Great-granddaughter honours ‘Lone Pine Bob’

Hannah was invited as she is also the great-granddaughter of Lt Robert Drysdale – better known as Lone Pine Bob, who in 1998 provided the seed which is today the towering pine tree in front of the school.

It was the first of 11 trees he planted in and around Kyabram.

She told the school while she was there to talk about her time on the Kokoda, she was excited to be delivering her address in front of her great-grandmother Alwyn, who did a lot to help Lone Pine Bob’s planting campaign.

“Fun fact, my mother and aunties attended this school years ago, and joining us today are Peter Walsh, the Nationals Member for Murray Plains, and Andrew Mole from his office, who were instrumental in my selection and success in Kokoda,” Hannah said.

“Completing the Kokoda has been my life’s greatest achievement, and I have gained so much from this experience,” she said.

“While I was there I learnt the real significance and importance of the soldiers, the extreme conditions and rugged terrain they faced and doing all of that with no guarantee that they were going to come home.

“For months before leaving, I had to train. Waking up early, going on long walks in the freezing cold, not realising just how hot and humid it was going to be.

“There was lots to it, with the hiking boots, backpacks, water supplies, clothes, first aid, food, rain gear and training for months beforehand.

“It would certainly be an understatement to say that this was a challenge even though I had all the right equipment.

“Only to arrive to half the porters wearing no shoes.”

Hannah said she could not imagine how, 84 years ago, soldiers wearing heavy leather boots with a thick canvas uniform, carrying a heavy bag with brass buckles which rubbed shoulders raw, not to mention the gun and weaponry they needed did it.

And she said most importantly was the huge responsibility they carried on their shoulders — defending Australia.

“There was no comparison with my trip, with all my modern equipment and knowing I would get to go home,” Hannah said.

“That comparison really puts things into perspective — it certainly did for me,” she said.

Commander Ward explained the Australian submarine AE2, commanded by LCDR Dacre Stoker, was the only allied submarine to successfully penetrate the very narrow Dardanelles at 2.30am on that fateful April 25 in 1915.

She said it was an operation which had a significant impact on the early stages of the Gallipoli campaign and the morale of the Australian troops.

Making the Navy the first success of what would become a disastrous campaign.

Then she outlined the story of the sailors of the Royal Australian Bridging Train, who arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula under fire on August 7 where they constructed the wharves, piers and shore facilities to support the ANZACs.

“The Bridging Train was active only during World War I and trained in Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens before deploying overseas,” Cmdr Ward said.

“They were all reservists, and many were much older than the regular recruits, and the term ‘train’ relates to the horse-drawn wagons which would move in a train carrying the unit’s heavy timber, building materials and equipment,” she said.

“This logistical support was crucial for maintaining the flow of men and materials onto the Gallipoli Peninsula throughout the rest of 1915, which included the Battle of Lone Pine, an offensive designed to break the stalemate, and although seven Australians would receive Victoria Crosses, we suffered thousands of casualties.

“Much like the entire Gallipoli campaign, which eventually resulted in a tactical withdrawal of Army troops under cover of night in late December.

“It was the men of the RAN Bridging Team who remained in the southern part of Suvla Bay, to maintain the wharf from which the British rearguard would leave.

“These men were kept busy maintaining the wharf, often damaged by shell fire, and were not evacuated until 4.30am on December 20 making our sailors the last Australians to leave the Gallipoli Peninsula.”