On Saturday 21st Apr 2007 I sat in my comfy chair to read the newspaper and came to a heading, “Who Are the Anzacs known only to God in a Flanders Field?”
Soon I began to read of some Australian soldiers’ bodies being found by men digging in Belgium to lay gas pipes. They were recognised by their badges and had been hastily buried during a lull in fighting.
One name “jumped” out at me - Sgt George Calder of Goldsborough, Victoria. I remember my Aunt Gladys mentioning Calder and Goldsborough but, being a young uninterested person in past history, that is all I remembered.
I then looked through a box she left to me which contained a small diary revealing that I had relations to the Calder’s of Goldsborough. By the following Monday I was in touch with the Australian Army History Unit and from then on matters got very intense concluding with my DNA being a match to Great Uncle George 90 years apart!
With compliments of the Army, two of my Daughters then went to Belgium on the 4th Oct 2007 for the reinterment of 5 soldiers with one of those being Great Uncle George Calder.
My Daughters, Susan & Anne brought home for me the flag from the coffin, a new khaki hat and later on replica medals were sent to me. Media interviews were frequent and a documentary was made for Melbourne ABC and shown on the next Remembrance Day.
I am proud to be able to pass on this story. George Calder’s photo is now in the Dunolly Historical Museum (Victoria) where we were able to obtain a photo of him.
in Lange Dreve 5, Zonnebeke, Belgium
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