ALBUM - Anzac Day- Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.

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DescriptionAnzac Day- Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. Nearly every family in NZ had members or friends who served in the 2 world wars. My family was no exception. James McGinley, mum's brother and my uncle was killed in the trenches in 1917 in Belgium while returning from a no man's land patrol. Paddy Beban, dad's brother, was killed by a sniper while leading a patrol clearing Japanese soldiers from Green Island in the Bounganville area of the Pacific in February 1944. My uncle, Peter Carmody, adopted by the Beban family, also served in the same Bouganville area as Paddy in another Battalion. Leo Beban fought in the great battle of Monte Casino and other areas of Italy in 1944-45. Cyril McGinley, mum's brother, served in the Pacific War in 1943-45. Mum's nephew, my cousin, Merv Curtis, served in Greece, Crete and was a member of the famous long range desert group in Lybia, earning a Military Medal for bravery under fire in Crete. I remember these ANZACs who served their country in times of great need.

Photo 1:James McGinley. my Uncle, my mother's brother, KIA in Belgium, July, 1917 while returning from a patrol in no man's land between trenches in the worst fighting conditions imaginable, on the other side of the world from green peaceful NZ.

Photo 2:Cyril McGinley, my Uncle, mum's brother, circa 1943. Cyril served in Pacific HQ due to his touch typing ability. he later finalised his Law Letters and was a Solicitor renowned for his defence of hopeless cases and skills in drafting complicated contracts.

Photo 3:Leo Beban, served in Italy in 1944-45. He fought in the battle of Monte Casino, one of the important battles of WW2 where the Germans had a formidable position south of Rome which took 3 months to overcome by the advancing allied armies. Leo fought in the battle for the Monte Casino railway yards, which was a close contact assault against the entrenched German positions in hand to hand fighting.

Photo 4:My Uncle, Peter Carmody, who was in the NZ Expeditionary force in the Pacific Islands.

Photo 5:Patrick "Paddy" Beban. KIA Feb 1944. Paddy was leading a Company tasked with clearing Japanese soldiers from a corner of a small atoll, Green Island, north of the Solomon Islands, when he was killed by a sniper tied to a tree.

Photo 6:Mervyn Curtis, Military Medal. Merv was a member of the Long Range Desert Group in the Libyan Desert. This commando group operated behind enemy lines in raids against German positions and airfields. They were continually hunted by the enemy and were required to be self-sufficient. Merv was a mechanic, essential for keeping the mobile truck mounted troops mobile. I knew Merv in my youth as a cheerful Uncle working as a mill manager. Vale Merv.
Contributor Brian Beban.

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Location (city or town)GreymouthEventAnzac Day- Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.

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Category TagAnzacWar

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Date Created25th April 2023

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