Anzac trip to dream about
FOR a history teacher, the chance to tour First World War France and take part in an Anzac Day Dawn Service there is a dream come true.
And that dream is about to come true for Christian Outreach College teacher Tim McMahon who has been selected to chaperone a group of Queensland school students to the Western Front as part of the Premier’s Anzac Prize.
“I had entered some of our kids into the competition in the past and four or five have gone over there,” Mr McMahon said.
“This year I entered as a teacher and was selected.
“To be able to go and see where they served is amazing and I’m really looking forward to the (Anzac Day) dawn service at Villers Bretonneux.”
As part of his selection, Mr McMahon had to research soldiers who served on the Western Front.
He found George Turner, an Englishman who migrated to Toowoomba where he became the head violinist at the Empire Theatre.
Another was Drayton-born George Shepperd, a school teacher when he enlisted.
“He was shot at Gallipoli and then again on the Western Front but was eventually killed attacking a German machine gun nest,” Mr McMahon said.
“He lived in South St, Toowoomba, and I went to the home and spoke with the woman who lives there now.
“They asked us to take a rock or a stone from the person’s home area to place with their grave in France and the lady gave me an old horse shoe that had been dug up in the yard.
“It looks about 100 years old. I’ll place it near his plaque.”
Mr McMahon is looking for any family or further information on George Shepperd, George Turner or a third Digger, Thomas Campion, who hailed from Dalby but grew up in Wyreema.
Mr McMahon can be contacted on 0402 232 189.
Toowoomba teacher off to Western Front
HE WAS SHOT AT GALLIPOLI AND THEN AGAIN ON THE WESTERN FRONT.