The Stories Behind Us.

Every great story has a cast of characters and every character has a history. This history may be the characters own personal experiences, the history of their ancestors or a combination of the two. We want to show that we have a large history that has motivated us to embark on this amazing journey. The people that have inspired us and their deeds that have filled us with pride and moulded us into the people we are today.

Stuart Willson

Stuart joined the Army in May 2002 and completed his training at Wagga and Pukapunya. He joined 2nd CAV and was first deployed in 2003 with SECDECT to Iraq. He was deployed a second time in 2004 with AMTG to Iraq again. He was then deployed again to Iraq with OBGW in 2007. His last deployment in 2008 was to Afghanistan with RTF with 2/14 LHA. Stuart served his country with pride an honor at all times. The photo is showing Stuart in Afghanistan last year. Stuart has now left the ARA and is now with the Reserves.

George Haigh

George Haigh was born on the 25th of July 1872 in the Parish of Haincliffe, Yorkshire. He worked as miner as his father had untill the Great War called. He enlisted in the York and Lancaster Regiment on the 18th of August 1914. He fought throughout Europe and was discharged on the 24th of December 1917 being no longer fit for military service. After the war he got a job at the Barrow Chemical Works and was accidentally gassed to death on the 29th of December 1919 aged 52. Going by the maths he was 47 years old when he first enlisted in the army. I see this as no mean feat for a man nearing 50 to respond to the call to arms and go and fight for King and country.

Herb Parkes

Alfred Herbet Parkes is Jades Grandfather. He lied about his age and joined the 1st Royal N.S.W Lancers (Lighthorse) in 1938. The Lighthorse Regiment became the 1st Armoured Regiment. In 1942 he transfered to the 2nd 1st Battalion 6th Division in the 2nd World War. He trained at Cunungra in the Atherton Tablelands QLD. In September 1942 he was sent to Port Moresby to the Kokada Track. He contracted cerebral Malaria and spent 4 weeks in Lae Hospital. Whilst back in Australia he completed his Jungle Training course and spent time at Kapooka as an Ack-Ack Instructor. In Nov 1944 he was sent to Aitape, New Guinea, to relive American troops and became attached to the troops of the 2/6 Cavalry Commando Regiment patrolling the Terricelli Mountains of New Guinea. On the 11th of May he joined the HMAS Swan and landed at Dove Bay by ship tanks and went on to Wewak New Guinea. When the war ended in 1945 he was shipped to Rebaul for 12 months, securing 4000 Japanese prisoners. He was discharged from the Army June 1946.

Andrew Marr

Andrew Marr enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders 1st/7th Battalion when he was 17 years old in 1914. He was killed at the Battle of Cambai on the 20th of November 1917. He is buried at Orival Wood Cemetary, Flesquieres. The Gordon Highlanders was a British Army Infantry Regiment from 1881 to 1914. The regiment took it's name from the Clan Gordon and recruited principally from Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland. The Gordons raised 21 Battalions in the First World War, serving on the Western Front and in Italy and won 65 battle honours. The regiment lost 1000 officers and 28,000 men during the war. The Battle of Cambrai is noted as being the first successful use of tanks in a combined arms operation.

James Marr

James Marr joined the AIF on the 31st of August 1914 at the age of 19. He was originally born in Dunbar Scotland but moved to Australia at an early age. He was part of the Gallipoli landing where he fought untill he contracted pneumonia on the 17th of August 1917. He was shipped to Malta and then Britain to recuperate. He returned to the western front and finished out the war in France and Belgium. He attained the rank of Corporal by the end of the war and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He was discharged from the AIF on the 26th of June 1919.When World War 2 erupted he answered the call again. He passed away peacefully on the 2nd of November 1974.