Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to express my condolences on the passing of Mr Claude Choules. On Thursday, 5 May 2011 Mr Claude Choules, the last-known veteran to have served in World War I, passed away. While he spent his later life here in Australia and fought for Australia in World War II, it is Mr Choules's connection as a British serviceman to the First World War that I wish to reflect on here today.

As a teacher, I have had the opportunity to teach and learn about the war, so often called the Great War. So extreme the loss of life, so long the conflict, so broad the impact, it was a war that our forebears hoped would be the war to end all wars. Claude Choules was there in the fray as a serviceman in the British Royal Navy. He lived a life, as did his peers, impacted by the realities of that long and tragic conflict. But, while Mr Choules's passing marks the end of that historical period and our connection with World War I, it is important in my view to honour his passing by placing on the record in this place that he and those who served alongside him will not be forgotten.

Recently, students from my electorate of Robertson undertook an excursion to Villers-Bretonneux and assisted with the Anzac Day service there. They were supported and encouraged in this excursion by Roger Macey, who continues the tradition established by Mr Paul Salmon and his fellow history staff, and obviously very much encouraged by their school principal. I understand that all present at the service were described on the day as 'pilgrims', reinforcing the sense and depth of esteem held for those who served and died, or survived, on Flanders Fields.

I offer my condolences and those of the people of the seat of Robertson to the Choules family at this time of great personal loss. I also offer them some comfort at this time in the observation of two young Aussies, Emily Rayner and George Margin, the school captains of Brisbane Water Secondary College, who were at Villers-Bretonneux this Anzac Day. They both reported back to their school and gave a speech to the gathered assembly. Emily Rayner had the following to say:

As young Australians it became incredibly emotional for us to experience first hand the physical and spiritual presence they left behind … those graves are ultimately a profound and visual statement depicting the sacrifice that each and every one of them gave for us.'

George Margin, the boy school captain, responded to an epitaph that he read on the grave of an Australian soldier by the name of Philip Ball who died on the Western Front. The epitaph simply said, 'I fought and died in the Great War; did I die in vain?' George's response is:

Philip Ball and all the thousands of other Australians, I say to you: You did not die in vain. We made this pilgrimage to honour your sacrifice. We will never forget.

Claude Choules, the last of the last, we will remember you. We honour your service and your life. We will never forget you.

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