Between 2014 and 2018 Australia will commemorate the Anzac Centenary, marking 100 years since our nation’s involvement in the First World War.
It was fascinating to find out through my sister Deb Smith that we actually have an Anzac Hero in our family heritage.
Thanks to Deb’s searching ability on Ancentry.com where they recently released new information about World War 1 Anzacs that she managed to find a photo of our Great Uncle Mayson Penn who died at Gallipoli in 1915.
Great Uncle Mayson immigrated to Australia from England with our Dad’s father William Mossop Penn in 1912 and two years later war broke out in Europe. Similar to a lot of young men at that time, he enlisted at Liverpool in Sydney and joined the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) 19th Battalion.
Unfortunately, he died whilst leaving the trenches to fight on Hill 60 on 25th August 1915 and is buried at Lone Pine War Memorial at Gallipoli (his photo and name are inscribed in the photos attached).
To imagine that he traveled from England all the way to Australia for a better life only to travel back to Europe and be killed fighting for Australia is a heartbreak, as it was for the families of 60,000 who were killed and 156,000 wounded, gassed or taken as prisoners’.
When we acknowledge ANZACS in years to come, we will be thinking of our Great Uncle Mayson Penn, a factual Anzac Hero.
Snip Bits of Life 