{"id":74258,"date":"2014-07-14T18:38:29","date_gmt":"2014-07-14T08:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=74258"},"modified":"2020-11-30T10:17:39","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T00:17:39","slug":"poppy-night-to-recall-world-war-i-sacrifices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/07\/14\/poppy-night-to-recall-world-war-i-sacrifices\/","title":{"rendered":"Poppy Night To Recall World War I Sacrifices"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann places a red poppy against the name of Private Frederick Geary on the Menin Gate (Photo: Liz Caffery)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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His Death Hasn’t Been Forgotten<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Kingaroy resident requested that her great-uncle Frederick Geary be remembered when the South Burnett delegation visited the Menin Gate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For years she had been collecting information about him and was moved to think that someone from home would visit his memorial:<\/p>\n

Frederick James Geary was born on July 13, 1890.<\/p>\n

He joined the 49th Battalion, leaving Sydney on the HMAT ‘Ceramic’ on October 7, 1916, \u00a0aged 25 years 10 months.<\/p>\n

On board were young men from country towns all over Queensland, including two boys from the South Burnett: Wilfred Darley, Nanango, and John Ross, Kingaroy (who both made it back home).<\/p>\n

Frederick fought with the 49th on the Western Front in France and was part of the battles at Bullecourt which had disastrous outcomes for the Australians with 10,000 soldiers killed or wounded.<\/p>\n

From there he went to Belgium but was killed on the first day of fighting in the Battle of Messines.<\/p>\n

His body was not found but his name is recorded on the Menin Gate.<\/p>\n

It is possible he lies in an Unknown Soldier’s grave at the Cabin Hill Cemetery Messines.<\/p>\n

The number of unidentified soldiers, from both sides, who still lie in this ground is\u00a0unimaginable.<\/p>\n

There were no personal effects to be sent home. His father received his three medals and \u00a31 in wages.<\/p>\n

Three other South Burnett soldiers – whose names are also on the Menin Gate – died the same day as Frederick.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

July 14, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

A special evening will be held in the Kingaroy next week for families of local soldiers honoured during a recent trip to Europe.<\/p>\n

A South Burnett delegation – which included Council and RSL representatives – placed small red poppies on graves and memorials of local residents at World War I battle sites in Belgium.<\/p>\n

The “poppy trail” took place before the delegation headed to the Netherlands for the Patrick Tiernan commemoration ceremonies in Dodewaard.<\/p>\n

The \u00a0“Place a Poppy”\u00a0presentation evening will be held on Wednesday, July 23, at the Kingaroy Town Hall. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Before the delegation left for overseas, it gathered together requests from local families to honour their war dead.<\/p>\n

Special packages have now been prepared for each family with copies of photographs of the sites.<\/p>\n

Author Liz Caffery has also prepared a limited-edition photobook, “Poppies For Remembrance”, which will be launched on the night.<\/p>\n

Murgon SHS captains Geoffrey Kinsella and Kirsten Upton, who accompanied the delegation overseas, have been invited to compere the evening.<\/p>\n

Liz will also show a Powerpoint presentation she has prepared.<\/p>\n

The evening will officially launch the photobook, and copies will be available on the night to purchase.
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\nHardbound copies are $100 or spiral-bound copies are $50.<\/p>\n

There will only be limited supplies available at this price; orders will also be taken on the night if all copies are sold for $105 (hardbound) or $60 (spiral).<\/p>\n

Liz said a number of people had been invited to attend the evening.<\/p>\n

Yarraman resident and former Halifax bomber crewman Paul Tunn, who took part in the same World War II bombing raid in which Patrick Tiernan died, will be a special guest.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Other families to be represented include relatives of Private Jack Hunter, from Nanango, whose remains were identified and reburied 90 years after he was killed near Ypres.<\/p>\n

The evening is open to the public but RSVPs are requested.<\/p>\n

Contact Bronwyn Barry on (07) 4189-9155 or by email<\/a> before next Monday (July 21).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n