Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

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David J Delaney

Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by David J Delaney » Fri Nov 19, 2010 2:40 pm

Reg was the 1st Aboriginal to become a commissioned officer.



Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

The nineteen twenty’s saw his birth,
out in Victoria’s wild west,
raised by his loving grandmother,
he passed with ease his manhood test.

From the Gunditjmara tribe,
upon the Framlingham reserves.
I’ll try to honour this great man,
and in a way he so deserves.

While at the sawmill working hard,
continued yearnings grew within,
to fight for south Americans,
for him they always felt like kin.

Instead this proud Australian lad,
who’s now, nineteen years old at least,
signs up, for the worlds second war,
then shipped out to the middle east.

Surviving German aircraft strikes,
he thinks he’s granted a release.
Sent to the European fight,
the conflict being fought in Greece.

Now this disastrous doomed campaign
for many allies now on Crete,
orders were given to retreat
while facing imminent defeat.

This hero Aboriginal,
who's strength, with family regains,
again he joins battalion mates,
now fighting in New Guinea’s rains.

Received promotions from the ranks,
then leads his men as sergeants do,
respected by them all because,
he was not false, but just true blue.

Within the final months of war,
now leader of his own platoon,
He misses family and home,
and peaceful nights beneath the moon.

Heard how his brother won’t return,
they’ll never share a fire at night.
He lies now in a jungle grave,
killed in Kokoda’s deadly fight.

Home working as a shipping clerk
now finds it hard to settle down,
he then works as a labourer
at building sites around the town.

When the Korean war began
he quickly signed up once again,
farewelled his children and his wife
hopes one day soon to be with them.

Returns a Captain of his men
the 3rd battalion R.A.R.
And won the hearts of those with him,
best leader they all had by far.

He fought the battle of Kapyong,
recorded by historians,
outnumbered drove the Chinese back,
those Aussies and Canadians.

once, he was interviewed and asked,
about Australia’s own and bred
indigenous battalion group,
so, now I quote what he then said.

-------------------------------------------------------

“The Americans had negro officers,
but they all mostly handled negro troops.
I’m dead against the idea,
it would mean demarcation and a separateness.
They would be treated as something apart,
that would be bad and break my heart”

--------------------------------------------------------

Resigned in nineteen fifty four
worked in the logging industry,
he then moved onto Sydney’s shore
this famous Aborigine.

I know I tribute just one man
when many ‘aussie’s’ gave their life,
although they’re Aboriginals
they were as one through all the strife.

I sometimes sit in disbelief
why Aussie’s don’t know more of Reg.
And how, himself made history
reciting his first soldier’s pledge.

When honouring our Aussie greats,
include within their company,
these men who walked their same footsteps
our true blue Aborigine.

David J Delaney
26/05/2010 ©

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Bellobazza
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Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by Bellobazza » Fri Nov 19, 2010 2:52 pm

G'day Dave...
Glad you have posted this one up again, he was a remarkable bloke and his story should be better known. Good one.

Cheers, Will.
"Each poet that I know (he said)
has something funny in his head..." CJD

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Fri Nov 19, 2010 6:19 pm

Totally agree with Will - let's keep this bloke out there and proud and staying strong.

Have you thought of submitting this to Tiga Bayles at 98.9FM radio station in Brisbane Dave - I reckon Tiga would be very very interested in this, and would probably give it air play.

Cheers

Maureen
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

David J Delaney

Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by David J Delaney » Fri Nov 19, 2010 9:22 pm

Thanks Will, & thanks Maureen, don't know who Tiga Bayles is but, I will google him.

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thestoryteller
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Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by thestoryteller » Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:53 pm

G'day Dave, good to catch up again. So many stories need to be told and this is certainly one of them mate.

The Storyteller.
Some days your the pidgeon and other days the statue.

David J Delaney

Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by David J Delaney » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:14 am

Thank you so much Merv. :D

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:47 am

Dave 98.9 fm is the local Brisbane Aboriginal Community radio station and Tiga is the CEO. They play a great programme of predominately country music and strongly support new and upcoming songwriters and other genre. Tiga has a session each morning called 'Let's Talk' with guests from an extremely wide spectrum of Australia artists and interesting people in general . It is a top show.

They also have a bush yarn, bush poetry, etc etc session on Bushies Breakfast on Sunday Mornings with Dusty Fraser

http://989fm.com.au/index.php?option=co ... &Itemid=37

Cheers

Maureen
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

David J Delaney

Re: Capt. Reg. Saunders (Aboriginal hero)

Post by David J Delaney » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:01 pm

Thanks Maureen, I just today posted off a letter & my bio & a few poems mentioning Aboriginals, including this one.

I'll let you know how I get on eh!

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