We welcome your letters and feedback for publication. Grayton Whitaker

Address to: The Editor, Boating New Zealand, PO Box 6341, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141, or email editor@boatingnz.co.nz

I RECENTLY READ Harold Kidd’s most interesting article on Cyril Bassett and Cecil Whitaker, the two sailing friends who served at Gallipoli during the First World War [ Boating NZ, April 2015].

The interest to me was a series of unusual coincidences in that I only recently discovered that C G Whitaker was my uncle. As my husband and I visited Gallipoli on the occasion of the 100th anniversary, we were able to visit the memorial at Lone Pine where his name was engraved and to place a poppy alongside the name.

We suspect no other relation had visited the memorial.

My father was Grayton Murdock Whitaker, Cecil’s younger brother, who served in the artillery during the Second World War. On his return from Italy he lived on his scow, the Pahiki, with my mother between 1943 and 1946.

The second coincidence is that my husband, Robert Tilsley, is the only son of Lt Col Robert Tilsley MC, DCM, ED, mid, who was a lifelong friend of Cyril Bassett.

He and Cyril were both decorated on the same day by King George V in London. My father-in-law won the DCM at Quinn’s Post on 5 June 1915. A Cpl Bennett of the Wellington Regt was also decorated by the King on that day.

May I ask if you discovered any further information on my father and uncle while researching your article?

My mother knew some of Grayton’s background as a school inspector and as a market gardener in Norfolk Island between the wars. He was buried at Northcote Cemetery and the remains of the scow Pahiki sit under the causeway at Waiheke Island. Cecil was born 28 February 1893. and Grayton was born on 27 July 1899 and died in 1966. Grayton also encouraged young sailors in their hobby.

I was proud to wear Grayton’s medals at Gallipoli. These had been given to me by friends of Grayton as he had no other known children.