Thursday, 10 November 2011

Remembering them

Within two minutes of the torpedo from UB-64 striking the 'Tregenna' in the North Atlantic in September 1940, she had gone to the bottom with the loss of all hands, save four. My father's cousin, Ross Charles Cole aged 24, was not one of those four.

Today, I accept, from a curator at the Australian War Memorial, a box of original letters, documents and photographs that was found in the ceiling of a deceased-estate in Canberra that a real-estate agent was readying for sale in 2009. The curator tracked me down via Ancestry.com and insists that we share the contents with wider family before donating specific items back to the AWM. More tomorrow.
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22 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 10, 2011 1:37 am

    What a beautiful perspective in the photo! And an interesting story! I will be staying tuned for it!

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  2. GunnNovember 10, 2011 2:53 am

    Just like Rachel..... I will like to hear more.
    I like your image, and the style /architecture. Very nice.

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  3. Kay L. DaviesNovember 10, 2011 3:29 am

    Wonderful photo, Julie, and amazing news about the documents and photos. I definitely look forward to reading more about it.
    — K

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  4. Mary AnnNovember 10, 2011 6:26 am

    Wow, I'm amazed that the curator found you, and glad too. I'm curious about what was found. . . .

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  5. JulieNovember 10, 2011 6:44 am

    The curator was amazed that he found me! And, also that I had so much of Ross Cole's history stuffed in my pea-brain. His outcomes are rarely as joyous. After tomorrow's post, and once I have been through the documents (looking for 'time bombs') I will do more posts over at Plumbing.

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  6. JimNovember 10, 2011 9:44 am

    A powerful image. An amazing connection to the past.

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  7. AnnNovember 10, 2011 10:15 am

    Wow. How exciting. I wonder what you will find. Powerful image indeed.

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  8. Bruce CaspersonnNovember 10, 2011 10:54 am

    I hope it is very rewarding for you.

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  9. freefallingNovember 10, 2011 11:11 am

    Wow.
    Goodness me - what a find!
    Good on those people for handing them on.
    Lots of people might just have turfed them out.

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  10. PeterNovember 10, 2011 12:01 pm

    How exciting, love the AWM too- nice capture.

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  11. JackNovember 10, 2011 1:22 pm

    You have a special photo and a special story today. The follow-up will be worth coming back . . .

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  12. rafNovember 10, 2011 2:39 pm

    Marvelous perspective, Julie, and a promising post. Will check back.

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  13. MarkNovember 10, 2011 6:29 pm

    Can't wait to hear more!

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  14. Jenny WoolfNovember 10, 2011 9:05 pm

    If this is a wall of poppies, as I imagine, then it is an amazing picture. It's an amazing picture anyway.

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  15. Joan ElizabethNovember 10, 2011 9:21 pm

    A history mystery ... how exciting. Looking forward to the next episode. I smile to see you have a shot of a person in a red jacket at the end of the hall, I struck it lucky the same way when I posted a similar image on SW in July. I wonder when the red poppies in the cracks started. I don't remember them being there when I was a kid. They are so visually striking I am sure they would have registered in my memory more than the names but my memory only has rows and rows of names.

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  16. Joan ElizabethNovember 10, 2011 9:29 pm

    Hey I thought I would leave the answer to my own question found this "Since the internment of the “Unknown Soldier” in 1993 a custom has developed by those visiting the Australian War Memorial to place a “Red Poppy – a Flanders Poppy, next to the name of a family member on the ‘Hall of Honour’ or as an acknowledgement of the sacrifice of those whose names are inscribed on the Wall."

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  17. Stefan JanssonNovember 10, 2011 9:31 pm

    I like the photo, and just as everyone else I would like to know more about your fathers cousin and that box.

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  18. ThérèseNovember 10, 2011 10:35 pm

    What a powerful picture to go along with your family history. It must be very moving.

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  19. brattcatNovember 10, 2011 10:49 pm

    thank you for sharing this with us.

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  20. Louis la VacheNovember 12, 2011 11:32 am

    In this post and the one that followed it, you've done a marvelous job of quietly honouring not only your relations, but all of those who "gave all" in that mass carnage we call "World War II."

    Far too few Americans are aware of the heroic role of the ANZAC forces in both world wars.

    Veterans Day

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  21. JoeNovember 12, 2011 4:09 pm

    Hi Julie. I have visited this spot and found it a very moving place. The thought of so many young men laying down their lives for their country brings tears to your eyes.

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  22. Nathalie H.D.November 23, 2011 7:21 pm

    The perspective of the wall with its hundreds of poppies is achingly beautiful. Thank you for this... and for sharing the story about the letters found in Wendy Cole's home.

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