Our People in QLD
Pana Canaweka - Aurakun Corporal pays respect to old Soldiers
Pana and his mates will be the honour guard at the funeral of five diggers who were killed 90 years ago in World War I. Their bodies had recently been discovered during pipe-laying excavations and DNA testing has now identified the names of two of the soldiers, including one from 51st Battalion AIF, Sergeant Calder. Families of the two identified soldiers will also be at the funeral.
The 51st Battalion AIF was raised in 1915 to fight overseas but these days the majority of the 51FNQR are reservists who use their unique local knowledge to patrol the remote far north.
“I’ve already been overseas to Fiji on holiday but this is the furthest I have ever been from home,” Pana said.
“When I’m home it will be back to looking after my family.
“I went to All Souls School and then St Gabriel’s College and I also started playing rugby league. Then I joined the army in 2000.
“As a soldier I contribute to the security of Australia and I get to work and travel a lot. I have trained all over the place.
“I received my driver’s licence at Cooktown, I got boat-qualified at Thursday Island, and was signals-qualified at Cairns.
I’ve also been trained as a Corporal and patrol second-in-command in Brisbane and Sherger, plus some training in Tully too.”
The bodies of the old soldiers are being reburied with full military honours on October 4 at the Buttes New British at Polygon Wood.
After the funeral Pana and his mates will take part in local events to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the battle. The next day, they will represent the Australian Army at the evening ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres, by the road which led from this ancient regional town to the battlefield. The citizens of Ypres hold this ceremony at 8 pm every night of the year.
Some 60,000 Australians — all volunteers — were killed in World War I.