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on Nazis
Some time at the end of May 1941, Gunner Colin Murray was captured by German Nazi forces on the island of Crete. He was 26 years old. And he was my grandfather.
on NazisSome time at the end of May 1941, Gunner Colin Murray was captured by German Nazi forces on the island of Crete. He was 26 years old. And he was my grandfather.
Pa originally enlisted because he’d heard that if you joined the Calvary, you got a horse. Instead he ended up with the artillery: 2/3rd Regiment, 6th Div. I’m sure that both he and his best friend, Gunner Doug Burling, thought they were on a marvelous adventure.
Until the Battle of Crete. Historians generally regard this as a massive clusterfuck. Hundreds of civilian fatalities occurred, thousands lost on either side. Pa and Doug were captured whilst trying to mount a rear-guard defence; their gun jammed. For them the war was over.
They were transferred to Stalag VIIa and then eventually Stalag VIIb. Pa and Doug spent the rest of the war trying to escape.
Until 13 December 1943. Doug was shot in a shower block as he asked for the German guard to “wait a minute”. It was his 25th birthday. Pa never recovered from the death of his best friend and even named his firstborn child – my father – for Doug.
A few months later Pa and his fellow POWs were forced on the Death March across Europe. In the dead of winter, they were forced to march hundreds of kms as the Nazis fled the Allied forces.
This is a hand-painted handkerchief Pa bought from a fellow POW for a few cigarettes.
This is a hand-painted handkerchief Pa bought from a fellow POW for a few cigarettes.
Pa was “recovered” by Allied forces on 22 May 1945, after more than 4 years as a POW. He was repatriated back to Australia and married my grandmother, Ruby Edwards. They had four children, seven grandchildren, several dogs and 60 years of happy marriage.
But Nazis haunted my grandfather’s deepest nightmares for the rest of his life.
Seeing people proudly associating themselves with Nazism is on one hand, ludicrous, and on the other hand, devastating. My grandfather fought against this scourge and spent the rest of his life paying for it.
Folk wearing t-shirts celebrating Nazism aren’t being clever or funny. It doesn’t come from a place of strength. These terrorists are cowards. My anger has made me somewhat illiterate; I can’t adequately describe just how profoundly angry I am about this surge of white supremacy.
All I can do is remember. Remember Pa, and remember Doug #NeverForget
The handkerchief is now displayed at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney. We are all touched by this legacy. If you're ever walking past, please go and say hi to Pa. He loved a chat.
The handkerchief is now displayed at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney. We are all touched by this legacy. If you're ever walking past, please go and say hi to Pa. He loved a chat.
Vale Gunner Colin Henry Murray, NX13160
Vale Gunner Douglas Haig Burling, NX12877
May your legacy never go forgotten.
~FIN~
Vale Gunner Douglas Haig Burling, NX12877
May your legacy never go forgotten.
~FIN~
