Anzac Day And Finding Darcy

Wednesday is Anzac Day, a day Australians commemorate not only the anniversary of  Australian and New Zealand forces landing on the Turkish Gallipoli Peninsula, but also the sacrifices made by so many Australians in many conflicts across the world.

As usual, I'll spend the day at the MCG with a dear friend, watching Collingwood play Essendon, enjoying the Anzac commemorations and hoping for a Pies win. 

North of Australia, families of civilians and members of "Lark Force" - the 2/22nd Battalion, will gather in Rabaul to mark 70 years since Japanese troops attacked, over-ran and captured the pacific islands of New Britain and New Ireland, and well as launching an assault on New Guinea.

At the Shrine of Rememberance, Melbourne.

The fall of Rabaul and the subsequent loss of over 1054 lives on the Japanese prisoner of war ship, the Montevideo Maru, is  at the heart of my young adult novel Finding Darcy.

Finding Darcy is loosely based on my own grandfather's experiences. He was a member of 2/22nd Battalion, C company and is listed as having been aboard the Montevideo Maru when it sank.

As much as I wanted to be in Rabaul for Anzac Day, 2012, it just wasn't possible. I am, however, attending the dedication of the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on July 1 and am very much looking forward to it.

You can find out more by reading Finding Darcy, of course, or by checking out the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru website where you can learn more about Rabaul, the Montevideo Maru and the stories of those who fought, including my grandfather, Pte W A McLennan.

My grandfather, holding my mum, with my grandmother, Trawool, 1941

Anzac Day - a card regarding Finding Darcy...

Last week a letter, re-addressed by my publishers, Black Dog Books, arrived containing a card from a lady who'd recently read Finding Darcy.
(Finding Darcy is based on a real incident, the sinking of Japanese Prisoner of War ship, the Montevideo Maru . My grandfather, Bill McLennan is listed as one of the 1056 Australians who died. The loss of the Montevideo Maru is Australia's greatest maritime disaster.)
The card, which brought tears to my eyes, started with the line 'Thank you for writing my family story...' and was written by the daughter of  another soldier listed as being on the Montevideo Maru. She outlined her family's pain and distress and how her father's death had a continuing profound effect on them, just as it had on my family and so many others.
When I wrote Finding Darcy, I was acutely aware of the need to honour these men and their families, while also recognising the pain and the impact of silence and secrets.
 I'm grateful to Helen for taking to the time to write to me, and so humbled as it seems I've been able to tell an important, painful incident in a way that is true to the men and the families. Someone who lived the story like Helen would spot a fake! Like my mum who was three when Bill died, Helen was 4 when her father died. My grandfather Bill and Helen's father were both in C Company. I wonder if they knew each other?

My grandparents and my mother, Trawool Camp. 1941