Tag Archives | Splendour Rock

Writing the book “Splendour Rock – A Bushwalkers War Memorial” with Michael Keats OAM was a great COVID project.  ANZAC Day is not far off again.  On ANZAC Day in 1948 Bushwalking NSW in a simple ceremony lead by Paddy Pallin dedicated the memorial that had been installed in February of that year.  Thirteen men were recognized as being killed on active service but what about the women.  Our book describes the fallen men in detail.

WWI was mostly a male affair.  Women were present in small numbers mostly only as nursing staff.  Plenty of socks were knitted and ANZAC biscuits baked.  You even had the silliness of white feathers being anonymously sent to repatriated soldiers no longer fit for duty.  Early 20^th Australian history is fascinating.  In WWII women were not invisible.

One list I have never seen is the names of those present on ANZAC Day 1948.  Another list I could not find but that I could re-establish was the bushwalkers who served in WWII.  Our book has a list of 191 bushwalkers, young men and women from Bushwalking NSW Clubs who served in uniform from the recognized armed services to the merchant marine and “Australian Women’s Land Army” (AWLA).  One club, the Rucksack Club with almost equal numbers of both genders was noticeable for having more women than men in uniform.

During WWII the Manpower Directorate aimed to control all working age Australians in their occupations (the “draft” in another name).  Eventually nearly 1 million of a population of just 7 million were in uniform.  Many women were keen to serve and several voluntary organisations were formed as well as auxiliaries to the army, navy and air force.  So, not quite full members but still serving in important roles.

Despite the Japanese threat it was not all plain sailing.  There still were older men who resisted change.  Women also went into factories.  It was a different time.  When I first joined the work force there were still tradesmen from WWII who rejoiced in stories of women blushing when asking for a “mill bastard” metal file!

Well after WWII the RSL resisted women from the AWLA marching on ANZAC Day.  They did reneg and allowed them to march at the end of the parade.  Despite this my Aunty Merle had a fabulous time in the AWLA as farm labour and kept in touch with her friends from WWII.  Merle would take my two brothers and I to AWLA reunions as relief (I guess) for her sister.  (We were young and just found the events boring).  When Merle died in 1992, I was asked to be a pall bearer.  Four women I did not know turned up in green blazers.  As we carried Merle’s coffin out of the church, they were there as a “Guard of Honour” for their mate.

In 1994 Australia did recognize the women of the AWLA which was among the civilian groups to be recognized for their service in WWII.  Merle never married so I applied for her medal.  It was slow to arrive but was well presented so after showing it to our children and taking pictures of it I posted it to my cousin who had looked after Merle in her later years.

Australian women did play an important role in WWII.  We may never fully know how many women were involved as code breakers.  They were told to keep it a secret, and that it what they did well past 1945!

There are three great books I would recommend regarding Australian women in WWII and the authorities they served with –

Scott, Jean. Girls with Grit 1986. Allen & Unwin – ISBN 994 04 ‘2’ 088042.  A history of the AWLA that includes my Aunty Merle as “The Land Army Queen”.

Adam Smith, Patsy. Australian Women at War 2014. The Five Mile Press – ISBN 9781760062637. The “Abbreviations” shown on p. 379 lists all Enlisted Services for Women and Men plus Decorations etc.

Duffy, David F. Radio Girl: the story of the remarkable Mrs Mac, pioneering engineer and wartime legend 2020. Allen & Unwin – ISBN 9781760876654. An excellent read that mentions many voluntary women’s groups in WWII and the fight to be accepted.

Maxwell, Keith & Keats, Michael OAM. Splendour Rock – A Bushwalker’s War Memorial 2023. Design Portfolio – ISBN 978-0-6487913-2-4. This great reference is available where you find all good bushwalking books in the Blue Mountains or via the Bush Explorers website at https://bushexplorers.com.au/catalog

Keith Maxwell.

Honorary Historian BNSW.

November 11 is not far away, and many Australians will pause at 11am for a minute to reflect on the end of the mass slaughter that was so much a part of “The Great War” that was to be “The War to End All Wars”.

Of course, WWII was just twenty years away and the sons of many AIF (Australian Imperial Force – the Australian Army) servicemen in turn (such as my uncle) served in the Second AIF when Australia was seriously threatened in the Pacific Campaign.

From the book on “Splendour Rock – A Bushwalkers War Memorial” by Michael Keats and I we know that 191 bushwalkers (young men and women) served in uniform with 13 bushwalkers now being remembered at Splendour Rock.

But perhaps another name should be considered as a victim of WWII although it was before 3 September 1939.

The guns fell silent at 11am on the 11 November 1918 but the war was not over until the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919.  While this Treaty tried to avoid a future war by limiting the size of armed forces worldwide it failed.  Japan felt slighted from not being treated as an equal to the European nations and Adolf Hitler convinced the Germans that Germany had been stabbed in the back by the Allies (not correct).

In 1939 the drums of war were beating as Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of Great Britain tried to negotiate with Adolf Hitler to avoid war.  Recently, Jeff Howard a past President of CMW mentioned a club member who died while training as a RAAF Flying Officer.

Maxwell Leonard Hickson joined RAAF on 17 January 1938 so would seem to have seen troubled times ahead.  On 29 April 1939 he was one of two pilots, and two other aircrew killed near Riverstone when an Avro Anson bomber crashed.  From what Jeff Howard can see in early CMW records Max would have been close to a foundation member of CMW.

So, Maxwell Leonard Hickson was prepared to serve in WWII and thus there is a strong case that he should be remembered as one of the fallen bushwalkers Bushwalking NSW recognises at Splendour Rock.

Keith Maxwell.

Honorary Historian BNSW.

No, its not a fallen bushwalker overlooked just after WWII but one of a remarkable group of Australians that should be better known.

All overnight bushwalkers should camp at least once on top of dry Mt Dingo (in the Wild Dogs of the Megalong Valley) near its southern end on 24 April for an early start.  From around 5.30am onwards they will hear the tramp of feet as bushwalkers gather for the 6am Dawn Service at Splendour Rock.

Splendour Rock was a special place even before it was dedicated as a bushwalkers war memorial on ANZAC Day 1948.  The plaque is on a small rock island in what surely must be a bushwalkers cathedral.  There is no stained-glass window but an amazing view of the southern Blue Mountains.  Mountains just disappear into the distance bounded in the east by King’s Tableland and to the west by Kanangra Walls and the High Gangerangs of Mt Cloudmaker.

In a moving but simple service thirteen (13) bushwalkers who died on active service in WWII are remembered.  With luck you will greeted by an amazing sunrise as the red dawn spreads out from King’s Tableland.

In February 2023 Michael Keats and I released a book “Splendour Rock – A Bushwalkers War Memorial” that documents these bushwalkers but also four other plaques at Splendour Rock available through www.bushexplorers.com.au

The History pages of Bushwalking NSW holds a page on Splendour Rock where you will find answers to obvious questions such as who were the fallen plus some details on the other four plaques in the immediate area.

But who were the bushwalkers who served and returned from WWII?  I am quietly pleased to have prepared a list for the book from available resources of 191 bushwalkers (including the thirteen fallen) since I could not find a list.

One name appeared frequently in a major resource as a POW correspondent – Bill Cawood.  Each month during WWII in the Sydney Bush Walker magazine there was a section “Letters from the Lads and Lasses” where young men and women in uniform from any bushwalking club were listed.

Now, I often read books about the edges of WWII such as a recent library loan of how the French hid the Mona Lisa and other art works from the Nazis who were known art thieves.  Or a book about the 2/5 AGH – “Proudly We Served”.  An essential part of an army must a hospital based close to the front line such as an Australian General Hospital – AGH.

One group of remarkable unarmed Australian servicemen accepted becoming POWs.  A desperate attempt to slow the German Army in Greece and Crete led to evacuation under fire via warship.  The female nursing staff of the 2/5 AGH were evacuated while a core of doctors and support staff stayed behind to care for injured Australian servicemen.  Their story is one of survival as they moved from prison camp to prison camp as they continued to care for those around them with limited bandages etc.  Later, it was desperate times as all sorts of starving people were on the move in various directions as armies closed in on a war-torn Germany during winter of 1945.  During this time the 2/5 AGH continued to assist those around them.

Previously I have never seen a bushwalker mentioned by name in a book unrelated to bushwalking but one man of this remarkable group of medical staff, is mentioned by name – Bill Cawood.  Thus, Sydney Bush Walkers should be very proud of an Australian who served in WWII with great distinction as an unarmed serviceman.

Hence when you reflect at Splendour Rock on the thirteen bushwalkers who did not return from WWII also remember an unarmed bushwalker who showed great care for his mates and others around him – Bill Cawood.

Keith Maxwell.

The Splendour Rock plaque from 1948.

ANZAC Day is not far away so your mind may be turning to the special memorial at Splendour Rock that remembers 13 bushwalkers (from bushwalking clubs of Bushwalking NSW) who did not return from World War II.  This memorial in the Megalong Valley of the Blue Mountains must be Australia’s most remote war memorial.

You may or may not be aware of some other memorial plaques at this site.  A new book by Keith Maxwell and Michael Keats OAM should be on your bookshelf.  It is the definitive work that is bound to become a valuable reference on Splendour Rock with so much information.  It answers so many questions.  For example,

# Who found Splendour Rock plus when was the plaque installed and by whom?

# When was the memorial put on the official NSW register of war memorials and Australian War Memorial?

# Who are the bushwalkers remembered and what did they look like plus who were the bushwalkers who served and returned from WWII?

# How did the bushwalkers at home support their friends in uniform?

# How have these bushwalkers been remembered at ANZAC Day Dawn Services starting in 1948?

# What are the other memorial plaques including on the Central Coast and in a North Sydney church?  What is their story?

# How have fallen NZ (of ANZAC – New Zealand) trampers been remembered?

# What is the bushwalking club founded by a walk to Splendour Rock?

With 360 glossy pages it is a great read packed full of so much information plus pictures and early maps.  A must for every bushwalker’s bookshelf.

Splendour Rock – A Bushwalkers War Memorial by Keith Maxwell and Michael Keats OAM is available at bookshops where you find other great bushwalking books or from the website – bushexplorers.com.au (postage free at $66)

Keith Maxwell.

The Splendour Rock Choir from the Illawarra Grammar School.