Due to technical issues at the San Remo Remembrance Day event, the PA was not operating. Many in attendance may have had difficulty hearing the speech from guest speaker, Jane Ross, Legatee. The speech is reproduced here in full.
Jane Ross – Legatee – Speech for Remembrance Day 2023
On this Remembrance Day, we think of the evocative ode to the fallen called In Flanders Fields.
That poem was written during World War I and was followed by another equally emotive set of verses – The Answer, the beginning of which states: Fear not that you have died for naught; The torch you threw to us, we caught.
One of the men who caught that torch was Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Savige. And if you think savage might perhaps be an apt name for a soldier, I will point out it is spelt Savige, not savage.
Sir Stanley is at the forefront of the minds of many this year, because it is the Centenary of Legacy, a uniquely Australian organisation which cares for the widows and children of those who died, or have given their health in the service of this nation.
Sir Stanley grew up in Korumburra, joined the Scouts and went on to serve with distinction in both World Wars.
On his return from the first, he set about gathering like-minded veterans to heed the message given by Diggers dying on the battlefield to – “look after the missus and kids”.
Stan Savige was a deeply religious man, so when World War I broke out, he was conflicted about what path he should take. He spent two days alone in a forested area, pondering the question: go to war or not? He came to the conclusion that he had to enlist.
He was part of the Gallipoli campaign and served on the Western front at the battles of Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Bullecourt and Passchendale – names that will be familiar to anyone who knows anything about World War I. Safe to say, each of those battles was horrendous.
In 1918, he joined Dunsterforce and is credited with almost single-handedly saving 70,000 Assyrian refugees from slaughter.
Dunsterforce was charged with fighting Turkish forces who were persecuting thousands of Assyrian Christians.
He found the refugees fleeing certain death and, despite being told to fall back, he deployed a small group of volunteers from his own force, along with some of the refugees, to form a rearguard to hold back the Persians and Kurds who were murdering the refugees and carrying off young girls as slaves.
Official war historian Charles Bean later wrote: “The stand made by Savige and his eight companions … against hundreds of the enemy thirsting like wolves to get at the defenceless throng, was as fine as any episode known to the present writer in the history of this war.”
Being decorated for this effort with a Distinguished Service Order, his citation read in part, “by his resource and able dispositions kept off the enemy, who were in greatly superior numbers, extricating his command most skilfully. His cool determination and fine example inspired his men and put heart into the frightened refugees.”
Savige was mentioned in despatches four times for conspicuous gallantry and also became the holder of a Military Cross.
One of the soldiers who joined Stan Savige in founding Legacy in 1923, was Victoria Cross winner Lieutenant-Colonel Donovan Joynt.
He was awarded his VC for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in a town on the banks of the Somme, France, in August 1918. His company commander was killed, he took charge of an operation and with skill, daring and courage, turned a certain defeat into stubborn defence and success.
As this is Remembrance Day, I mention him because he led the Legacy defence of the campaign for Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance as a tangible memorial to those who gave their lives in World War I.
The RSL was determined a public square should be established instead.
With Legacy’s backing, Joynt campaigned hard for the shrine. It was he who convinced Sir John Monash to announce his support for the shrine at an RSL Anzac Eve dinner. Joynt had lined up the other VC winners present, all applauding loudly when Sir John made his announcement.
Thus we have our magnificent shrine, a sombre reminder of our heritage.
As an interesting aside, Legatee Donovan Joynt helped plant a Lone Pine tree in Coleman Park near the Cenotaph in Korumburra in 1981, when he was 95. He died in 1986 as Australia’s last World War I VC recipient.
Men such as Stan Savige and Donovan Joynt are exemplars of a life of service and consideration for others. We owe them a great debt.
Lest We Forget.