Sunday, April 25, 2010

ANZAC Day In Oxford

I am normally in France or Turkey for ANZAC Day, and had planned on going to Villers Bretonneux in France again this year for the ANZAC Day service, but with all the trouble with the Volcanic Ash from Iceland decided against the trip this year. Instead I visited the Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in Botley where their are 159 fallen Australians from the first and second world wars buried.
Most the those at this cemetery had been in the Oxford area resting in military hospitals including at the Examination School in the High Street which was being used as a hospital during the war.
While walking about the cemetery I noticed that Flight Sergeant Ian Charles Cormack of the Royal Australian Air Force died on ANZAC Day 1944 aged 19. Looking at the cemetery register I found out that Ian Charles Cormack was from Mosman in New South Wales, along way from home.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission do a great job in keeping this and all of the war cemetery's I have been to in top shape.
Oxford University will be having a small service this evening which I am hoping to attend, might even see a couple of old Kiwi mates from Oxford.

No comments: