The Blessing on the Fridge Door: In memory of Frank and Wanda
Tonight, only a few days out from the ride start, I re-noticed this card on our refrigerator door. It’s been held there with four little magnets for many years. For so long I rarely register the card is there. But tonight I did. It’s a link to South Australia.
The eye-catching little card was given to us by a wonderful man, Frank McMahon, who with his wife Wanda was our neighbour for about 20 years. Frank was an Australian WWII veteran serviceman... and he was also a poet. Yes Frank was that rare combination of a soldier-poet, and to us he was true gentleman who we were fortunate to have as a neighbour. He and Wanda both passed several years ago.
Frank and Wanda moved to Canberra from South Australia long before we knew them, and long before I came to Canberra. They came here when Canberra was a not much more than a large country town. They were some of original residents in our street which was built in the early 1960’s. Their attachment to South Australia remained strong and they often mentioned it in conversations. They talked about trips to South Australia to see relatives and friends, and the history of South Australia.
Frank was a quiet hero. He not only survived, but rose above some some exceedingly difficult challenges in his long life; the types of challenges which brought many others down. Instead of buckling when times were tough, he reached out and helped others. For example, Wanda, he and several other returned servicemen battled for and contributed to, better recognition of Aboriginal serviceman who were denied awards, medals, memorials and even equal pay because Aboriginals, the first Australians, were not even considered Australian citizens until a constitutional referendum in 1967.
Not far from our house among granite boulders on the slopes of a hill overlooking the Australian war memorial, Frank, Wanda and colleagues took the courageous initiative to install a plaque and memorial walk for Aboriginal serviceman who gave their lives for Australia in WWII. This was at a time when the government and veterans groups refused to recognise Aboriginal serviceman.
If all goes well, this bike ride will take me to Frank and Wanda’s home state South Australia, so I will keep Frank’s gift of the Gaelic blessing in mind as I ride.
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