Eyes right: Seven-year-old Koby Charles, wearing the historic headwear of his great grandfather, was involved in the Rochester Anzac Day march for the first time. His grandmother Lois Toohey still lives in Rochester.
There is always a story behind the medals that hanging from the tiny chests of the young descendants of wartime heroes — five-year-old Remi Kyne was just one of those.
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She wore the remembrance medal of her great-grandfather, Lionel Penny, which had been struck by the Gull Force 2/21st Battalion Association.
The battalion was formed in July 1940 at Trawool (just outside Seymour) and spent three days at sea travelling from Darwin to the Indonesian Island of Ambon as part of Gull Force in December 1941.
Most of the 1090 soldiers that made up Gull Force, including Lionel Penny and his brother Ray, became Japanese prisoners of war when the overwhelming Japanese strength saw the island taken despite determined resistance.
The surrender came on February 3, 1942.
The Penny brothers were among about 500 prisoners sent to Hainan, an island in the South China Sea off the coast of mainland China. They were used to build roads and viaducts for industry on the island and a large number of Gull Force died in captivity.
At the end of August 1945, more than three years after being captured, Americans liberated the prisoners from Hainan. They returned to Ambon where the Penny brothers and other surviving Australian POWs waited four weeks to be rescued by the Royal Australian Navy.
The Penny brothers married two sisters and Lionel was famous for being one of Santa’s helpers for 60-plus years. That is a role now performed by grandson Brett Kyne.
Marching in memory: Nate Charles proudly shows off the medals of his great-grandfather Mac Bickley.
Kate Kyne, Remi’s mother and granddaughter of Lionel Penny, said her grandfather had helped his sick brother survive the three years as a prisoner.
Lionel, who was born in Echuca, married a Rochester girl, Alice Lorrainer Egan, and was a father of three.
He worked on the Heinz experimental farm at Rochester and also with Murray Goulburn. He died in 2012.
Kate’s brother, and Remi’s uncle, Brett was also a key member of the Anzac Day parade.
He was presented with the Spririt of Anzac award at the commemoration ceremony. He and wife Catherine’s three children, Blake, Heath and Sophie, marched alongside Remi last Wednesday.
— Two great grandsons of a former Rochester soldier Mac Bickley travelled more than two hours to be involved in the march in the home town of their extended family.
Mac’s grand daughter, Tegan Charles, travelled with her sons to attend the match and the youngest wore his great grandfather’s slouch hat
Nate Charles, 10, and his seven-year-old brother were honouring the memory of their great-grandfather, who was from a farm just outside Rochester at Ballendella.
Mac served in World War II for five years (mostly Dutch New Guinea) and it was the brothers’ first time marching at Rochester, wearing their pop’s war medals.
Mac’s two daughters, Lois Toohey and Anne Oogjes, still live in Rochester.
Medal moment: St Joseph’s primary schooler Evie Simms takes a moment to honour the fallen at the Rochester Anzac Day commemoration service last Wednesday.
Gull Force memories: Five-year-old Remi Kyne, wearing the medal of the Gull Force 2/21st Battalion, was marching alongside her three cousins in memory of their great-grandfather Lionel Penny.
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