An Australian Connection - PART II

Back with popular demand (well from Peter M. anyway), continuing my look at history and the links between Australia and Weymouth seems there is not only a convict connection but one during the war as well. There was an Anzac Memorial ceremony held last week as part of Anzac Day so I though I would find out more.

After the great battle at Gallipoli in 1915 many of the injured Australian soldiers were sent to England to recuperate before the long trip home, or return to battle. As a result a temporary base was set up in Weymouth.

It was not long before us Ozis started to get a name for our selves. The press used the word “exuberant” and noted that “they certainly liked their beer”. On New Years Eve in 1918 there was a report of 50 Australians running amok down the main street.

The Australian troops were know to be “open handed and generous-hearted as well as being fitter than the English soldiers”. As a result the local girls fell in love with them resulting in numerous marriages. Unfortunately there was also a spot of multiple wives happening resulting in the Church of England making an announcement in 1919 the Weymouth Recorder that “henceforth, before marriages of member of the Australian Imperial Forces will be celebrated in this country the soldier will be required to produce to the clergyman officiating a certificate showing his marriage condition”.

By the end of the war it was estimated that 84,000 Australian and NZ troops had passed through Weymouth. It seems that they liked us with a quote from the Southern Times in 1919 – “We shall always think of them with affection and admiration for their heroism and fine manly qualities”. Sounds like a quote for when I leave!!

Morning time

With the forecast of clear skies I thought I would get up early and watch the moon go down and the sun come up over the bay - winter can be nice.

Boats

With gale force winds and rain expected for the end of the week I thought I better get out again, so I spent a couple of hours wandering around the harbour in Weymouth. It is such a pretty harbour with little fishing boats and grand old buildings lining the edge (see the photo album for some more images). You would not believe it but this is the view 20 metres up from our Council building. Early in the morning you can sit and watch the fishing boats come in and unload their catch from the night.

Weymouth has been a port for many Centuries and evidence shows that Roman Galleys sailed up the River Wey as far as Radipole where they could be beached and cargo unloaded for transport to the Roman Town of Durnovaria (now known as Dorchester which is not far from where we are living).

While I tasted my first english "fish and chips" on the weekend I must say that I think I will be buying it fresh from the local fishmonger from now on. I reccon I could run a car for a year on the amount of oil in the fish.

So another weekend over and back to work for another week.

The sun does shine!

For all those that have being sending me photos of sunny Sydney (thanks bro) you would not believe it but they actually do have one over here as well! Woke Sunday to a brisk clear morning. Luckily it was the morning I agreed to link up with a couple of people from work to go for a walk around Portland.

Portland is joined to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and the Chesil Beach. The mass of land that juts out into the channel is formed from a block of limestone 4.5 miles long by 1.75 miles wide. Little did I know that the plan was to walk around the entire point. 4 hours later my legs were wanting the closest pub but despite this it was lovely.

Portland has been inhabited since early times and traces of occupation have been dated back 7,000 years. The Romans knew it as ‘Vindilis’ and Thomas Hardy wrote about it as ‘The Isle of Slingers’ due to the fact that Portlanders used to throw stones to keep Kimberlins (strangers) away. Based on the people at work it still seams that the people from Portland dont associate with the mainlanders. Much like Tasmania there are stories of families being very 'close' to each other.

Portlans is most famous for the many quarries which dot the landscape and this is where Portland Stone comes from. St Paul’s Cathedral and some fifty other churches and other buildings were built with the famous white limestone.

A great day out.