LOST SON OF GEURIE: Puzzle of our mystery Anzac finally solved
Dubbo Regional CouncilThe Daily Liberal April 21 2011 - 10:21AM
When World War I ended and the dust settled on the fallen soldiers of Geurie, there was one family that was never able to properly put their son to rest.
Of the 112 Geurie brothers, sons, uncles and fathers who fought in The Great War, one beloved soldier remained unaccounted for, making his demise a painful mystery for relatives and friends.
But 95 years later, in an age of DNA precision and global networking, the remaining family of Clarence Timbrell Collier can finally put their angst to bed.
The resting place of Clarence Collier has been located in France, thanks to the German Army’s meticulous records on soldiers’ distinguishing “dog tags”, and although his body hasn’t been formally identified yet, his great-nephew David Ward said it’s only a matter of time.
It has recently been discovered Clarence died during the Battle of Fromelles - the most infamous onslaught in Australian history - where more than 1900 Diggers were killed in one evening.
The Allies were no match for the German machine-gun brutality and, as a result, the 5th Australian Division suffered 5533 casualties overall, compared to the Germans’ 1000.
Keen amateur historian Lambis Englezos launched a search for the lost sons in 2002 and eight years later the excavation, which would later reveal 250 hastily buried Australians, began. They’ve since been exhumed, reburied in a military ceremony and given the remembrance honours they never previously achieved.
Clarence’s remarkable story made its way back to Geurie in January, when his great nephew David Ward and his wife Brigitte stopped by the Geurie Cenotaph to pay tribute to their uncle. On the Cenotaph his name was marked with a small diamond to signify he was missing in action.
Mr and Mrs Ward recounted their astonishing story to Lynne Palmer, a local history enthusiast who has dedicated much time to sharing the small town’s past.
“Clarence’s story has haunted our family for almost 100 years,” Mr Ward, a Charles Sturt University lecturer from Cudal, said.
“My great grandparents (Clarence’s sister and brother-in-law) used to experience a jolt of hope every time they walked down the street and saw someone of similar height and stance… Sadly they went to their graves not knowing what had happened.”
Read more at https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/870021/lost-son-of-geurie-puzzle-…
