Anzac Day: just the therapy Sydney needed to heal a ‘broken heart’

Bob Dean, 77, from the Gold Coast takes it to different level. The decorations helium was wearing goes backmost to the Boer War.

He is wearing 3 generations of medals. On his left, helium wears his ain 4 medals for Vietnam. On his close are six for his dada and supra them are 10 for his grandfather.

Vietnam seasoned Bob Dean, wearing his work medals and his begetter and grandfather’s medals, astatine the Anzac Day dawn work successful Martin Place.Credit: Kate Geraghty

His gramps was George Robert Dobson, who served successful Sudan successful 1896, the Boer War and World War I, and was mentioned successful dispatches signed by Winston Churchill. He was heavy decorated but precisely for what remains unclear.

“I’m not 100 per cent definite [exactly what helium did] due to the fact that during the Second World War Kew [the nationalist records bureau successful westbound London] was bombed and a batch of records were lost. You get bits and pieces but we deliberation helium won the Distinguished Conduct Medal successful the Boer War. We deliberation helium whitethorn person swum crossed – nether occurrence – a stream to present a message. He won the Military Cross arsenic a warrant serviceman archetypal class, which was unusual, [as] they are usually lone for officers.

“He was severely gassed during World War I and I tin inactive to this time perceive him coughing his bosom retired successful the laundry arsenic his lungs truly were beauteous bad.”

His begetter was Roly Dean, who served successful World War II and was taken arsenic a captive of warfare aft being captured successful Singapore. He was operated connected by a Japanese doctor, 1 of 7 men to beryllium operated connected that peculiar day. Only 2 survived.

“He walked into the theatre naked. There was humor each implicit the operating table. The doc was successful a blood-covered apron. He was expected to person what they these days telephone an epidural, but they conscionable stuffed a large portion of cloth successful his mouth, past operated connected him. Out of those seven, determination were lone 2 survivors. He suffered erstwhile helium came backmost too.”

Dean said: “I was successful Vietnam astatine the property of 19 successful the 6th Batallion Royal Australian Regiment. I was a mortar antheral – putting mortars successful tubes. I was determination the greeting after [The Battle of] Long Tan, which was not nice.“ I got accidently wounded. I had a circular travel retired of a conduit and stroke up astir a ft retired of the tube. I utilized to beryllium a good-looking bloke.”

Did helium locomotion distant with carnal and intelligence scars? “Yes. A spot of both. You can’t assistance that. You ne'er cognize that you person got it until overmuch aboriginal sometimes,” said Dean

And however does helium consciousness lasting with each the household medals? “That’s a hard 1 really. You are marching for them. You are marching for yourself.”

Wreaths laic astatine the cenotaph successful Martin Place connected Anzac Day.Credit: Kate Geraghty

There’s a intermission successful the dawn service. We tin perceive the bagpipes playing successful the distance. Bob is overtaken by emotion. “Sorry,” helium says.

Says RSL NSW president Bainbridge: “Families are immensely impacted by their loved one’s work and haven’t ever been fixed the assistance they need.”

Dean and his inactive earthy emotion is simply a testament to conscionable that, and the interaction felt by galore others.

The prima tries to penetrate astir the towers of the CBD to lukewarm america up. Police commissioner Karen Webb inspects the immaculate mounted constabulary and the bands lukewarm up.

Wheelchair-bound Valerie Blackett Ireland, aged 99, is ready. “I was a gunner successful the anti-aircraft based successful Newcastle,” she said. She’s been connected 25 marches before. Did she deliberation astir giving it a miss this year? “No. I’m present for my mates. I’m the lone 1 left,” she says without hesitation.

Some bands you tin perceive from much than a artifact distant - the Scots College tube and drums set is 1 of them. Everyone recognises Waltzing Matilda. But they are drowned retired by an F-35 combatant pitchy roaring overhead astatine 9.30 connected the dot. At the aforesaid clip the timepiece connected the aged station bureau astatine 1 Martin Place chimed the fractional hour. Punctual again.

There are stories of heroism and stories of loss. Next to the cenotaph are 7 photos successful pictures frames placed nether the Australian emblem astatine half-mast. Julie-Ann Finney has travelled from Adelaide to spot them. They person 1 happening successful common. All seven, including her lad David, took their ain lives. She is trying to rise consciousness astir the attraction of work men and women and intelligence health.

At midday the marching continues. Helen Milne is watching the bands adjacent St James Park. She’s from Adelaide. “I’m really present to spot Alice Cooper and Blondie retired astatine the Olympic today,” she admits. “But it’s fantastic. I lived present for 8 years and utilized to come. My dada was successful the navy, and my brother.”