S & J's Big Adventure

Today is Uncle Willie’s day. William Wade is my great-uncle, my mother's, mother's brother.

Uncle Willie was working as a telegraph operator on cruise ships sailing out of Sydney and Melbourne bound for the Pacific Islands when war broke out in 1914. When his ship returned to Sydney in early 1915 Willie enlisted at Liverpool in Sydney and sailed away to the War with the 4th Division Signal Company, Australian Engineers.

His two brothers Hugh Joseph Wade (Uncle Joe) and Edward Wade (Uncle Eddie) from Fairlie, South Canterbury, New Zealand also

Sharyn Sinclair

69 Blogs

We will remember them

April 16

|

Ypres

Today is Uncle Willie’s day. William Wade is my great-uncle, my mother's, mother's brother.

Uncle Willie was working as a telegraph operator on cruise ships sailing out of Sydney and Melbourne bound for the Pacific Islands when war broke out in 1914. When his ship returned to Sydney in early 1915 Willie enlisted at Liverpool in Sydney and sailed away to the War with the 4th Division Signal Company, Australian Engineers.

His two brothers Hugh Joseph Wade (Uncle Joe) and Edward Wade (Uncle Eddie) from Fairlie, South Canterbury, New Zealand also

enlisted and went to the War.

Uncle Joe lost a leg in France. He recuperated in Walton on Thames Hospital, Surrey and eventually returned home. Uncle Eddie was gassed and recuperated in Codford Hospital, Salisbury Plain. He was sent back to the Front as a cook and didn't return home until after hostilities had ceased. Eddie was awarded the Military Medal for bravery.

Willie wasn't as lucky as his brothers. He was shipped from Alexandria to Gallipoli and on the way his ship, The Southland was torpedoed and sunk. Most of the soldiers, including Willie, were rescued and sent on to Gallipoli. Willie survived Gallipoli and was one of the last to be evacuated. He was then sent to France and fought there before being moved on to Ypres. It was here he made the ultimate sacrifice on 21 October 1917 and now lies buried in a small military cemetery in this town. Willie was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for “conspicuous bravery and unflinching devotion to duty during offensive operations on 26th September 1917.”

This morning we visited Willies grave and paid our respects. Willie is a long way from home. We will remember you.



1.

Hello Hong Kong

2.

Western Markets

3.

Kennedy Town

4.

Victoria Peak

5.

Old Blighty

6.

Leaving Lancaster

7.

Kendal

8.

Lake District

9.

Grayrigg & Manchester

10.

Birthplace of the Gallen's

11.

Derg Castle

12.

Belleek and Donegal

13.

Dublin

14.

Dublin to Chester

15.

The friendliness of the Irish

16.

Rugby & Crick

17.

Northampton

18.

Cambridge

19.

Granada Television

20.

Afternoon with Anne

21.

No 14 Bus to Harrods and the Victoria & Albert Museum

22.

Buckingham Palace

23.

Westminster

24.

Supreme Court

25.

Imperial War Museum, Covent Garden and China Town

26.

St Giles and Oxford Street

27.

Trafalgar Square & National Portrait Gallery

28.

Eurostar to Brussels

29.

Alone in Antwerp

30.

Fabulous Antwerp

31.

Arrivederchi Antwerp, Hello Holland

32.

Spijkenisse

33.

Bruges, I'm on my way

34.

In Bruges

35.

Still In Bruges

36.

Last morning in Bruges - return to Brussels

37.

Back in Brussels

38.

Another City, Another Hospital

39.

Brussels to Ypres, oops!!!

40.

We will remember them

41.

The Ypres Salient

42.

In Flanders Fields Museum

43.

Ramparts War Cemetery and Hill 62

44.

Ypres to Paris

45.

Washing Day

46.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

47.

The Green Wall of 2nd Arrondissement

48.

Little French Shrug

49.

Eiffel Tower

50.

Sacre Coeur & Montmartre

51.

A Little Smoke Signal

52.

Paris to Milan

53.

Milano

54.

Window Shopping

55.

Castello Sforzesco

56.

Milan to Florence

57.

Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square)

58.

A Little Retail Therapy

59.

Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti

60.

Porta Romana, Florence

61.

Viareggio

62.

Florence to Rome

63.

Rome

64.

Villa Magnolia

65.

St. Peter's Basilica etc

66.

Aurelio, Rome

67.

Roman Fountains

68.

Arrivederci Roma (what else?)

69.

Kowloon

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