aboriginalsoldiers

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island war heroes ‘vanished’ from the Anzac legend Don't miss out on the headlines from City East. Followed categories will be added to My News. Follow Horace Dalton was so keen to fight for his country in 1918, he lied about his “substantial European” origins in order to enlist. The 19-year-old Queenslander signed up in May, and by August was disembarking in Suez, Egypt, to begin training for the Australian Light Horse Remount Unit. The young indigenous trooper would fight in the 11th Light Horse Regiment in Egypt for the next year before he was hospitalized with an ear infection and discharged. It was a short service, but one he gave proudly for the rights and freedoms of his fellow Australians. Sadly, when he returned home in 1919 he found he had few of his own. Like so many indigenous diggers, Trooper Dalton’s homecoming was marred by racism and inequality. It would be 56 years after his death that his contribution would be honored in military service in Ipswich. Some came back to find their children had been taken away or their homes on mission stations were carved up for soldier settlements and distributed to white war veterans – only three Aboriginal servicemen who served in World War I received a land grant. They were not even allowed into their local RSL to buy a beer and many were prevented from marching on Anzac Day. “It’s like we vanished,” Gary Oakley, indigenous liaison officer for the Australian War Memorial, said. “Many (soldiers) came back from war, took the uniform off, hung it up in the wardrobe and went back to work. Most indigenous people came back to no job.” Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/city-east/aboriginal-...

CUBBO JOHN Private 3121A, 5th Light Horse Regiment Born Kilkivan, Queensland Enlisted Re- 1st June 1918 Occupation at enlistment Station Hand Remark Embarked Sydney “Port Darwin” 14th September 1918Listed in DVD Cherbourg Returned to Australia “Madras” 5th August 1919 Discharged Source: www.southburnett.qld.gov.au/directory-record/565/cubbo-john 20th August 1919

Charles Baird His birth year was indicated to be 1889 having given his age as 26 years when he enlisted for Military Service in Cooktown on 5 May 1915. He also gave his Next of Kin as Norman Baird (his brother) and his occupation as a Miner. His Service No. was 1234A. Charles was one of many, including Norman, from the Cooktown area who enlisted and served overseas in World War One. He was awarded The 1914-1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal. In 1913 and 1915, Charles Baird had been on the Electoral Roll at Bloomfield River in the Subdistrict of Cooktown, giving his occupation as a MIner. In 1916 and 1919, Charles and Norman were both on the same Electoral Rolls at Bloomfield River giving their occupations as Miners. Noel Pearson referred to Norman and Charles as "TWO of my maternal grandfathers, each of whom I would call Ngaji in our Kuku Yalanji language, and great-uncle in English, served ... in World War I" [6]. This article also gives Charles as "Charlie (1890-1966)" for a probable death year about 1966. Source: www.wikitree.com/wiki/Baird-4931