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| Down Under |
| Last World War I digger Jack Ross dies |
| 2009-06-03 |
| AUSTRALIA'S oldest man and last remaining World War I digger Jack Ross has died, aged 110. Mr Ross died peacefully in his sleep at the Golden Oaks Nursing Home in the central Victorian city of Bendigo about 4am (AEST) this morning. Mr Ross turned 110 on March 9 this year. As an 18-year-old Mr Ross enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in January, 1918 and trained at the wireless training school before he was posted to the 1st Battalion at Broadmeadows camp in Victoria. But the war ended before he could be posted overseas and he was demobilised on Christmas Eve. He served Australia again in World War II as a member of the volunteer defence corps. Mr Ross was awarded the 80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance medal in 1998 to commemorate the end of WWI. He also received the Centenary Medal for his contribution to Australian society in the 100 years since federation. In civilian life Mr Ross worked for the Victorian railways for more than 45 years before retiring in 1964. He is survived by his daughter Peggy, son Robert, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Mr Ross didn't drink or smoke, but his one vice was chocolate. A life-long member of the Labor Party, he marched in Anzac Day parades until recent years when he preferred to watch the marches from the comfort of his bed. And so now every April, I sit on my porch And I watch the parade pass before me. And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march, Reviving old dreams of past glory, And the old men march slowly, all bones stiff and sore, They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask "What are they marching for?" And I ask meself the same question. But the band plays "Waltzing Matilda," And the old men still answer the call, But as year follows year, more old men disappear Someday, no one will march there at all. Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda. Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me? And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong, Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me? |
| Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy |
| #6 I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather did, and not screaming in terror like his passengers. Oh my. I did not expect that last bit, Atomic Conspiracy. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-06-03 23:39 |
| #5 R.I.P Mate. |
| Posted by: Oztralian 2009-06-03 21:07 |
| #4 I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather did, and not screaming in terror like his passengers. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2009-06-03 21:05 |
| #3 My father always said he wanted to be shot climbing out of a bedroom window at age 95. |
| Posted by: mstrmech 2009-06-03 14:55 |
| #2 I am reminded of a lady, over a hundred, highly respected in her town. So much so that her local newspaper pre-wrote her prospective obituary to highlight her importance. Then, through a serious screw up, published it under the headline, "Three die in drunken knife fight in local bar". The old lady remarked that she preferred that obit headline to whatever the real one would eventually be. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-06-03 11:44 |
| #1 God Bless the Diggers, every one. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-06-03 08:23 |