The painful story Jim Arkell will never forget

Jim Arkell says at 97, life is good. But the Brighton East veteran and Caulfield RSL member is holding on to some painful stories, many contained in a letter written by his uncle the day before he landed at Gallipoli, never to return.

Brighton East’s Jim Arkell, 97, at Caulfield RSL. Picture: Josie Hayden

Jim Arkell says at 97, he’s happy and life is good.

But the Brighton East resident of more than 60 years is holding on to some painful stories, many of which are contained in a handwritten letter, dated April 24, 1915, from his uncle — Jim Carrington — to his mum.

“My uncle — my mother’s brother — used to write to my mother from the war fairly regularly,” Mr Arkell said.

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“I’ve got the one he wrote … the day before the Gallipoli landing, the day before he was killed.

“It was posted some time after the landing at Gallipoli that he was missing. Then it was 11 months after, they were told he was missing and presumed killed. He was never found. He’s still among the timber up there somewhere.”

Mr Arkell said records show his uncle, aged 33 at the time, “actually got out on the landing” with his 11th Battalion at Gallipoli.

“He wasn’t shot at the beach, he got inland somewhere,” he said.

“But that’s the last he was seen.”

Records show his uncle was killed in action on April 25, 2015.

Mr Arkell said the letter was one of his most treasured possessions.

His voice trembles as he reads his uncle’s handwritten words:

“After waiting all these months, at last we have made the decided move.

“This morning, half the battalion left the ship to board the Queen Elizabeth, one of the largest man of war boats here.Then we will go to make an attack on the Turks and the remaining half of the battalion, some of them this evening, to take the Dardanelles, which up to this point, is supposed to have been impregnable.

“If we are successful, it will be one of the greatest, if not the greatest achievements ever known in history and the third brigade have been chosen to attempt it.

Anzacs landing at Gallipoli at 8am on April 25, 2015. Picture: Australian War Memorial J03022/Joyner, A R H

“Half of us have just left and the remainder follow in a few hours. So I guess that a great many of the 11th battalion have seen the sun rise for the last time and who they will be, we will never know ‘til their numbers come up.

“The scheme is this, as it has been outlined to us. We leave the troop ship aboard torpedo boat destroyers, then board a man of war ship which will take us to the Dardanelles. When the war ships start shelling, under cover of their fire, we get in to the small lifeboats and pull for the shore land in the dark.

“The orders are there are to be no rifles drawn and not a shot to be fired until daylight.

“It does not matter how hard we are pressed, everything is to be done at the point of the bayonet and there is to be no turning back.

A colourised image of Australia's 11th Battalion at the Cheops Pyramid in January, 1915, done by Andrew Belousoff as part of the Anzac to Afghanistan project helping to identify the men, many of whom died at Gallipoli.

“When we land, we have to keep absolute silence, no yelling, and go straight ahead, until take a battery of, I believe, seven guns which are situated pretty close to the beach, and it is going to be done.

“Let us hope there are no mistakes this time.

“I’m not afraid of the men. I don’t think we could have got a better bunch together. But some of the officers, well, enough said.

“You will know the results of tomorrow, long before you get this.

Anzacs, including the 11th Battalion, conduct a last prayer service at midday on April 24, 1915. Troops landed at 4am the next day. Picture: Australian War Memorial

“We have a nice little load to carry with us: our packs, which you have seen before and felt the weight of. Well on top of that we are to take a complete change of clothing, tobacco, 200 rounds of ammunition, three days rations, firewood which weighs 80 pounds, not counting pick, shovel and rifle. So I guess we have our work cut out without fighting.

“Things are moving, so I must stop. If this should happen to be the last, which I hope it won’t, you can take it as a goodbye letter.

“Hoping you are all well. Remember me to all, Jim. We are under steam. Hoo-roo.”

Mr Arkell — who served with an armed machine gun regiment in Western Australia for two years during World War II — will have many of his family members by his side this Anzac Day, including some of his four children, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

“Anzac Day always brings up many emotions,” he said.

“They were very close, (my uncle) and my mother, and his mother — my grandmother — wore black from the day he was posted missing,” Mr Arkell said.

Jim Arkell will have many of his family members by his side this Anzac Day. Picture: Josie Hayden

These days Mr Arkell said he loved the opportunity to connect with old mates on Anzac Day, though their numbers are dwindling now.

“As I get older, those mates are more scarce. I’ve got one or two left, but we don’t march, they put us in a car now, though I’d be happy to march,” he said.

Sadly not his wife however, who died almost 20 years ago.

He has been a member at Caulfield RSL almost 60 years, but he said he wasn’t always a regular as he wasn’t a drinker, something which he credits for getting him to 97 and still feeling fit and well.