At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them...

Today is Remembrance Day.

And I do remember.

I remember how lucky I am to even be here.

Both my grandfathers survived WWI and my father survived WWII.

My father served with the Essex Regiment. He hardly spoke about the war.

One of the things he did say was that one night they had all their guns stolen by the enemy and were nearly court marshaled over it. I have yet to discover if it were true.

Dad’s father served with the 11^th Essex Regiment, in France. He was wounded a couple of times and eventually medically discharged. Mum’s father was a merchant seaman. In September 1917, he was a stoker on board the Port Kembla. Along with the rest of the crew, he would have had to make a mad scramble for the lifeboats when the ship hit a mine off Farewell Spit. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

I’ve met the guys who dived on the wreck, and held the ship’s bell and some of the crockery they salvaged from her.

http://www.petemesley.com/local%20trips%20port%20kembla.htm

http://www.divenewzealand.com/?s1=divetravel&s2=Dive%20Destinations&s3=Port%20Kembla%20Wreck%20Dive