Private Cavanagh remembered 100 years on
'A hundred years later we make sure that his name is not forgotten.'
Gympie
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A GYMPIE soldier who was killed in battle 100 years ago will never be forgotten by his existing family who honoured his death at the Gympie memorial gates yesterday.
Private Charles Clement Cavanagh (Clem), who enlisted in the AIF in 1916 was killed in the Battle of Messines in the First World War alongside five other Gympie men.
Yesterday, extended relatives gathered to remember the "man they had never met, but one whom who they had got to know by those who loved him".
The great grandson of Clem's brother Norman, Dean Cavanagh, spoke at the ceremony.
"A hundred years later we make sure that his name is not forgotten," he said.
"We are here to honour all those who have given their lives, so we may live in freedom.
"This morning we pay special tribute to the memory of our own soldier, Private Charles Clement Cavanagh."
Pte Cavanagh was born at Cedar Pocket to a timber gathering family, one of seven boys and four girls who grew up around Kandanga.
His brother, Matt, enlisted in the army but contracted meningitis in the camp at Enoggera leaving him crippled for life. A year later Clem enlisted.
"One hundred years ago, in planning for the June 1917 Battle of Messines, the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company, worked in secrecy and in strict silence, up to 100 feet underground, " Mr Dean Cavanagh said at yesterday's commemoration.
"These sappers set out to detonate mines beneath the enemy trenches.
"At each step of the way they had to search out and destroy German tunnellers, busily digging in other directions.
"This deadly war of nerves was waged by men with little military training; and there were Gympie miners among these Diggers."
At the age of 24, Private Clem was on the battle field at 3am, June 7, 1917 at Messines, in Flanders Fields when 'the ground erupted into pillars of fire' killing 6800 Australian soldiers and thousands of German troops in their trenches.
It was an explosion thought to have killed more than any other man-made explosion in world history before the atom bomb.
Private Clem's great nephew Tony White, who organised the ceremony said Private Clem was the centre of the family, whose legacy brought everyone together.
He remembers the stories about Private Clem as a child and attending Anzac Day where his aunties would place wreaths they had made.
"My mother remembered his farewell party well.
"His uncle presented him with a watch when he went away."
He couldn't help but wonder how his great uncle's mother would have felt; seeing one son crippled, one die in war and the next generation to follow also leaving for war.
He also wonders what might have been if he had lived.
Mr White said the family had contacted the relatives of Private Clem's girlfriend who he left behind; they were delighted to hear about him and put a face to a name on the Memorial gates.
Alexis Mitchell great great granddaughter of Clem's eldest brother Jack Cavanagh said the extended family gathering yesterday was very special.
"We're honouring him giving his life for our freedom and the life we get to live today.
"It's brought so many people together - it's very special."
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