Travel to almost any city,
town, or Hamlet in Australia
00:00:24.99\00:00:28.96
or New Zealand and the chances
are, you'll find some sort of
00:00:28.99\00:00:32.93
memorial to the Anzec
soldiers of the great war.
00:00:32.96\00:00:37.10
But of the thousands of
memorials found across the
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country, this one here in
Mullumbimby in the Northern
00:00:41.17\00:00:44.67
Rivers Region of New South
Wales, Australia has special
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significance to me. And
that's because of four names
00:00:48.48\00:00:52.31
that it represents. Just
here across the road in the
00:00:52.35\00:00:57.95
Service Men's Club, those four
names are found on the honor
00:00:57.99\00:01:01.89
roll, they are, Samuel Laverty,
George Laverty, and Percy Tulk.
00:01:01.92\00:01:09.66
Samuel Laverty is my grand-
father, Joseph his older brother
00:01:09.70\00:01:15.84
George, his younger brother,
and Percy Tulk was their
00:01:15.87\00:01:20.04
best friend and brother-in-law
married to their sister Essie.
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This war has left its mark
on our landscape, but the mark
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it has left on our national
souls and family hearts,
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is even greater. My
grandfather fought in this war
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as did his brother and brother
- in-law and on my wife's side
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her grandfather also volunteered
as did three of his brothers.
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I'm taking the
opportunity of exploring the
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First World War 1st World
War's ANZACs in our family.
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We're going to track down
the man behind the pictures and
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fragments of memory that
are part of our family heritage.
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And discover our own
connections to the great war.
00:02:01.88\00:02:05.72
So join us as we embark
on a journey of discovery
00:02:05.75\00:02:09.59
back into history to
discover secrets from the past
00:02:09.62\00:02:13.29
I'm sure there are going to be
lots of surprises along the way.
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As we set out to discover
the ANZACs of our family tree
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our first task is to collect all
we know about our grandfathers
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so, I've come to the town of
Mullumbimby in the Byron Shire.
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The town is nestled at the
foot of Mount Chincogan in the
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Brunswick Valley about 10 km
from the coast and the Pacific
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Ocean. The name Mullumbimby
was given to the district by the
00:03:02.18\00:03:07.75
Bongalong Aboriginal
people possibly because of the
00:03:07.78\00:03:11.05
proximity of Machin Cogan.
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My mother's grandfather Samuel
Laverty migrated to Australia
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from county down in
Northern Ireland In 1885 on the
00:03:18.96\00:03:23.43
Immigration Ship
Belgic. He and his wife Emma
00:03:23.47\00:03:28.67
established a farm here at
Wilson's Creek near Mullumbimby
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where they raised their family
of six children, four boys
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and two girls, this
was called the Estate Farm
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and they became prominent
dairy farmers in the community.
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And the area leading up
to the farm still carries the
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family name today, Laverty's
Gap as do a couple of other
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streets in the area.
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The war brought home
issues of faith to many soldiers
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including my grandfather.
He drew strength from his faith
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and took a keen interest in
the Bible and spiritual matters
00:04:03.61\00:04:06.51
that lasted all his
life in fact at one stage
00:04:06.54\00:04:10.45
he even contemplated
becoming a clergyman.
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While on leave he visited
Northern Ireland where he met
00:04:13.35\00:04:17.22
his future wife, Mary
Jane Dillan, after the war
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Samuel came home and established
this dairy farm for himself
00:04:21.52\00:04:25.69
and his future wife. He then
returned to Northern Ireland
00:04:25.73\00:04:29.50
and married Mary Jane Dillan
and brought his wife back here
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where they settled on this farm
on the outskirts of Mullumbimby
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and raised a
family of eleven children.
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As the children grew
older and more land was required
00:04:40.31\00:04:45.41
the family acquired another
farm here on the outskirts
00:04:45.45\00:04:49.78
of Mullumbimby. As for
Gary this is your family tree
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and this is you here
and this is your mother Jane
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and this is her
father Samuel Robert.
00:05:00.90\00:05:04.10
So my grandfather...Your
grandfather...
00:05:04.13\00:05:06.30
The one who went to war...
The one who went to war...
00:05:06.33\00:05:08.24
Alright. And his father
was Samuel Robert. Same name.
00:05:08.27\00:05:11.97
Same name and he came out
to Australia from County down
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in Ireland. So that's the family
well, I never...That's the
00:05:16.18\00:05:20.05
family. Now how many children
were there in my grandfather's
00:05:20.08\00:05:24.29
family? How many siblings
did he have? He had six children
00:05:24.32\00:05:27.46
Joseph, the oldest, and then
Essie, Samuel...my grandfather.
00:05:27.49\00:05:34.30
Your grandfather
George, Alma, and Robert.
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Four boys, four boys,
two girls, two girls, yes.
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Now, on the four boys,
how many of them enlisted?
00:05:41.20\00:05:45.17
The three oldest Joseph...
So do we have any pictures
00:05:45.21\00:05:49.18
of Joseph? Joseph, this is
Joseph in Knight Horse Uniform.
00:05:49.21\00:05:53.21
Ahh, he was a handsome fellow.
Yes. Very tall. Very tall.
00:05:53.25\00:05:57.42
Well, over six feet. They
say that all the boys were great
00:05:57.45\00:06:00.46
horseman. Yeah. And
Crack- shots. They were.
00:06:00.49\00:06:03.99
So that's...That's
the oldest, who came next?
00:06:04.03\00:06:08.16
And then your
grandfather Samuel Robert. Yes.
00:06:08.20\00:06:11.90
A machine gunner.
Right. So this is him here.
00:06:11.93\00:06:14.64
Yes. Okay. Yes. And
the next boy was George.
00:06:14.67\00:06:18.97
This was the youngest. Yes.
The youngest one who enlisted.
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Yes, and he was
obviously in the light horse.
00:06:22.01\00:06:24.81
Now what about Essy's husband
Percy Tull? Issy's husband
00:06:24.85\00:06:29.05
this is a photo, this is
all we have. That's of Percy.
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Alright, so he left for the
battlefield soon after he was
00:06:33.82\00:06:40.03
married. Yes. Yes. Okay.
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These days it is pretty easy
to find out their service record
00:06:44.87\00:06:48.50
in the National Australian
Archives on the internet
00:06:48.54\00:06:51.64
however, I'm going to get some
professional help so that I can
00:06:51.67\00:06:55.91
really understand what
all these documents mean.
00:06:55.94\00:06:58.61
Dr. Daniel Renner Associate
Professor of History of
00:06:58.65\00:07:03.12
Avondale College of
Higher Education has studied the
00:07:03.15\00:07:06.19
stories of many Anzac Soldiers
and will guide me through my
00:07:06.22\00:07:09.76
search. Daniel, I'm interested
in finding out the details
00:07:09.79\00:07:15.10
of my grandfather's war
record, his war history,
00:07:15.13\00:07:19.00
how do we go about that?
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Well, that's very simple.
First of all, we'll go to the
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National Archives of Australia,
I've got the Home Page up here.
00:07:23.97\00:07:27.64
To Record Search, we'll go
to the middle to Name Search
00:07:27.68\00:07:31.78
and up we get Family Name so
your grandfather's family name?
00:07:31.81\00:07:36.02
Laverty and we select a Category
of Record, it is World War I
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Search... There are 15 Laverty's
who served in the 1st World War.
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We can refine this search
result. First name. Samuel.
00:07:48.36\00:07:52.60
Okay, so we got the
records here. First page,
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we find his name when he enlists
and click here. Age: He's 18
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years and one month old. Now
his unit is the 3rd Machine Gun
00:08:06.21\00:08:10.82
Battalion. That means
that he's not an infantryman,
00:08:10.85\00:08:14.46
he's in the supporting
unit lugging those big heavy
00:08:14.49\00:08:17.56
Vicker's machine guns
around firing and supporting the
00:08:17.59\00:08:21.23
infantry that are attacking.
So he's on the Western Front.
00:08:21.26\00:08:23.87
He's on the Western Front
managing vault in key battles
00:08:23.90\00:08:26.37
from the time that he's there.
You can see Villers-Brettonneux
00:08:26.40\00:08:29.47
very famous site. He's
there in action, Backlov Hammel
00:08:29.50\00:08:33.48
Mont St Conte,
See, he's wounded there.
00:08:33.51\00:08:37.05
That's around the time of
the Hindenburg Outpost Attack
00:08:37.08\00:08:40.88
but it's a light wound
because he's not evacuated.
00:08:40.92\00:08:44.29
Yes. You know, I can remember
my grandfather when I was young
00:08:44.32\00:08:48.82
talking about he had
aches and pains and referring to
00:08:48.86\00:08:52.56
the injury, the wound he
must have received here that's
00:08:52.59\00:08:57.57
recorded. Okay! Okay, so now
let's go to the brothers that
00:08:57.60\00:09:02.87
we noticed there. Yes, two, two
brothers, His older brother was
00:09:02.90\00:09:06.64
Joseph, okay, so we
bring up Joseph and here we go.
00:09:06.68\00:09:10.41
Oh, look at this, August 1914.
Right. At the beginning of the
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World War. He's keen.
Ahu. And he joins the 2nd
00:09:13.78\00:09:18.35
Australian Light Horse
Brigade. Ah! Country boy is he?
00:09:18.39\00:09:22.59
County boy off the farm.
Familiar with horse riding.
00:09:22.62\00:09:25.49
Now. Another
brother. That's George Albert.
00:09:25.53\00:09:29.66
Okay, George. Here we go.
He enlists in October 1918.
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So that's towards
the end of the war?
00:09:41.28\00:09:44.08
The war finishes the next month
and if we click here we see
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no, he's discharged almost
immediately. No Active Service.
00:09:47.58\00:09:51.02
So the three brothers all
enlisted but only two of them
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would have actually
seen service. That's right.
00:09:54.12\00:09:56.42
The 2nd Lighthorse Regiment
landed here on the 9th of May
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1915. Daniel, if I look at the
sheer cliffs here and I count
00:10:19.11\00:10:25.39
out wondering why Joe and the
Lighthorse were at Anzac Cove?
00:10:25.42\00:10:29.59
Well, you're right, it's
not really horse country is it?
00:10:29.62\00:10:32.89
That's the point the Lighthorse
actually left the horses behind
00:10:32.93\00:10:37.00
in Egypt and came over as
Foot Soldiers because that's
00:10:37.03\00:10:40.67
what was needed
for this campaign.
00:10:40.70\00:10:42.84
So the 2nd Regime of the Light-
horse was sent up the Monash
00:10:42.87\00:10:48.38
Valley to the ridge
line at Quinn's Post.
00:10:48.41\00:10:51.91
So this is Quinn's Post
high on the Gliflee Ridge?
00:10:51.95\00:10:56.72
It is the absolutely
crucial place on Gliflee.
00:10:56.75\00:11:00.19
And what would it have
meant to Joseph to be here?
00:11:00.22\00:11:03.83
Well, this place decides whether
the Anzac Forces can stay
00:11:03.86\00:11:08.70
or go, or whether the
Turks are under threat.
00:11:08.73\00:11:11.97
You can see how narrow the
ridge is here and if the Turks
00:11:12.00\00:11:15.54
could overlook this side of
the ridge, they'd look right
00:11:15.57\00:11:18.57
down Monash Valley and no
Australians could move without
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.91
danger. On the other hand, if
the Aussies can take this other
00:11:21.94\00:11:25.41
side, then they'd do the
same to the Turks. So this point
00:11:25.45\00:11:29.42
decides the success or
failure of either side.
00:11:29.45\00:11:33.39
So here we find the key battles
on May 15, the 2nd Lighthorse
00:11:33.42\00:11:40.10
with Joseph attack trying to
push the Turk's back on May 1819
00:11:40.13\00:11:44.07
the Turk's counterattack...
heavy losses here...
00:11:44.10\00:11:47.20
The truce of May 24 when
they clear the bodies from this
00:11:47.24\00:11:52.04
battlefield all happened
in this tiny space of granite.
00:11:52.07\00:11:57.18
So this was a critical location
in the course of the Giliflee
00:11:57.21\00:12:00.98
Campaign? A lot depended on
what happened here and to think
00:12:01.02\00:12:05.15
that Joseph was involved
right here in all of this.
00:12:05.19\00:12:08.79
And I imagine with the opposing
forces being so close to
00:12:08.82\00:12:13.46
each other, there must have
been continual action and some
00:12:13.50\00:12:17.20
continual fear and stress
and tension. Constantly on alert
00:12:17.23\00:12:22.77
because they're always raiding
each other trying to take this
00:12:22.80\00:12:25.91
key point.
00:12:25.94\00:12:27.28
So what we have here is
what's left of an old Australian
00:12:29.01\00:12:33.62
trench. We come about 250 meters
up from Quinn's Post, so what's
00:12:33.65\00:12:39.72
Joseph doing here in these
trenches? Well after the May
00:12:39.75\00:12:43.36
battles the 2nd Lighthorse
occupy these trenches on top of
00:12:43.39\00:12:48.30
Pope's Hill facing the Turkish
line a bit further away than
00:12:48.33\00:12:52.87
there at Quinn's
Post and holding the fort.
00:12:52.90\00:12:55.57
So how long is he here for?
Well he's here from late May
00:12:55.60\00:12:59.31
until early August. so what's
he doing for two and a half
00:12:59.34\00:13:03.14
months? Basically keeping an
eye on the Turk, the occasional
00:13:03.18\00:13:06.95
sniping, a bit of a squirmish,
maybe some grenade throwing
00:13:06.98\00:13:10.42
they called them bombs.
Artillery from time to time
00:13:10.45\00:13:14.06
but it is fairly
routine, boring work.
00:13:14.09\00:13:17.63
Soldier's life is being
life at 99% boredom, 1% terror.
00:13:17.66\00:13:24.13
So here we are back at Quinn's
Post, Joseph returns for the
00:13:24.17\00:13:30.44
August Offensive,
what was that all about?
00:13:30.47\00:13:33.24
Well, it's the last
desperate attempt by the British
00:13:33.27\00:13:36.64
to make a success of
the Gliflee Campaign.
00:13:36.68\00:13:38.95
So they planned huge landing
north in skirmish, the Kiwis are
00:13:38.98\00:13:43.85
there to try to take the
height's and the Australians
00:13:43.89\00:13:46.69
are playing a supporting role
down at Lone Pine, there is a
00:13:46.72\00:13:49.46
diversionary battle on the
6th and at here and at the neck
00:13:49.49\00:13:52.96
on the 7th and 8th the Light-
horse are attacking to pin
00:13:52.99\00:13:56.83
the Turks down in this area
so that they can't attack the
00:13:56.87\00:14:00.04
Kiwis. So with all this fighting
taking place at probably one of
00:14:00.07\00:14:05.64
the most dangerous places on
Giliflee Joseph was fortunate
00:14:05.67\00:14:10.81
to survive, wasn't he? He
is, he is because he's been here
00:14:10.85\00:14:14.12
for three critical
battles, the May 15 attack,
00:14:14.15\00:14:16.89
the counter-attack by the
Turks, same month and then this
00:14:16.92\00:14:20.92
this August attack and
then they're attacking very well
00:14:20.96\00:14:23.59
prepared positions. Very alert
Turkish troops who are expecting
00:14:23.63\00:14:27.56
an attack at any time. This
is an incredibly dangerous place
00:14:27.60\00:14:30.90
to be, Joseph is very very
fortunate to come out of all
00:14:30.93\00:14:36.14
or this unscathed.
00:14:36.17\00:14:37.97
And after these intense
and dangerous battles Joseph
00:14:38.01\00:14:43.71
succumbed not to bullets or
bombs but to something much less
00:14:43.75\00:14:47.32
threatening. He was evacuated
on the 1st of September
00:14:47.35\00:14:51.25
to the Greek Island of
Lemnos suffering from an
00:14:51.29\00:14:54.92
ingrown toenail but it
was actually very serious.
00:14:54.96\00:14:58.63
It was so bad that it prevented
him from moving around easily
00:14:58.66\00:15:03.00
and he was also debilitated
from the severe dysentery
00:15:03.03\00:15:08.27
that affected so many of the
troops here that he had to be
00:15:08.30\00:15:11.77
sent to England for treatment
and was out of action for
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.71
six months. When he recovered,
it was to find himself back in
00:15:14.74\00:15:19.91
Egypt.
00:15:19.95\00:15:21.45
Beer Al Romano on the
Sinai Coast is not far from the
00:15:36.53\00:15:40.74
Suez Canal. In 1916 this
place was known as Romani
00:15:40.77\00:15:45.84
and was the front line
between the Turkish Empire
00:15:45.87\00:15:50.05
which controlled
Palestine and the British forces
00:15:50.08\00:15:52.91
protecting the vital Suez Canal.
00:15:52.95\00:15:56.02
In 1916 Joseph Laverty rejoined
the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
00:15:56.05\00:16:02.59
at Romani near the Suez Canal.
00:16:02.62\00:16:05.19
He was immediately
engaged in building defenses and
00:16:05.23\00:16:10.07
undertaking reconnaissance
patrols east and south into the
00:16:10.10\00:16:14.40
desert. In July Turkish forces
built up for major offensive
00:16:14.44\00:16:21.04
and the Lighthorse were active
in finding out their movements
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.35
patrolling often daily
out to the Oasis at Cartier.
00:16:24.38\00:16:28.95
In early August the
Turks attacked, the Lighthorse
00:16:28.98\00:16:34.32
defeated the Turks at
the Battle of Romani and then
00:16:34.36\00:16:37.76
pushed them back to Cartier.
Two more battles Agmagdibah
00:16:37.79\00:16:42.46
and Raffa brought the
British Forces to the border
00:16:42.50\00:16:46.47
of Palestine. Over the
next year Joseph Regiment
00:16:46.50\00:16:51.64
would take part in three great
battles, one of them a defeat,
00:16:51.67\00:16:55.54
and the other two
decisive victories.
00:16:55.58\00:16:58.41
They were the second
Battle of Gaza in April 1917,
00:16:58.45\00:17:03.28
the Battle of Beersheba in
October and the third Battle
00:17:03.32\00:17:07.26
of Gaza in November.
00:17:07.29\00:17:09.12
These last two battles broke
the Turkish defenses in Southern
00:17:09.16\00:17:14.30
Palestine and the British troops
began a rapid advance along the
00:17:14.33\00:17:19.43
coast road into Palestine.
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.87
Two more battles at
Mughar Ridge and at Nebi Samwil
00:17:21.90\00:17:27.24
opened the way for the
capture of Jerusalem, but Joseph
00:17:27.28\00:17:31.81
missed them all. Although
he was in line from June to
00:17:31.85\00:17:35.65
September, he was absent,
sick with fever during the
00:17:35.68\00:17:39.62
second Gaza Campaign which
was perhaps fortunate for him
00:17:39.65\00:17:43.39
and then sent to a
Hodgkiss Machine Gunners Course
00:17:43.43\00:17:46.66
at Zaytoun. On his return
he probably helped operate
00:17:46.70\00:17:52.33
one of the regime's
Hodgkiss machine guns.
00:17:52.37\00:17:55.37
Then in September, he
was hospitalized again
00:17:55.40\00:17:58.91
this time with a
serious case of Shingles.
00:17:58.94\00:18:03.21
Jerusalem, the most sacred
city in the world and the most
00:18:03.24\00:18:14.46
important one in Bible
history. How did Joseph Laverty
00:18:14.49\00:18:18.29
and the other Anzacs
react to being in the Holy Land?
00:18:18.33\00:18:21.73
Well, we often think of them as
very secular men and they were
00:18:21.76\00:18:26.53
but to be honest, they
were absolutely fascinated by
00:18:26.57\00:18:31.37
the history around them.
Right from the time they arrived
00:18:31.41\00:18:35.84
in Egypt and through to
the boat sailing to Galipilee
00:18:35.88\00:18:39.21
and the waters pour sail through
and then here in the Holy Land
00:18:39.25\00:18:42.85
they are pestering the chaplains
for information, for stories,
00:18:42.88\00:18:47.06
to get knowledge
about all of these places.
00:18:47.09\00:18:50.49
In Egypt, they wanted to
know about Moses and the Exodus
00:18:50.53\00:18:56.36
they wanted to know
about Mary and Joseph
00:18:56.40\00:18:58.80
bringing baby Jesus down
into exile because there's a
00:18:58.83\00:19:02.94
traditional place where they
stopped on their way to Egypt,
00:19:02.97\00:19:06.27
they also wanted to know
about Paul and his missionary
00:19:06.31\00:19:09.54
journeys. Then here in
Israel they're asking questions
00:19:09.58\00:19:14.92
about Abraham and Beersheba.
They're asking for stories
00:19:14.95\00:19:18.69
about David capturing Jerusalem.
They're walking The Via Del Rosa
00:19:18.72\00:19:23.63
following the path of
Jesus to His Crucifixion.
00:19:23.66\00:19:27.46
Then going down to Jericho,
they want the stories of Joshua,
00:19:27.50\00:19:33.34
Rahab and the spies.
Then up to Megiddo a popular
00:19:33.37\00:19:37.81
interpretation
was of Armageddon,
00:19:37.87\00:19:40.48
the final battle of history.
00:19:40.51\00:19:42.24
And they were fascinated
with the planes of Megiddo
00:19:42.28\00:19:45.91
where that story was set.
And then through to Nazareth
00:19:45.95\00:19:50.52
the hometown of Jesus. So these
Anzacs were keen to find out
00:19:50.55\00:19:56.22
these stories. Their letters
and diaries show they were very
00:19:56.26\00:20:00.46
passionate religious
visitors to the Holy Land.
00:20:00.50\00:20:04.03
These are the legendary
plains of Megiddo, the site of a
00:20:08.34\00:20:12.84
number of great battles in
history, it also gives its name
00:20:12.87\00:20:16.68
to the great apocalyptic
conflict known as the
00:20:16.71\00:20:20.08
Battle of Armageddon
mentioned in the Book of
00:20:20.12\00:20:23.32
Revelation in the Bible.
00:20:23.35\00:20:24.92
Here is September 1918 Alan
B. carried out his last master's
00:20:24.95\00:20:30.63
stroke. The complete destruction
of the Turkish Army in Palestine
00:20:30.66\00:20:35.53
opening the floodgates for
a run straight to Damascus.
00:20:35.56\00:20:39.67
Ellen B's main force advanced
across the planes of Megiddo
00:20:39.70\00:20:45.04
sweeping into Nazareth where
they almost captured the German
00:20:45.07\00:20:48.94
General commanding the
Turkish Army at his headquarters
00:20:48.98\00:20:52.85
at the Casanova Monastery.
00:20:52.88\00:20:54.98
In the meantime, Joseph's
unit formed part of Chateau's
00:20:55.02\00:21:00.69
Force on Ellen B's right-wing
protecting the main attack.
00:21:00.72\00:21:04.79
Once it had cut loose, Cheatuas
Force captured the crossing of
00:21:04.83\00:21:09.23
the Jordan River then swept
up through Jordan taking them on
00:21:09.26\00:21:13.67
then capturing huge numbers
of Turkish Forces East of the
00:21:13.70\00:21:17.81
Jordan River.
00:21:17.84\00:21:19.24
This was Joseph Laverty's
last significant action in the
00:21:19.27\00:21:23.48
Great War. In October
he was again evacuated sick
00:21:23.51\00:21:28.35
and soon the war was
over. As an original Anzac,
00:21:28.38\00:21:32.75
he was slated for the earliest
possible return to Australia
00:21:32.79\00:21:36.52
and in mid-December,
he took ship for home.
00:21:36.56\00:21:40.16
In the meantime, his younger
brother Samuel had signed up
00:21:40.20\00:21:47.24
and after training
in the Machine Gun Corps
00:21:47.27\00:21:49.44
left Australia in November
1917. He too was out of action
00:21:49.47\00:21:55.34
several times through illness
spending a month in recovery
00:21:55.38\00:22:00.05
but he was destined
for France not Palestine.
00:22:00.08\00:22:04.65
My grandfather's oldest
sister Essie married Percy Tulk,
00:22:04.69\00:22:11.63
Percy enlisted in January 1916
and served in France and later
00:22:11.66\00:22:17.30
in Belgium, Flounders and
was killed in action in the
00:22:17.33\00:22:20.40
Battle of Passiondale on
the 20th of September, 1917,
00:22:20.44\00:22:25.31
his body was never
identified or recovered.
00:22:25.34\00:22:29.04
We went in search of his
name on the Menin Gate Memorial
00:22:29.08\00:22:33.45
of the Missing in Ypres,
Belgium. This memorial is
00:22:33.48\00:22:37.95
dedicated to British and Common-
wealth soldiers who were killed
00:22:37.99\00:22:41.82
in the Ypres Salient of
World War I and his graves were
00:22:41.86\00:22:45.79
unknown, Percy Tulk was one
of them and it was here among
00:22:45.83\00:22:50.83
the missing that we found
his name, his name engraved
00:22:50.87\00:22:55.30
Percy Tulk.
00:22:55.34\00:22:57.31
By the time our grandfather
Samuel Laverty arrived here in
00:23:00.74\00:23:05.28
Villers-Bretonneaux in June
1919 the was had taken a turn
00:23:05.31\00:23:10.09
in favor of the Alis...Having
beaten the Russians in 1919
00:23:10.12\00:23:14.89
the Germans thought all their
forces on the western front
00:23:14.92\00:23:18.66
hoping for a quick
victory before the newly arrived
00:23:18.69\00:23:22.53
Americans could turn the
tide. In April their attack came
00:23:22.56\00:23:27.64
perilously close to
cracking the British 5th Army
00:23:27.67\00:23:31.21
but the Australians helped
hold the line most famously here
00:23:31.24\00:23:36.28
at Villers-Bretonneau where
their accomplishments are still
00:23:36.31\00:23:39.85
remembered. On the 4th of
July 1918, General John Monash
00:23:39.88\00:23:48.02
Commander of the Australian
Corps fought his model battle
00:23:48.06\00:23:51.86
here at Harmell. Samuel's unit
wasn't involved in the initial
00:23:51.89\00:23:56.90
battle but help in consolidating
the games in mid-July.
00:23:56.93\00:24:01.47
From here Samuel took
part in the Great Advance
00:24:01.50\00:24:05.31
called the 100 days from
the 8th of August to the 11th
00:24:05.37\00:24:09.74
of November which
sought the defeat of Germany.
00:24:09.78\00:24:12.85
As part of the Australian
Corp, he advanced from Harmell
00:24:12.88\00:24:17.09
through Chipilean Bray
which the Australians captured
00:24:17.12\00:24:20.62
in August. Then his unit
played a minor part in the Great
00:24:20.66\00:24:25.63
Victory at Mt. St.
Quinten in early September.
00:24:25.66\00:24:28.53
It was near here that
the Australians fought their
00:24:28.56\00:24:33.74
last battle cracking their first
Hindenburg Outpost Line on the
00:24:33.77\00:24:38.44
18, 19 of September and it was
here that Samuel received his
00:24:38.47\00:24:44.78
one and only war wound. But it
wasn't so severe that he needed
00:24:44.81\00:24:48.98
that he needed to
leave the unit for treatment.
00:24:49.02\00:24:50.82
This ends our journey that's
helped me discover what shape
00:25:05.70\00:25:09.20
the lives of my family
as we visited the locations,
00:25:09.24\00:25:13.07
learned of the
dangers they experienced,
00:25:13.11\00:25:15.78
and the hardships they endured,
as I've seen where they lived,
00:25:15.81\00:25:19.85
fought and died, I've
watched the story unfold.
00:25:19.88\00:25:23.65
I've discovered that my
ancestors form an integral part
00:25:23.69\00:25:28.56
of my own identity. I've
realized how my grandfather's
00:25:28.59\00:25:32.76
values, his dedication, his
faith, his love of the Bible
00:25:32.79\00:25:37.23
and its message have been
passed on to me and future
00:25:37.27\00:25:40.77
generations and I've discovered
that my ancestors form an
00:25:40.80\00:25:45.11
integral part not
only of my own identity,
00:25:45.14\00:25:48.14
but that of our nation as well.
00:25:48.18\00:25:50.35
If you would like to find
out more about the Anzacs and
00:25:54.12\00:25:58.15
their experiences with
God then I'd like to recommend
00:25:58.19\00:26:01.99
our free booklet for you
today. It contains inspirational
00:26:02.02\00:26:06.36
stories of our fighting men,
officers, soldiers, chaplains,
00:26:06.39\00:26:10.10
as they fought, worshipped,
prayed, sang, and trusted God
00:26:10.13\00:26:16.07
in the Hill of Gilippilee.
Our free gift is the booklet
00:26:16.10\00:26:19.71
the Faith of the Anzacs.
I guarantee these stories
00:26:19.74\00:26:24.91
will lift your spirits and
lead your thoughts on a place
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.65
that works in the
trial and tests of life.
00:26:28.68\00:26:31.49
This booklet is our gift to
you and it's absolutely FREE,
00:26:31.52\00:26:35.62
there are no costs or
obligations whatsoever.
00:26:35.66\00:26:39.09
So make the most of
this wonderful opportunity
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.47
to share in the
testimonies of the Anzacs.
00:26:44.53\00:26:46.67
Phone or text 0436.333.555
in Australia or 024.422.2042 in
00:26:46.70\00:26:56.95
New Zealand, or visit
our website at TIJ.tv or,
00:26:56.98\00:27:01.82
simply scan the QR code on
your screen and we'll send you
00:27:01.85\00:27:05.65
today's FREE OFFER, totally free
of charge and with no obligation
00:27:05.69\00:27:10.13
Write to us at GPO Box
274, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia,
00:27:10.16\00:27:16.90
or PO Box 76673 Manukau,
Auckland, 2241 New Zealand.
00:27:16.93\00:27:24.11
Don't delay,
call or text us now.
00:27:24.14\00:27:27.34
If you've enjoyed our journey
to Galiplee in the footsteps
00:27:27.38\00:27:31.88
of the Anzacs and our
reflections on the courage,
00:27:31.91\00:27:35.32
loyalty, and commitment,
then be sure to join us again
00:27:35.35\00:27:39.09
next week when we will
share another of life's journeys
00:27:39.12\00:27:42.72
together. Until then,
let's pray to the same God
00:27:42.76\00:27:47.30
that the Anzacs did.
00:27:47.33\00:27:48.83
Dear Heavenly Father, We
thank you for our families
00:27:48.86\00:27:53.37
and for our family
history and heritage.
00:27:53.40\00:27:56.24
Many of us have family members
who have fought in some of the
00:27:56.27\00:28:00.34
of the great
battles for Australia.
00:28:00.38\00:28:02.34
We are in awe of the commitment
they showed to their country
00:28:02.38\00:28:06.28
and to their beliefs. We
want to honor their memory
00:28:06.31\00:28:09.98
and remember their courage
during times of hardship.
00:28:10.02\00:28:13.56
We ask you to bless us
and and our families today
00:28:13.59\00:28:17.29
In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!
00:28:17.33\00:28:20.96