REMEMBER WHEN

Saturday, April 23, 1977

IT WAS just days before Anzac Day but a Gallipoli veteran spoke out about how he would mark the important occasion.

Stan Thomas, 82, told the Bulletin about his experiences ahead of the 62nd anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.

The Broadbeach resident survived two depressions, two World Wars and “the era of the four Beatles” before finally receiving his “man with the donkey” medal from the Fraser government.

But despite having finally received his medal, Mr Thomas skipped that year’s Anzac march and instead stayed home to mull over his memories.

“I am not going to march because I do not know any veterans here,” he said.

Mr Thomas was born in Melbourne in 1895 and was just 19 when he signed up to fight in 1914.

He told the Bulletin about the “glory day” of Gallipoli which led the government to promise all men who fought there would receive a medal.

However, Mr Thomas did not receive his until 1973.

He proudly showed off his medal, which bore the inscription “in recognition of the great debt owed by all Australians”.

Mr Thomas recalled his memories of climbing the pyramids in Egypt, learning to swim in the Suez Canal and on the Dead Sea, camping in the Egyptian desert and riding from Cairo to Jerusalem in what is now the state of Israel.

“It was quite a full life for a boy from 1914 Melbourne,” Mr Thomas said.

Meanwhile, a woman was doing the ironing in her Ferny Ave apartment when a truck collided with her wall.