Capalaba World War II veterans lay a wreath for Anzac Day

Local centenarians and World War II veterans Harold and Norman will be among those commemorating Anzac Day next week at a service at Bolton Clarke’s CapellaBay residential care home.

Harold, 102, and Norman, 103, are only eight months apart in age and share memories across the forces, with Harold serving in the Army and Norman in the Navy.

“Life in the Navy for a young fellow – 18 or 19 years of age – it’s an adventure because they say you’re going somewhere and you’ll see new places,” Norman says.

“I was initially drafted to HMAS Bunbury and then was transferred because the engineer commander liked the way I behaved in his office, so I was commissioned to the HMAS Ararat.”

Norman followed in the footsteps of his father who was in the Navy during World War I and says it has always been close to his heart.

“My dad went to war and he got wounded – many got killed – but he never told us about it and it was very difficult.

“I salute the cenotaph every day here when I walk past it. It was a war that was fought by a lot of young people that lost their lives and the least we can do is commemorate the day.”

For Harold, he initially started working in the Army stockpiling supplies in Brisbane in 1942 before being deployed overseas, serving in Bougainville and Emirau Island alongside American soldiers until his discharge as a Staff Sergeant in 1946.

“I automatically went into supply originally and it was different back then, all the ships would come right into Victoria Bridge for supplies because they were much smaller. I would have to look after the stocks of all sorts of things even as small as lamp wicks,” Harold says.

“I think it’s something that we should remember – it happened, we can’t deny it and people lost their lives for all sorts of wrong reasons.

“Every Anzac Day, I have stood proudly to honour those who never came home from wartime, and I believe their memories are etched in the service and the marches.”

Bolton Clarke CapellaBay residential care home will be holding a commemorative service on Wednesday 23^rd April at 10:30am.