Our People in VIC
Christopher Mapstone - Sombre honour for Wodonga Man this ANZAC Day
Wodonga’s Christopher Mapstone said this ANZAC Day will make him particularly proud to be an Australian soldier.
Christopher is a Corporal in the Australian Regular Army and is currently attached to Australia’s Federation Guard. This ANZAC Day he will be a member of the Catafalque Party at Villers-Bretonneaux in France.
“I am already very proud to be an Australian soldier, so being part of this ANZAC Day service will make me feel even prouder,” he said.
Villers-Bretonneux was the scene of one of Australia’s most regarded battles on the Western Front, with Australians being credited for stopping the onslaught of the heavily reinforced German Army on 24 and 25 April 1918.
To this day the village streets are named after Australian towns, and signs in the street ask visitors to ‘Remember the Australians’. After the war, the village school was rebuilt with money raised by Australian schoolchildren.
Christopher joined the Army in 1999 and served with 3RAR for 7 years, before being posted to 1RTB Kapooka, as an instructor, for 3 years.
He has undertaken three overseas deployments, and has worked with the French Army in New Caledonia. He has received United Nations and Australian Defence Force medals for his efforts in East Timor.
This is the furthest Christopher will have been with the Army, and his children will be very happy when he returns - not only to hear of his adventures, but also because he has promised to bring them toys from Paris!