The story of a local resident known as “the old soldier”, who never fully recovered from head wounds he suffered in WW1, was told at a pre-Anzac Day commemoration at Engadine.
More than 1000 people attended the event, which Engadine RSL Sub-Branch conducts each year on the Sunday before Anzac Day.
Secretary Brad Copelin said it was the biggest crowd to have attended the commemoration, which starts with a march followed by a service at the war memorial in the town square.
Mr Copelin said 1500 to 2000 people were expected to attend the dawn service on Wednesday.
Sub-branch treasurer and pension officer Gary Eggert said in his commemoration address, for the past four years, the sub-branch had been displaying a board showing the growth in the number of Australians who paid the ultimate sacrifice as WW1 progressed:
- 1915 – 7062 after Gallipoli.
- 1916 – 20,815.
- 1917 – 46,448.
- April 1918 (today 100 years ago) – 48,172
- November 1918, when peace was declared – 60,200.
“Remembering Australia’s WW1 population was not quite five million, with over 400,000 enlisting, most families across Australia were affected by war,” he said.
Mr Eggert said one of those was Walter Bernard (Wally) Higgerson, who was born in Bottle Brush (now Heathcote), attended Heathcote Primary School and became a very good rifle shooter through duck hunting in the Royal National Park.
“Wally had enlisted at the age of 36 in July, 1916, and embarked for Europe almost immediately,” he said.
“After training in England, he went to France in June 1917, joining the 36th battalion, which moved to Belgium during the terrible winter of 1916-1917.
“On 26 November, 1917 Wally sustained a gunshot wound to the head at Passchendaele and was evacuated to England.
“He returned to Australia on 12 march 2018 and was discharged on 18 October that year.
“On his return he lived in Cooper Street, Engadine, where a stand of Norfolk Pines now marks the spot of his former home.
“He worked for the Royal National Park and had two dogs, Wonga and Blutcher.
“He was permanently affected by his head wounds and was slightly eccentric.
“Locals called him “the old soldier” and he lived the life of a hermit never marrying.
“He died at the age of 74 on 20th May 1955.
“RIP Wally Higgerson and thank you for your service.”
Mr Eggert aid Australia had “not shirked its duties” in subsequent conflicts.
Those who should be remembered included 102,825 Australians who paid the ultimate sacrifice, more than 200,000 who were wounded in action, 1.6 million who had served in the armed forces and the many affected families.
”Today our thoughts should also be with over 2000 Australians, who are serving overseas in places such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said.
“The sub-branch and Engadine community volunteers packed 164 care packages for Australian veterans over Easter, and they are on their way to Iraq for receipt on Anzac Day.”
