The people of Brightlingsea paid tribute to the young men of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, who came to Brightlingsea in support of Great Britain in the dark days of the Great War.
This coastal Town was chosen as a training base for thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops. They were trained in bridge, pontoon and road building, trench and tunnel digging and front line military tactics. An Australian Engineers Training Depot (AETD) was established in Brightlingsea between 1916 and 1919.
Over 5,000 Anzacs were stationed in the town and surrounding areas, leaving behind a significant social and supporting legacy which has not been forgotten. The centenary of their arrival gives us an opportunity to commemorate them. Their departure from the Town in 1919 was marked by the Deputy Dr E P Dickin, by the presentation of a silver bowl. Its whereabouts remained unknown until discovered in the Canberra War Memorial Museum by the detective work of Ann Berry, a Friend of the Museum.
Canberra Visit
Neville Jarvis, a Freeman of the Cinque Port Liberty of Brightlingsea, moved to Australia some years ago. The photo was taken in October 2016 when he visited the Australian War Museum in Canberra and was a result of a conversation our Deputy had during Neville’s recent UK visit.