Access ABC: An extensive search through the ABC's Anzac Day picture archive has helped bring some comfort to two listeners who lost everything in the Black Saturday fires.
David Barton and his wife Jennifer lost their Marysville home and everything in it on February 7.
Among the countless things that went up in flames were precious keepsakes of their family's military history, including uniforms and war medals.
By chance, they met ABC Radio Marketing Manager Natalene Muscat at an Outside Broadcast in Marysville in August.
David told Natalene that the ABC had taken photos of him wearing his grandfather's uniform and medals in 2006 - and that they were probably the only surviving evidence of their proud history.
Natalene set to work tracking down the photos, which had long since been taken off ABC Online. With help from Florenz Ronn and Felicity Greenland, the photos were finally located and David was thrilled to learn that they still existed.
"The three photos of me wearing my Grandfather's WWII uniform and family medals, and Jennifer wearing her dad's WWII medals are the only ones we have and will now need to form a part of our ongoing family history so that our children will know what we had by way of family military history," he said.
"All that you see both Jennifer and I wearing in those photos was lost on 7/2/09 - absolutely irreplaceble. Such a tragic loss, however, thanks to you we at least have a photographic reminder.
"I cannot thank you and the ABC team enough for taking the time and effort to find these photos for us. I am extremly grateful to you all."
David's grandfather, Colonel Wilfred L Collins, was a Chaplain and served in North Africa as a Rat of Tobruk, and then on Headquarters Staff as the Assistant Chaplain General, Protestant Denominations, all through the Pacific Campaign. He was a very highly regarded Chaplain and died in 1968.
Jennifer's father (who is still alive and living in a Lilydale Nursing home at the age of 92) was also a Rat of Tobruk and served the six years right throughout the war.
Out of the ashes
Friday, October 16, 2009 | Labels: Radionews |
Access ABC: An extensive search through the ABC's Anzac Day picture archive has helped bring some comfort to two listeners who lost everything in the Black Saturday fires.
David Barton and his wife Jennifer lost their Marysville home and everything in it on February 7.
Among the countless things that went up in flames were precious keepsakes of their family's military history, including uniforms and war medals.
By chance, they met ABC Radio Marketing Manager Natalene Muscat at an Outside Broadcast in Marysville in August.
David told Natalene that the ABC had taken photos of him wearing his grandfather's uniform and medals in 2006 - and that they were probably the only surviving evidence of their proud history.
Natalene set to work tracking down the photos, which had long since been taken off ABC Online. With help from Florenz Ronn and Felicity Greenland, the photos were finally located and David was thrilled to learn that they still existed.
"The three photos of me wearing my Grandfather's WWII uniform and family medals, and Jennifer wearing her dad's WWII medals are the only ones we have and will now need to form a part of our ongoing family history so that our children will know what we had by way of family military history," he said.
"All that you see both Jennifer and I wearing in those photos was lost on 7/2/09 - absolutely irreplaceble. Such a tragic loss, however, thanks to you we at least have a photographic reminder.
"I cannot thank you and the ABC team enough for taking the time and effort to find these photos for us. I am extremly grateful to you all."
David's grandfather, Colonel Wilfred L Collins, was a Chaplain and served in North Africa as a Rat of Tobruk, and then on Headquarters Staff as the Assistant Chaplain General, Protestant Denominations, all through the Pacific Campaign. He was a very highly regarded Chaplain and died in 1968.
Jennifer's father (who is still alive and living in a Lilydale Nursing home at the age of 92) was also a Rat of Tobruk and served the six years right throughout the war.
David Barton and his wife Jennifer lost their Marysville home and everything in it on February 7.
Among the countless things that went up in flames were precious keepsakes of their family's military history, including uniforms and war medals.
By chance, they met ABC Radio Marketing Manager Natalene Muscat at an Outside Broadcast in Marysville in August.
David told Natalene that the ABC had taken photos of him wearing his grandfather's uniform and medals in 2006 - and that they were probably the only surviving evidence of their proud history.
Natalene set to work tracking down the photos, which had long since been taken off ABC Online. With help from Florenz Ronn and Felicity Greenland, the photos were finally located and David was thrilled to learn that they still existed.
"The three photos of me wearing my Grandfather's WWII uniform and family medals, and Jennifer wearing her dad's WWII medals are the only ones we have and will now need to form a part of our ongoing family history so that our children will know what we had by way of family military history," he said.
"All that you see both Jennifer and I wearing in those photos was lost on 7/2/09 - absolutely irreplaceble. Such a tragic loss, however, thanks to you we at least have a photographic reminder.
"I cannot thank you and the ABC team enough for taking the time and effort to find these photos for us. I am extremly grateful to you all."
David's grandfather, Colonel Wilfred L Collins, was a Chaplain and served in North Africa as a Rat of Tobruk, and then on Headquarters Staff as the Assistant Chaplain General, Protestant Denominations, all through the Pacific Campaign. He was a very highly regarded Chaplain and died in 1968.
Jennifer's father (who is still alive and living in a Lilydale Nursing home at the age of 92) was also a Rat of Tobruk and served the six years right throughout the war.
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