Albany woman to share special moment with late father on Anzac Day

For the first time since her father died, Jen Wilson will not be able to march in honour of the Anzacs this Saturday. The New Zealander, who has called Albany home for the past 24 years, lost her dad, Raymond Wilson, five years ago after his battle with leukaemia. Mr Wilson served for New Zealand in the Malayan Emergency, answering a call at the age of 21. After training with the 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, he fought for 21/2 years on the front line as part of the 28th Commonwealth Brigade Group involving Australian, Indian and British troops. During his time fighting, Mr Wilson was ambushed and bayonetted in the back by a guerilla fighter they were chasing. Mr Wilson lay on the ground pretending to be dead until he was rescued, spending six weeks in hospital, then returning to service. For 34 years, Mr Wilson did not march on Anzac Day, until a government ruling officially recognised that soldiers were on active service in the latter days of the Malayan Emergency. Having marched in her father’s honour for the past four years, Ms Wilson said it was heart-breaking to learn Anzac Day events had been cancelled around the country. “Dad was a member of the local RSL branch and he would go down and sell the poppies out the front of shops,” Ms Wilson said. “It is just devastating our oldies can’t do that.” Ms Wilson decided to make poppies from paper plates and balloon holders to hang in her windows as a mark of respect —- an idea that has received strong support from neighbours and friends. She has made more than 80 of the poppies. “I’m going to go out at six in the morning on Anzac Day on my driveway,” she said. “I’ve got my dad’s ashes in an old clock. “At 10am, I’ll take Dad for a drive down to the Anzac Peace Park, enjoy a moment with him, and have a drink of rum.”