Battlefield pilgrims who are following in the footsteps of their Anzac relatives on Mat McLachlan's commemorative Anzac Day 2025 battlefield tours, share their stories.
War historian and battlefield tour operator, Mat McLachlan, said: "The Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915 marked the beginning of Australian service and sacrifice during the First World War. The Anzacs served at Gallipoli for eight long months, before the failed campaign was finally called off and the Gallipoli Evacuation took place in December 1915. Anzac troops then went on to serve on the Western Front for three long years in bloody and costly battles that became synonymous with the futility and horror of war."
"Gallipoli was where the Anzac legend began, while the Western Front was where modern warfare erupted, the Anzac legend was cemented, and where remembrance began. Today, Gallipoli and the Western Front are incredibly meaningful and memorable places to visit, with many remnants from this history easy to be seen."
Battlefield pilgrims who are following in the footsteps of their Anzac relatives on Mat McLachlan's commemorative Anzac Day 2025 battlefield tours, share their stories.
Western Front
Neil Wood from Bendigo, Victoria is retracing two Anzac Great Uncles, Clemence Henry Gamble and Robert James Gamble who both lost their lives just a few days apart during the Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917.
"Clemence and Robert were two of three brothers on the family farm near Glenrowan, Victoria, however only two were accepted into the Army. The authorities deemed that the third brother should remain and continue to run the farm and given that both brothers did not return from service, this proved prophetic," said Neil.
Clemence was killed in action on 4 October 1917 and now lies in Aeroplane Cemetery near the town of Ypres, while Robert was killed just a few days later on 8 October 1917 and now lies in Birr Cross Roads Cemetery. Neil will walk the battle of Passchendaele and visit both gravesites on his 4-day Anzac Day in Ypres trip, experiencing the moving Anzac Day Dawn Service at Polygon Wood – where one of the actions during the Battle of Passchendaele took place.
Mat McLachlan said: "In the countryside near the Belgian town of Ypres, Australians fought in one of the most costly and horrific campaigns of the First World War. The Battle of Passchendaele - or the Third Battle of Ypres - took place from 31 July 1917 to 6 November 1917. During these eight weeks of fighting, around 12,000 Australians were killed, and around 26,000 Australians were injured. The soldiers faced brutal conditions – heavy rain, thick treacherous mud, and constant bombardment."
Craig Raahauge from Epping, Sydney, is following in the footsteps of his Great Uncle, Leonard Steward who was killed on the Western Front by a shell and is buried at Hooge Crater Cemetery near Ypres in Flanders (Belgium).
Craig was all set to visit the Western Front last year, but his battlefield pilgrimage was delayed when he got caught up in the Dubai floods. This journey to visit the grave of his Great Uncle and commemorate Anzac Day at Villers-Bretonneux has been on his bucket list for many years.
Leonard was a driver (rider) and a first-class signaller in the 38th Battery 10th field artillery brigade. He was just 24 years old when he was was killed on 20 September 1917. He was riding one of the four horses pulling a canon and its ammunition limber, moving the artillery forward to support advancing infantry in the Battle of Polygon Wood.
"After the war, Leonard's Anzac mates who survived the war visited my great grandmother and told her of the circumstances of Leonard's death," said Craig.
"Leonard was killed when a German shell exploded above them creating a partial vacuum. Leonard, the other rider and all the horses died from shock and suffocation from their collapsed lungs. After Leonard's death, his mother (my great-grandmother) made Leonard's younger brother (my grandfather) promise that he would never join the army. So, Leonards younger brother joined the navy instead," said Craig.
Craig grew up knowing Leonard's story, told to him by his grandfather. Craig said: "I'm grateful to have the opportunity to visit Leonard's grave, to pay my respects and to honour his sacrifices. I am the first person from my family to have this opportunity."
1917 and 1918 were big years for the 36th Battalion, which fought in the Battle of Passchendaele and the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge near Ypres, Flanders, before being involved in combatting the German Spring Offensive from March 1918, being involved in the Battle of Amiens, and fighting in the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux on 25 April 1918. Today, the former battlefield of Villers-Bretonneux is the site of the Australian National Memorial and Sir John Monash Interpretive Centre, and this is where Wendy will attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Wendy herself is veteran who served for over 46 years, including tours in Iraq and East Timor. Anzac Day 2025 will be Wendy's third visit to the Western Front with Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours, but her first for Anzac Day. Wendy will then join Mat McLachlan for his Gallipoli Signature Tour in September this year to explore the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Gallipoli
Megan Anderson from Wildwood, Victoria only found out her fascinating Anzac relative connection in January this year – discovering her Great Uncle was the officiating officer at the burial of Simpson the Donkey Man.
"My Great Uncle, Lieutenant Colonel Horatio Victor Patrick Conrick (Victor) was a Medical Officer who landed at Gallipoli with the 3rd. Field Ambulance on 28 April 1915. Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick - Simpson the Donkey Man - was one of his stretcher bearers in the same unit. Shortly before his death in 1960, Victor typed his personal recollections, with first-hand knowledge of Simpson," said Megan.
Victor never forgot Simpson or his bravery, with his recollections reading: 'Simpson was a very game man and in fact, he laughed at danger. At all times he was cheerful and a great favourite with his mates of the 3rd Field Ambulance. On one occasion I passed him in Monash Gully and called out to him "Look after yourself Simmy". His laughing reply came, "That bullet hasn't been made for me yet, sir".'
On 19th May 1915, Simpson was killed by a sniper's bullet to the heart while transporting a wounded soldier on his donkey to the beach. Victor wrote: 'We buried Simpson in the cemetery on Brighton Beach, close to Hell-Fire Corner, a spot he had passed hundreds of times in his brave journeyings'.
"I can't think of anything more respectful that a man would write of another than Victor's final sentence in his recollections about Simpson," said Megan: 'Most of us had known him for four short months only, but long enough to assess his worth; surely a 'very gallant gentleman'.
Victor's personal papers and recollections only came to light when his medals were auctioned in 2017.
"Since January this year, I have learned much about my Great Uncle who was a Distinguished Service Order recipient and Mentioned in Despatches on three separate occasions. I want to thank the Virtual War Memorial Australia, as most of the research and work was theirs, and I encourage others who are researching Anzac relatives or stories to visit this website, https://vwma.org.au/."
"I visited Simpson's final resting place – where my great uncle officiated his burial – the day before the Anzac Day Dawn Service and was beyond honoured to wear Victor's reproduction medals."
"I hope that somewhere in the ether that Victor and Simpson know that 110 years later, I am standing on the very same ground on which they stood and offering my thanks to them both, and to all Anzacs, for their service, their sacrifice and their friendship and care of each other," added Megan.
This is Megan's second Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tour, her first was to the Western Front where she visited Victor's brothers (Rupert Love Conrick) grave at Arras. Sadly, Rupert was killed just before the end of WWI.
While Doug and Maitland's great uncles are listed on memorials as place of burial 'no known grave', it is suspected that each lies in a mass grave on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Francis McJannet served in the 11th Battalion and landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 at around 4:30am. The landing was chaotic, and units became separated as they moved inland through the scrub and rugged terrain.
Francis, listed as missing on 25 April 1915, is suspected to have been alongside Captain J.P Lalor, the grandson of Peter Lalor who led the revolt at the Eureka stockade, in a group of Anzacs from the 11th and 12th battalions who were surrounded by Turkish Forces and cut off from escape. Francis McJannet may be one of soldiers buried in a mass grave of 444 unidentified.
John Blacklock McJannet was in the last wave of the attack at the Battle of the Nek on 7th August and may be buried in the mass grave at Walker's Ridge. This small but deadly battle involved 600 Australian troops, and of these 234 were killed and 138 were wounded.
Doug and Maitland's grandfather, Harry Wyborn Leake was in the 25th Infantry Battalion and served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. He was promoted many times and also wounded many times throughout the war. He survived around six gunshot wounds in action then nearly died at the end of the war from Spanish Flu.
Mary-Anne Gourley is from Doncaster, Melbourne is following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Rear Admiral Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle, and her Grandmother's Brother-in-law, Frederick Anthony Bone. Mary-Anne regularly marches in the Melbourne Anzac Day parade wearing her grandfather's medals accompanied by her granddaughter, "our tradition is we march then walk back into the city and have brunch" says Mary-Anne, but this year Mary-Anne attended the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli.
Mary-Anne's grandfather, Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle, was appointed Commanding Officer of the RANBT, Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train which was formed on 28 February 1915. Leighton was twice Mentioned in Dispatches for distinguished service at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli and received a Distinguished Service Order. Leighton survived the Great War, returned home and continued to serve his country, but never spoke about his experiences to his children or grandchildren and Mary-Anne has spent the last thirty years researching his story.
"Before departing Australia, Leighton and The RANBT camped at the Melbourne Domain Gardens - the area now occupied by the Shrine," said Mary-Anne. "The RANBT was originally destined to go to France to do hard, physical work, so Leighton looked for men with experience as carpenters, plumbers, fitters and turners, coppersmiths, mechanics, electricians and draftsmen. Those enlisted came from all states and experience with horses was helpful. Although the RANBT trained in their Naval uniforms, at Gallipoli they were dressed in Light Horse uniforms wearing their Naval badges."
"On arrival in Colombo orders for the RANBT changed, the RANBT would take part in the British Landings at Suvla, Gallipoli and be used for construction and control of pontoon piers. The RANBT arrived at Suvla Bay on 8 August 1915 after the British Landing had started. They remained at Suvla Bay until the evacuation on 20 December 1915, the last Anzacs had left Anzac Cove at 4.10am. At Suvla, the RANBT men evacuated the last British troops and were then the last on board the lighter taking them to the transports at 4.30am."
"On my Gallipoli trip I have been honoured to see where my grandfather served, visit the graves of four RANBT men who served with my grandfather, and pay respects at the grave of Leighton's brother-in-law, Frederick Anthony Bone."
Frederick Anthony Bone served in the 1st Light Horse Regiment and was Killed in Action on 29 May 1915. Frederick lies in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula.
Gary and Jan Lloyd from Glandore, Adelaide are following in the footsteps of five Anzac relatives who all served at Gallipoli. Three will forever lie at Gallipoli. Two survived to fight another day on the Western Front and made it through the war, including Gary's grandfather, and their Gallipoli Anzac relative who went on to make aviation history.
Two brothers, Alan Dudley Henderson and Rupert Howard Henderson, landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and were both killed within two weeks of the start of the campaign. Alan barely made it through the first day, shot in the chest during the landing. He was taken aboard the hospital ship Seang Choon but sadly died on 27 April 1915 as a result of his wounds and was buried at sea - he was just 20 years old. Just a few weeks later at Krithia, Rupert was shot by enemy sniper fire and killed on 9 May 1915 – he was 22 years old.
Gary and Jan's third lost Gallipoli Anzac relative, William Edward Clarke, was killed in action at the Battle of Lone Pine on 9 August 1915.
Gary's grandfather, Frederick Gerald Lloyd, landed with the two brothers on 25 April, took part on the May offensive (in which Rupert was shot and killed) coming out of it with a shrapnel wound in the leg, took part in the Battle of Lone Pine (in which William was killed in action), and fought on until the Gallipoli Evacuation in December 1915. Frederick went on to serve on the Western Front – arriving on the 1st of April 1916 in France. He fought in the Battle of Pozieres in July and August 1916, the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) between July to November 1917, the Battle of Amiens in August 1918 and the attack on the Hindenburg Line. Apart from the shrapnel wound at Gallipoli, and a gunshot wound in the leg on the Western Front, Frederick survived the war physically unharmed.
Frederick returned to Melbourne, Australia aboard HMT Saxon on 30th January 1919. He was employed as a Manufacture's Agent, married and had two sons. Frederick died in August 1977 aged 83 years and was buried in the Brighton General Cemetery, Melbourne.
Gary said: "My grandfather served at Gallipoli from the first day of the landings on 25th April 1915 right through the campaign to the evacuation, which for him was 18th December 1915. I have his diary that describes the places he was at, the conditions he experienced, and the death of mates around him. He also took photos that I have, so I really want to walk in his footsteps up Artillery Road to Lone Pine and visit Shrapnel Gully Cemetery where he took photos of the graves of some fallen mates. Whilst my grandfather went on to fight on the Western Front and survive the war, we have other close relatives who did not leave Gallipoli, so we want to visit their memorials to pay our respects and thank them 'in person' for their sacrifices."
Gary and Jan's fifth Gallipoli Anzac relative, Ross Macpherson Smith, survived and went on to make aviation history, with a historic flight from England to Australia in a Vickers Vimy aircraft.
Ross Smith was one of three brothers (Ross, Keith and Colin) who grew up on Mutooroo Station in outback South Australia. Ross arrived at Gallipoli in May 1915 and served there until he was evacuated due to illness in September 1915. He rejoined his regiment in Egypt in early 1916, serving in the Battle of Romani in August 1916.
In September 1916 Ross responded to a call for volunteers to join the Australian Flying Corps and gained his pilot's wings in March 1917. Flying with No. 1 Squadron AFC, Ross took part in attacks, aerial photography missions, and bombing raids on Turkish forces. On one occasion he landed in the face of the enemy to rescue a downed comrade. Ross was twice awarded the Military Cross, received the Distinguished Flying Cross three times, as well as the Air Force Cross. By the end of the war he had 600 hours flying time, including 400 hours as a pilot.
In late November 1918, Ross was one of the pilots who flew a Handley Page bomber from Cairo, Egypt to Calcutta India. Plans to fly from India to Australia were initially thwarted by the destruction of the R.I.M.S. Sphinx, but a replacement vessel enabled Ross to gain firsthand knowledge of potential landing sites in South East Asia and the Dutch East Indies, however, the loss of the Handley Page bomber ended the attempt.
Then, in 1919, Ross learnt of Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes' offer of a £10,000 prize for the first all-Australian crew to fly from England to Australia within 30 days. Ross returned to England and teamed up with his brother Keith – who had served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during the Great War, to attempt the challenge.
Ross Smith as principal pilot, Keith Smith as navigator, along with mechanics Wally Shiers and Jim Bennett, successfully flew from England to Australia in a Vickers Vimy aircraft. Their journey, which began on November 12, 1919, and ended on December 10, 1919, in Darwin, Australia, took 27 days and 20 hours.
Sadly, Ross next planned venture, to fly around the world in a Vikers Viking amphibian, ended tragically when Sir Ross was killed during a test flight in England in 1922. Sir Keith witnessed the accident.
Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours offers commemorative Anzac Day tours and tours throughout the year to Australia's significant WWI and WW2 battlefields, as well as Vietnam. Visit www.battlefields.com.au
