was part of a larger Allied offensive against the German Hindenburg Line

The ruined Town Hall

In the early morning light on August 31, Irwin courageously took out three machine-gun posts by himself, capturing fifteen German soldiers and three machine guns. The battalion planned to rush at six o’clock, but they would have been easily shot down. Instead, William got up first and took them all on alone.

As he reached the fourth machine-gun post, he was wounded by shrapnel in his back and thigh. He died from his wounds the following day.

This is the only remaining photo of William Irwin Allen, donated to the War Memorial by his family. AMW2017.995.1.1 Credit: Australian War Memorial

Irwin’s family learned about his bravery when a soldier from the 33rd Battalion visited them. He shared what he had witnessed, explaining that Irwin acted alone and struck before dawn. He mentioned that things would have been different without Irwin’s actions.

Now for that irony!

Later that morning, George Cartwright, an English soldier in the 33rd Battalion, took down the fourth machine-gun post that shot Irwin. He fired at the enemy, wounding one shooter and the two who replaced him, then launched a bomb at the post. On 30 September, he received the Victoria Cross (VC). After he died, he was honored in the New South Wales Garden of Remembrance, and his medals were donated to the Imperial War Museum in London.

George Cartwright VC

Not to take away from Cartwright’s heroic actions, in comparison, Irwin’s feat was celebrated only in September 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, for his “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”.

“He should have gotten the VC; they don’t share that story and have kept this guy hidden for 100 years because of George Cartwright. If he was a whitefella, he would have been number one up there, he’d be recognised from day one for those actions.” the family said.

I thought our attitude to racism had changed with regards to our war heroes, that is until today’s dawn service.

A well-known neo-Nazi has allegedly heckled an Indigenous elder’s Welcome to Country at an Anzac Day Dawn Service, with political leaders, the RSL and all “decent Australians” slamming the conduct. The “Welcome to Country” was marred by booing from numerous attendees during Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brown’s welcome ceremony.

A Channel 9 reporter asked the leader of the incident, “Why do you think you have the right to be here today?” The reporter started to ask this while Hersant began to speak over him. “I’m a Victorian and an Australian, and I have the right to express my views to the public,” he said.

Hi All. I would like to say that of late I have had some Gremlins in my machine causing problems, but alas it has just been incompetence.

I have been setting up a new website and have had a few too many stuff ups including re-posting a 2016 post and several posts without pics where I pressed the wrong button.

Hopefully I have it all sorted out now!

Yeah Right!

As a risk and emergency manager I am used to managing fires, floods and other emergencies, but edging towards retirement the last thing I needed was a fire literally at our back door.

The map of the 22 hectare fire, Our house is on the far right.

We live in the yellow “Watch and Act” danger zone.

“Watch and Act” means keep a close eye on what is happening with the fire and get ready to evacuate. Enacting our fire plan we put the four cats in their large crate and readied the carry baskets to evacuate them if required. Our essential paper work, medications, laptops and a few clothes were readied to be packed in the car if required.

Friends were notified that I wasn’t going to be wargaming with them tonight but instead we may need to visit if everything turned pear shape!

Continuing to monitor the emergency warnings we received the message that we wanted. The two fire helicopters and 22 fire trucks kept the fire on the opposite side of the Plenty River Gorge and the “Watch and Act” warning was downgraded to “Monitor”.

The famous Australian poem by Dorothea Mackellar describes “My Country” perfectly:

I love a sunburnt country
A land of sweeping plains
Of ragged mountain ranges
Of droughts and flooding rains
I love her far horizons
I love her jewel sea
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me

Dorothea Mackellar

Phew!

With us both being too busy today to celebrate the feast of Lupercalia, we decided to go on Sunday to The Blue Lotus Water Gardens instead.

Besides I couldn’t find a goat and a dog to sacrifice, and I am pretty sure that SWMBO would not allow me to whip her with their skinned hides either.

The mountains to the east of Melbourne were the place in Victorian times to holiday in summer to escape the heat, take the “waters” and breathe the “airs”.

Now very much on the fringe of the city rather than in the countryside the area still has many gems for day trips. The Blue Lotus Water Gardens is one of them.

Situated in Yarra Junction, so named for the junction of the Yarra River that flows through Melbourne to the sea, and the “Little Yarra” river, the gardens are fourteen acres of pure delight.

The cool mountain air means that the lakes are only a few feet deep so that the sun can keep the lotus flowers warm and able to bloom. The garden is closed during winter because of this.

Giant Amazonian lotus plants, some over three feet in diameter.

The rose and the lotus?

Queen of the Dragons (shhh – don’t tell her!). Emilia Clarke eat your heart out!

The Lotus fairies. I think the young ones have had enough of photos!

Monet has nothing on this!

We gorged ourselves on a sumptuous feast cooked lovingly by SWMBO, and despite the on and off rain we had a great day.

The only downside was missing Emilia in the dragon garden!