Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My Pop, known to all as 'Ozzie' fought in WW1 mostly in France. He was in the Light Horse brigade and while taking supplies to the front line with 2 mates and guiding his horses and cart was bombed by a German shell. His two mates to his left died instantly unfortunately but Pop survived and deaf in his left ear.

Pop had been a great athlete as a young man. He played Rugby for Manly and represented NSW as a schoolboy cricketer. He had trialled for Olympics pre-war and with a heavy dose of the flu was pipped by a mate into 3rd spot even tho he beat him at club every week and missed the Games.

After the war, Pop was shell shocked and I remember his calling out at night while trying to sleep with nightmares. He ended up in his 60s in a military hospital whete he eventually passed away. His history sadly represents what many soldiers and their families went through as a result of war. Why do people not learn from their past experiences? Such a waste! Vale Pop!