Penniedarling

 Confusing...
I don't have an Opal Card yet,    I've ordered one so just waiting.  Now buying a ticket from a Ticket Machine on the Railway Station is hard work, I won't go on but trust me it is just a tad confusing!

Funny...
We arranged to meet Nerys, Jack and Charlie in the second front carriage where Jack was playing Pokemon on his Mum's phone and when we sat down he found a Pokemon on David's arm, it was a two headed animal!  Weird eh!  Especially when David has no idea of how to play.

Hurty...
Walking up and down stairs, along long tunnels, up and down more stairs makes a person's sore leg even sorer!  I took a very low dose of Endone with me just in case... it was needed!

Memorable...
The Fromelles Commemorative Service, in Hyde Park was indeed Memorable and moving.

Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Three (5,533)  young men lost their lives at Fromelles.

The Holy Family Choir sang several Hymn's in between several speeches.

Darren Mitchell was Master of Ceremonies.

 Premier Mike Baird gave an excellent speech.

Major General Gus Gilmore from the Australian Army gave a very clear and moving speech.  (Are high ranking Army Officers getting younger and younger or is this just from a mature age woman... hang on a minute, Doctors are getting younger as well...  and...  Oh I see! I think I get it...  It must be me!)

Nicolas Croizer, Consul-General of France covered WW1 and the three attacks on France in the past 18 months very movingly and of course in a very heavy french accent.

 Piper Jim Braid played the Lament during the Wreath Laying Ceremony.

 Several Wreaths were laid, here's L to R, Gus Gilmore, Nicolas Croizer and Mike Baird laying their wreaths.

One of the wreaths with Dame Marie Bashir on right.

The Last Post was played by Bugler Terry McCleary along with the Fire and Rescue NSW Band.

Pastor Bob Durbin gave a Prayer and Blessing.

 Mr Jim Munro from Families and Friends of the First A.I.F. closed the Centenary Memorial.

Musical...
I sang the French National Anthem in La la la's and I sang the Australian National Anthem word perfect out loud and clear!

Interesting...
 After the Service I stopped a man walking past and asked him if he would mind taking a photo of us all, he was not only very helpful... he suggested we move so the Sun wasn't behind us, but he was very interesting as well.
 I told him we were there to Remember my second Cousin who had died at Fromelles and he told me that he was 67 years old and his father had been in WW1 when he was 18 years old!   I had to think about that, I am almost 71 years old and my Father was in WW2!  Both my Grandfathers were in WW1 and about the same age as this man's father.
 He then told me that his father had been 50 when he was born... so that makes sense but this man, who's name I didn't get,  must be quite unusual!   Anyway... this is one of the photos he took.
 David, Remy, Gwilym, Pennie, Charlie, Jackson and Nerys.

Yummy...
On Gwilym's advice we headed down Liverpool Street to a great Sushi Train called Yamaki,  we needed 7 seats and even though this Restaurant was packed we were seated at our own table in only a couple of minutes.    Nerys and Gwil and Jack and Charlie all headed to the Sushi Train and bought back plates laden with wonderful foods... David ordered a collection of cooked little nibbles, he's not comfortable eating raw foods.

Loving...
Watching Jack and Charlie looking out for Remy as we walked along footpaths full of busy lunch time crowds was a joy then lots and lots of hugs and kisses as we parted at Museum Station.

Historical...
Have you ever spent time wandering the tunnels of Museum Station, it's really wonderful and in great condition with some fun advertisements on the Platform...  here's some photos I took last time we were at Museum Station it is still the same today.




Lastly to the Kind...
I don't know if you have ever seen me in action but I love to catch the eye of a stranger and have a quick chat, I did it 4 times today.  The first was a man I was sitting next to at Turramurra Station waiting for our train.  I laughed when I heard the announcement that the next train arriving on Platform 2 would be going to Hornsby etc.  I said to this man... 'That's the 8th train heading to Hornsby since I've been sitting here and we are waiting for the second heading to Wynard',  he just nodded.

The man sitting opposite me on the train opened his iPad so I asked him if he was playing Pokemon, he laughed and we had a little chat.

To the lady trying to get past us and the three boys as we headed up Liverpool St,  I said... Those boys are so wonderful looking out for their younger cousin... and that started a little chat which was fun.

Then when we got to Turramurra Station, the hurty leg sat down on the Taxi Rank seats when a man beside me said, 'Are you waiting for a Taxi?'  I told him no, my husband was getting our car because I had a sore leg.  'I was going to offer to share if you were,' he replied.
He said he'd booked a Taxi but it was hard to get Taxi's at this time because it was Change Over time.  I asked him where he was going and he said North Turramurra,  just then his Taxi arrived and we said goodbye but after a chat with the driver he came back... I asked him what had happened and he said the Taxi Driver wouldn't take him because Canberra Avenue was only a short trip and he wasn't interested in taking short trips, this is illegal but it happens often apparently and there is little the prospective passenger can do.

I offered to give him a lift and he said his mother was waiting in the Coffee shop and if I was sure he would go and get her... David arrived and along came the man with a very elderly lady using a walking stick... we introduced ourselves to Susan and Ivan who we discovered were from Armenia. We settled Susan into our car, Ivan headed to the Station and work at the Opera House but before he left he handed me this delicious loaf of Spinach, Cheese and Pine nut Bread, see below...  we drove Susan, who was absolutely delightful,  home to Canberra Avenue and here I am Blogging!

It's Been a FUN Outing :-)
P.S.  Nerys just rang to tell me that when they were continuing to enjoy the City and walk down to Circular Quay they were amazed to discover many many many groups of adults in suits and so on playing Pokemon in Hyde Park LOL  You gotta love Pokemon... then as they headed to Macquarie Street they heard sirens, Police Helicopters, saw heaps of Police and Ambulance Officers, they stopped to ask what was going on and were told it was Joe Biden  :-)

Boy oh boy it was a FUN Day wasn't it!

Labels: Bishop, Food, Griffiths Family, Sydney, WW1

At the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, to pay our respects with Families and Friends of the First AIF Inc and His Excellency General The Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retired)
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

David and I along with Gwilym and Nerys, Jackson and Charlie are remembering my Second Cousin Raymond Charles Bishop who lost his life during this battle on the 20th of July 1916, he was only 20 years old.    Ray's body wasn't discovered until 2009 and it  was my Mum,  Rosie's DNA that identified him.

 Private Raymond Charles Bishop - 1895 - 1916.

I found this photo below on the Internet, it's of the Australian Statue at Fromelles, France with 1,000's of hand knitted Poppies all around. 

Notice the French Flag is at half mast, I suppose that's because of the troubles in Nice.

Labels: Bishop, Fromelles

 Just look at this boy, he was 18 when this photo was taken, just a baby.

In 1915, cousins Bert and Raymond Bishop follow in Ray's older brother Harold footsteps and join the Army, they are sent to Cairo before they head to France to fight in WW1.

My Great Grandfather Alex Long was a Captain and stationed in Cairo.

Bert survived the War and wrote this book but his cousins Harold and Ray died in battle.

An excerpt from Bert's book -  Bert is telling the story, the cousins have arrived in Cairo.

Back in our hut after church parade next morning we heard a runner calling out.  As he came nearer we got his words.
"Private R. C. Bishop!  Where the blazes is Private R. C. Bishop?"
"He's looking for you Ray, get out and see what the trouble is."
"Found you at last. You're R. C. Bishop, Ninth of the Nineteenth?  You're wanted at the orderly room."
I accompanied Ray, waiting outside.
In a moment he rejoined me.
"The C.O. quizzed me at first," he said.  "He seemed puzzled.  He made sure I was the man he wanted, even had a look at my pay book."

     It appeared a message had arrived, addressed to Ray, from Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo.  Shepheard's was headquarters for all British troops in the Cairo-Canal zone.  It was a beehive of beautifully-uniformed officers, red tabs, brass tokens of rank, glitter, shine and swank canes.  What an ordinary private could have to do with top headquarters had the C.O. puzzled.
"What do you know about Shepheard's?"
"Nothing Sir.  We saw it one day as we strolled by and knew it was no place for us."
Would you by any chance know an officer, staff, of course, stationed there?"
"I have an Uncle on General Wallack's Staff, aide-de-camp or adjutant or something.  If General Wallack is at Shepheard's  my uncle may be there also."
"What is your Uncle's name?"
"Long --- Alex Long.  He came over a week or two before us.  He was a captain back home, I think he's a major now."
"That must explain it," the C.O. said.  'A private and Shepheard's just do not dovetail at all.  Here, take the message."

     The note said, briefly:  "Meet me at gate, Shepheard's Hotel at two pip-emma. Uncle Alex."
     We reached the gate a few minutes before two.  A guard, rifle beautifully sloped, everything about him shining, full of dignity, was doing his beat to-and-fro in front of the gate.
     He took no notice of us at first, such trash as infantry privates were well below his army grading as guard at Shepheard's.
     As we loitered by the kerb he at last stopped his beat and turned to face us.
"What do you two think you are doing here? Hanging about this gate isn't allowed.  Get along, quick."
     Ray was quicker to rile than I was.
"Get along yourself.  We have an appointment for just right here at two pip-emma.  We're keeping it."
"You're not.  Now clear out at once.  Do you know that I can call out the guard and have you arrested?"
"Call out your guard, we'd enjoy being arrested at the gate of Shepheard's."
     The guard seemed taken aback.
"Who is your appointment with?  I think you're a pair of liars.  You've got ten seconds to clear out, then I call out the guard."
     Hurried footsteps were coming down the path to the gate.  Uncle Alex joined us.
"It's great to see you again," he said as he warmly shook hands with Ray, then me.  No need to ask how you are.  You both look one hundred per cent."
     Our Guard was looking foolish and embarrassed.  Uncle Alex turned to him.
"These fellows have been upsetting you?  I'm not surprised, I know them better than you do."
"I'm sorry, Sir.   I thought they were trying to put one over me."
     Ray butted in.  "Do you know Uncle, this chap was going to have us arrested , court-martialed and shot."
     Uncle laughed heartily.  He said to the guard:  "Don't apologize, you did the right thing.  It's my fault, I was a few minutes late.
     I remembered how I immediately liked Uncle Alex the first time I met him.  The guard did the same.
     We did the Zoo, the Citadel, some museum, and in between there was always something of interest to watch in the seething streets and bazaars.
     Uncle looked at his watch.  "I have to be back on duty at eight o'clock.  We've got time to enjoy a meal."
     He took us to Groppi's restaurant.  Ray and I knew Groppi's --- from the outside.  Inside was no place for non-commissioned ranks.  Like Shepheard's Hotel it was usually crammed with officers adorned with shinning brass and red tabs.  There was no notice to say so but it was generally understood that Groppi's was out of bounds to ordinary troops.
     Ray and I halted at the entrance.
"We're not allowed in here, Uncle Alex," Ray said, "This place is for heads only."
    Uncle Alex told him that rank and file men were admitted provided they were guests of top-rankers.
"There's not a non-commissioned man inside,"  I said as I looked in.
"That's good," said Uncle.  "There will be two right away.  Most of that swank and glitter in there is carried by staff officers who don't go to any war.  You two are fair dinkum men who provide the show for these chaps to ride on.  If they try to throw you two out I'm in it with you."
     We went in, finding a table to one side of the room.  Up raised eyebrows, astounded expressions, looks of sheer disbelief, were everywhere.
     Uncle quite unperturbed, saw us seated comfortably and picked up a menu.
     A waiter, a dazed look about him, took the order.
     It was a good meal, the unwelcome look of the glances all around us having no effect on our appetites.  Finishing the meal in slow motion Uncle asked us many questions.  How did we feel about the army, the war?  Were we sorry we had enlisted?  did we write home regularly? how much had we seen of Cairo? Make sure you see the Pyramids, you'll have next weekend here, make it a must, it will be your last chance.

Alex asked the boys many questions and the boys told him of all the places they had seen... one story had Alex laughing out loud...

     Uncle's chair tilted back.  He laughed so heartily that the whole crowd of customers looked towards us.
     
I caught a voice nearby saying something like --- "Those beastly Orstralians, they are quate-quate impossible. My dear chappie, they are hardly civilised bai Jove."

     I felt some embarrassment, but it disappeared completely when I caught the eyes of two of our Aussie Light-Horsemen some feet away.  They were both Captains and were enjoying the situation.  One even winked at me.

Bert and Ray made it to the Pyramids.

Below - Alex Long with (we don't know)  in Cairo.

Labels: Bishop, Books, Long Family