Almost "Wordless Wednesday" - another Treasure from Aunty Glad's Suitcase

It is time to rummage in Aunty Glad's Suitcase again!  

Today's discovery is a post card from Malcolm Michael Shepherd to his brother Angus.

The card was posted on Thursday 10th June 1916, Telelekebir and would have been posted from Port Suez, when Malcolm was travelling through to England on the Hororata with his Battalion (7th Reinforcement of the 30th Battalion) to England.  The 10th of June 1916 was the day his Battalion, would have received the news that they were proceeding on to Alexandria.  See below a short extract from my recent post on Malcolm's journey from Australia to England. 

"June 9 – Anchored in Port Suez. At 2 p.m. weighed anchor and entered Suez Canal.  I am told that all troops that came over before us were allowed ashore to strength their legs, but for some reason or other we were not allowed to do so.  It was very interesting going through the Canal.  It is well guarded day and night.  Here and there in isolated spots one can see a small patch of grass struggling for life, or else a few reeds growing on the edge of the canal.  With that exception all one could see was one long strength of sand, white and glistening with camps of troops dotted here and there over the desert.  No one was more pleased that I when we were told that we had to proceed to Alexandria.  The sight of that vast stretch of sand and the temperature was quite sufficient for me.  All the boys who had the bad luck to be stationed there have the sympathy of every one on board our boat.  The Canal is reckoned to be 34 miles long and takes 16 hours to do a trip through, as boats are not allowed to travel any faster than 5 miles per hour on account of the was doing damage to the banks.  Leaving the Canal we came along to Port Said, arriving there about 7.30 am. Port Said presents a very busy scene by what one can see from the boat.  It is a hurry and scurry, small pleasure boats rowing about everywhere.

June 11 – Leaving Port Said we went on to Alexandria.  As soon as we left Port we were ordered to don life belts and were never without them till we arrived at Plymouth.  They were worn all day, and even slept in them.  It was a very queer sensation to wake up the first morning and find a life belt hanging to one’s neck by a piece of tape.  It made one feel as if one had been having a night out, and did not remember what had taken place before retiring."

Telelekebir, is about 110 kms north east of Cairo. Malcolm reports that one of his friends, Tom Garratt, has been taken to hospital in Cairo, as he had been sick for over a week. 

The picture on the front of the card is of the Heliopolis Palace, is now one of the three royal palaces in Cairo. It was built in 1910 as a grand Hotel.  This grand hotel would have certainly made an impression on the young soldier from the small southern highland village of Braidwood, NSW.

Back of Post Card sent home from Suez

Front of Post Card sent by Malcolm Michael Shepherd from Suez.

Once again, I have to count my blessings, and thank Aunty Glad for having the forethought to save all these wonderful family memories, that give such meaning to our family stories.

Sentimental Sunday - Pic from Aunty Glad's Suitcase - Alexander McDonald

Time to share another treasure from Aunty Glad's Suitcase.  This time it is a picture of  my gg uncle Alexander McDonald's gravestone at Gallipoli.

Corporal Alexander McDonald died on the 25th April, 1915, while helping his troops embarking.

Recently, another descendant of another member of 11th Battalion who died on the same day brought to my attention, that Corporal McDonald was mentioned in Roy Denning's published Diary "Anzac Digger, an Engineer in Gallipoli and France",  He is mentioned a number of time in the early section of this book, up until his death.

Roy Denning describes the moment Alexander was shot. "Only a few seconds elapsed before the hillsides were alive with spiteful flashes the steel decks of the destroyer alive with hissing hot lead splashing fire and fragments in every direction.

The decks were soon running blood and slippery, Corporal McDonald was standing up calmly shouting orders when his voice trailed off in a gurgle and he crumpled to the deck. The Turks must have had machine guns trained onto the destroyer".* 

I was excited to find among the treasures in Aunty Glad's suitcase a picture of Alexander headstone, taken by one of my cousins when she visited Anzac Cove in 2000.

Corporal Alexander McDonald - 25 April 1915

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* Denning, Roy and Lorna, 2004, Anzac Digger, an Engineer in Gallipoli and France, Australian Military History Publications, Loftus Australia, p.15.

Also may be of interest:
2013 Trans-Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge - Alexander Joseph McDonald http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/military-monday-2013-trans-tasman-anzac.html

Letter from Major McCall, http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/amanuensis-monday-letter-from-major.html

Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge - 2014 - Malcolm Michael (Mack) Shepherd

Malcolm Michael Shepherd 

ANZAC day is almost here, and this blog is my contribution to the Trans Tasman ANZAC Blog Challenge that is run each year by Kintalk.  This challenge provides an opportunity to relate family stories that are linked with the ANZAC's and Australian and New Zealand military history. This year I would like to write about by grandfather Malcolm Michael Shepherd.

Mack's Dog Tags

Mack Shepherd (as he fondly was known) the second son of Lynn Shepherd (III) and Annie McDonald was born on 29 September 1892, in Braidwood, NSW Australia.  Mack grew up on the family property on Araluen Road, in the Braidwood District.  Prior to enlisting in the army he worked with his older brother Angus in his father's carrying business transporting goods from Braidwood to Nelligen and Braidwood to Goulburn.

Mack enlisted in the 30th Infantry Battalion on the 31  January 1916.  His enlistment number 3315. His Military record describes a tall young man of 6ft 2 inches, with fair hair, fresh complexion and grey eyes. 

Lark Hill Military Base

He was part of the 7th Reinforcement of the 30th Infantry Battalion and on the 2 May 1916 his division left Australia on the HMAT Hororata bound for the Europe via Suez and then on to Lark Hill Military Base, Salisbury, England.  From here he was transferred to North Africa to join the 30th Battalion before finally being shipped to the Front in France.

For the next two years Mack served as a stretcher bearer on the battle line in France, until 8 August 1918 when he was wounded while serving on the front line.  He received a gunshot wound in his forearm. He was transferred from the front line to the Military Hospital at Camiers. From here he was transferred to Wymouth Military Hospital to recover. The war was close to an end and Mack was shipped back to Australia on the 27 November 1918.

Annie and Lynn Shepherd were relieved to have their son return from Europe, their first son Angus John Shepherd, who had enlisted in the 3rd Division of the 33rd Battalion stayed on in France after the war for another year, enlisting with the War Graves Division.

As the local paper reported, the community paid its respect to Private Shepherd and welcomed him home with considerable pomp and ceremony.

Malcolm Shepherd settled back into the carrier business, assisting his father and then establishing his own business with a bullock team of his home.  He worked mainly carting logs after they were felled to the sawmills around the south coast.

On the 29th September 1923, at St Andrew's Church, Goulburn, he married Christina Lee, the daughter George  Lee and Catherine McGregor.   Their start of married life was overshadowed by the loss of their first child Muriel in 1924, however, their family soon expanded with the birth of Malcolm in 1926, Colin in 1928 and Nancy in 1930. It seemed that Mack had been able to move on from the trauma of the Western Front and settle into family life with his own thriving business.  However, this was not to be.

Braidwood Dispatch, 13th March 1931,

Serious Accident
A telegram was received by Mrs. Lynn Shepherd of Braidwood on Wednesday announcing that her son Mac Shepherd had met with a serious accident that day as a result of which he was lying in a serious condition in Moruya Hospital. Mac and his brother Angus were carting timber at the time. There were no particulars as to how the accident happened.  Mrs Shepherd went by car down to Moruya that same afternoon.

Mack Shepherd had been injured seriously when a tree fell on his head while he was working in the bush.  He spent considerable time in hospital and then convalesced at home, however his health did not improve and early in the following year (6 January 1932) he passed away leaving his young wife, Tina and three children. Family letters describe Mack as a quiet kind and hard working family man.  A man who experienced much in his short life.

I recently visited the small town of Braidwood and took the opportunity to visit the local war memorial, to pay my respects to the grandfather that I never knew.

War Memorial - Braidwood

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Resources:
National Archives, Army - World War I - 1914-1918,  http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/defence/service-records/army-wwi.aspx
Trove:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99020452
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119236706
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119272300
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16761687

Amanuensis Monday - Letter from Major McCall to Dennis McDonald re death of Alexander McDonald-Anzac Landing WWI

 I have just completed my first blog in the  2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge on my Great Uncle Alexander Joseph McDonald and thought I should also share with you the letter that was sent to his brothr Dennis McDonald from his commander Major J.F. McCall, 1st Field Company, Australian Engineers.

Received 27/12/15

Mr D. McDonald
Randwick

Dear Sir,

Your letter dated May 21st, has only just reached me now, November 7th, I don't know where the fault is at any rate, here it is though, really until the last few weeks it was quite out of the question to sit down and write letters.  I will try and tell you now all I know of your brothers death.

I left with the first party before dawn, your brother was to follow with the second party directly after we landed.  He was on the T.B.Destroyer and was in the act of stepping off her deck on to the ladder leading to the store boat, when he was hit.  At first it was thought he would pull around, but I think though of this, I am not certain that peritonitis set in and he died as far as I could ascertain about ten days after being hit.  All this was not made known to me till weeks later.  In fact it was not then authenticated until June 6th.  When the roo called on the evening of the 25th, of April.  Prior to the company moving up to General Walkers position and your brothers name was called the reply 'wounded on landing" was given four days later when we came down to the beach again, at Anzac I made the most diligent inquiries and then found that the poor chap had been hit on the Torpedo Boat whilst actually supervising the disembarking of his men and watching that they did not expose themselves when stepping from the deck on to the ladder. 

The enemy was pouring in a heavy shrapnel and machine gun fire on to the boats, they had to get ashore, and someone with a big heart had to superintend, a man with a cool head and a brave heart only was of any use and Corporal A.J. McDonald was the man.  It was almost certain death for the man doing the job yet he took it on, stepped onto the breach and calmly and cooly directed operations until he received his wound. Even while lying on the deck of the Destroyer waiting medical attention he gave some directions just as cool as ever.  

 He was a big loss to the Company and personally I regarded his loss as I would the loss of one nearer to me.  I have proved his worth and his sterling good qualities over and over again in Egypt and Lemmos.  In the strenuous time Lemmos, prior to moving up to the Dardanelles he was one of my right hand men, he personally supervised the making of the rafts that were of such unmeasurable value later on at Anzac.  Then he was always so genial quiet but one of those men that impress people by very nature of their quietness.  And I am sure it will comfort you to know that as regards his religious duties he was most consistent.  He made his Easter Communion on the Transport Suffolk with about 1,000 of us so he went to his Maker prepared. 

 If I can get further particulars of his death, where he is buried I shall send them to you.  Some of our poor boys are on their way to Australia.  Maybe one or more of them were with your brother when he was hit and could tell you everything about it.  I hope to be spared to return to Sydney when I may be permitted to call on you and fill in some blanks that are missing.  Meanwhile if there are any further inquiries your desire made, let me know and I'll do my best concerning them.

Remaining,
Very sincerely yours,

J.F. McCall Major,
1st Field Cop., Aus. Engrs.

Military Monday - 2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge - Alexander Joseph McDonald

"I turned around to get the second tow ready, when a man just in front of me dropped, hit in the head. This was the first casulty and very soon there were several other's hit.  There was some difficulty in getting the second tow ready but eventually when a naval cutter came alongside, we got in and started for the beach; three men were hit before the boat struck the shore.  When she hit the beach, I gave the word to get out the men got at once, in water up to their necks in some cases, men actually had to swim several strokes before they got their footing.  It was almost impossible to walk with full marching order, absolutely drenched to the skin and I fell twice before I got to the beach where I scrambled up under cover of a sand ridge.  I ordered the men to dump their packs off, load their rifles, and waited a few seconds for the men to get their breath.

It was just breaking dawn and, as we looked towards the sound of the firing, we were faced by almost perpendicular cliffs about 200 feet above sea level, and as we were of (the) opinion that most of the fire was coming from this quarter, it was evident that this was the direction of our attack.  Therefore, after a minute or two, having regained our breath, we started to climb."

The 11th Battalion & 1st Field Company, Australian Engineers, 24th April 1915AWM A02468

This powerful description of the landing of the 11th Battalion and 1st Field Company of Australian Engineers at Gallipoli, by Captain I.S. Margetts in his diary entry on the 25th April 1915*, sets the scene for my blog today. My great uncle Alexander Joseph McDonald was among these troops as they attempted to land on the beach of Gallipoli.

Today I  would like to to tell his story as part of the challenge set by Auckland Libraries' Kintalk Whānau Kōrero: family history blog, which invites  bloggers to share their family military stories, on the 2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge.

This is a great opportunity to tell some our family's military stories.  My attention was caught recently when reading the obituary of my great grandmother Annie Shepherd (nee McDonald). Mentioned in the obituary, was the death of her brother Alexander on the 25th April 1915 at Gallipoli. With ANZAC day approaching, this is an obvious choice for my first story in the 2013 Trans Tasman ANZAC story.

Alexander Joseph McDonald was born in Braidwood in 1882, the last son of Donald McDonald and Margaret Hanlon.  I started my research on the Australian War Memorial Site, and found the details his service number, Unit, Rank, and date of death. Corporal Alexander Joseph McDonald (Service Number 132) was a member of the 1st Field Company Australian Engineers. A picture of his grave in (Row 3, Grave 8) Schrapnel Valley (about 400 yards SE of Anzac Cove) can be found on the Australian War Memorial web site.Using Alexander's service number I looked up his military record on the National Archives of Australia Service Records web site. 

His service records provided a mine of information.  He is described as a 30 year old, natural born Australian, from the small town of Braidwood, NSW. He was employed as a plaster and painter and had served his apprenticeship under the guidance of his father Donald McDonald.  His brother Dennis McDonald, a policeman based at Randwick Sydney, is listed as his next of kin.  At the time of his enlistment, he was single, however, before leaving Australia he married to Ms Eileen Abrams**.  His sense of duty to defend his nation must be noted as his enlistment date is 19th August, 1914, just a few days after Britain declared war on Germany on the 4th August 1914.

Looking through Alexander's record I noted an entry under previous service "18 months in the NSW Mounted Rifles and was discharged at the completion of service".  What did this mean??? With a quick google of the NSW Mounted Riles, I found that Alexander, along with his brother Dennis and Donald, had served in the The Boer War as members of the 2nd NSW Mounted Rifles This regiment was established in early 1900 and was composed of men from New South Wales.
  

"Preference was given to trained men who were good shots and good riders, subject to tests as ordered. The age limit was 20 to 40 years; standard height, 5 feet 6 inches and upwards; minimum chest measurement, 34 inches. Applicants were also required to be single men and to pass a military medical examination.  Rates of pay as for Citizen's Bushmen".*** 

You can only imagine how Donald and Margaret McDonald would have felt when three of their sons all left at the same to fight in a war on the other side of the globe.  Fortunately, Alexander, Dennis and Donald returned from South Africa, and it seems that the town of Mogo, on the South Coast of NSW celebrated accordinging.  The Tilba Times, reported their return:

Mogo - "we have much pleasure in chronicling Sergeant Denis McDONALD's safe arrival after 12 months soldiering in South Africa. Denis was invalided home owing to bronchial catarrh contracted after the enteric fever. Pte. Alex McDONALD, his brother, is returning at the end of this month [c5.1902] and still another brother, Donald (otherwise 'Yank'), has volunteered and sets out at the end of this week".****

The small town opened its arms at their return and a function was organised at the local hall to welcome the McDonald brothers home.

"Mr. LJ Hurley in a few words also welcomed 'the boys'. Mr. D McDONALD on behalf of his brother and comrades, heartily thanked those present for the manner in which they had been welcomed home. The school children, instructed by Miss O’Connell, then sang "The Sons of New Britannia" in stirring style, and the chairman called on those present to join in singing "For they are jolly good fellows". The hall, which is a credit to the town of Mogo, although somewhat far removed, was decorated, and above the stage were the words "Welcome, Home, Sweet Home"."****

The politics of the world was unsettled and volatile over the coming years, with war finally being declared on the 4th August 1914.  Alexander was quick to answer the call to arm, enlisting into the 1st Field Company of Australian Engineer.  In just over a month his leadership skills were recognised and he was promoted to Corporal. He and the rest of the battalion soon left for duty overseas, his new bride farewelling a husband not knowing that she would never see him again.
 

Soldiers disembarking into the boats, AWM A01829

25th April 1915.  It was just before dawn when the 1st Field Company and the 11th Battalion climbed into the boats that were take them to shore.  The first wave was led out by Major J.F. McCall,  Corporal Alexander McDonald was to lead the second wave once the first wave landed.  However, he was hit as he stepped off the deck of the Torpedo Boat onto the ladder leading to the boat. Corporal McDonald was supervising the disembarking of his men, watching that they did not expose themselves when stepping from the deck of the Torpedo Boat onto the ladder. Major McCall describes his bravery,

"The enemy was pouring in a heavy shrapnel and machine gun fire onto the boats, they had to get ashore, and someone with a big heart had to superintend, a man with cool head and brave heart only was of any use and Corporal A.J. McDonald was the man. It was almost certain death for the man doing the job yet he took it on, stepped onto the breach and calmly and cooly directed operations until he received his wound. Even while lying on the deck of the Destroyer waiting medical attention he gave some directions just as cool as ever."*****

Alexander was taken to the hospital ship "Clan McGillivray" but died later that day from the wounds he had received. The medical war diary for that day reports describes the chaos of the day and the difficulty in dealing with the numbers of wounded.

 Medical Diary,  25 April, Gallipoli Peninsula

“Unit land with main body of attacking force in three rows from 10.00am to 12 noon. On reaching beach were allotted position for establishing casualty clearing station.  The number of casualties and wounded to be treated was great.  They came in so quickly that nothing more than first aid could be done.  Cases evacuated to Hospital ship “Gascon” which carried 250 seriously wounded to transport Glen McGilloway which our  to take highly wounded. Cases were load into boats for transport to ship by navy.  The whole charing staff worked splendidly throughout the day and most of the following night.  Owing to pressure of work and the necessity of keeping the beach clear of casualties.it was impossible to keep record of all cases treated."

Corporal Alexander McDonald was among the serious wounded who was transported to the Glen McGilloway.

What is really poignant, his records show that a small brown parcel was returned to his wife and family on the 4th February 1916.  This parcel contained a prayer book, letters, cards and handkerchief.  Such small mementos for a family and wife who mourned the loss of this brave soldier.

RIP Corporal Alexander Joseph MacDonald

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 *  Extract from Captain I S Margetts, Diary, 25 April 1915, AWM 1 DRL/0478, viewed on Gallopili and the ANZACS, http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/1landing/nbeach1.html, viewed 9/4/13.
** NSW Birth Deaths and Marriages, registration 16617/1914
*** The Light Horse Studies Centre, http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/2131101/2nd-new-south-wales-mounted-rifles-outline/ , viewed 9/4/2013.
****Australians in the Boer War - Oz-Boer Data Base Project, http://members.pcug.org.au/~croe/ozb/oz_boer_more.cgi?record=12720, viewed on 15/4/13.

***** Letter to Donald MacDonald, from Major J.F. McCall , received 27/12/15.

Family Recipe Friday - ANZAC Biscuits



Anzac Biscuits



Yesterday in my post on "Sharing Memories"  I mentioned a family favourite, the Anzac Biscuit, so as it has been quite a while  I  since I have posted a “Family Recipe”  I thought I would share this recipe. The recipe for Anzac Biscuits has been passed through our family for at least four generations.   Besides being a family recipe this is a very traditional Australia recipe that has been baked in Australia Homes since the First World War.  

First let me tell you a little about the history of the ANZAC Biscuit!!  ANZAC refers to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp of WWI, and ANZAC Day, 25 April, is a public holiday day when Australia and New Zealand remember the soldiers who participated in all international conflicts.

The Anzac Biscuit or bikkie and my grandchildren call it!! Originated from the need to send troops a nutritional, tasty treat that would last the 2-3 months in transit to the battlefront.  The story goes, that a group of women came up with the recipe, based on a Scottish biscuit recipe that used rolled oats.  Using a combination of ingredients that didn’t spoil over time (golden syrup or treacle, rolled oats, coconut, sugar, plain flour, butter, water and bicarbonate of soda) they developed the recipe known as “soldiers biscuits” that were baked, packed into tins, and sent to the soldiers on the front.  After the landing of the Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli the biscuits were renamed “ANZAC Biscuits).

As has happened in our family, this recipe has become an iconic tradition for families in Australia, with various forms of the recipe passed down from one generation to the other.  There is nothing better than Anzac biscuits dunked in your tea or coffee.  Not having any daughters, I taught my sons to make the biscuits, and now my eldest son is passing down the tradition to his sons.

Now for the recipe:

recipe notes

Ingredients: 

1 cup plain flour

1 cup of sugar (this can be white, brown or a mix of both)

1 cup of rolled oats

1 cup of coconut

125 gms butter

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons golden syrup

½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

Sift flour into a bowl, add sugar, rolled oats, and coconut to the bowl and mix together.  Melt butter, and golden syrup in a saucepan (or microwave), mix bicarbonate of soda with water and add to the melted butter and golden syrup, mix together and add to the dry ingredient.  Mix together thoroughly, then roll the mixture into small balls (size of a walnut), place on a greased tray, flattening slightly and bake in a moderate oven (170 degrees ) for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

When cooled and they will be nice and crisp. 

Foot note:  I have made different versions of this recipe where I have used honey instead of golden syrup, or substituted the rolled oats with muesli. 

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Sources

1. http://www.emubottombiscuits.com.au/the-history-of-the-anzac.html

2. http://www.anzacday.org.au/miscellaneous/bikkies.html

3. http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/