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Hawkesbury Heroes feature in major ANZAC exhibition

Hawkesbury Regional Museum has been selected to provide objects and stories about two Hawkesbury WWI Heroes for the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience, Australia’s largest travelling exhibition, to be held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney from Saturday, 15 to Thursday, 27 April 2017.

This once-in- a-lifetime experience is the flagship community event of the Anzac Centenary national program, and will be concluding its national tour in Sydney.

According to Museum Curator, Rebecca Turnbull, it is a highly experiential exhibition with interactive technology employed throughout. It features more than 200 artefacts from the Australian War Memorial that tell the story of Australia’s involvement in the First World War, and all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations to the present day.

The two Hawkesbury soldiers represented are Jim Hoskisson and Clem Lavender:

A mother’s grief Samuel James (Jim) Hoskisson, a farmer from Windsor, was farewelled by his family just a week before Christmas in 1915. He left Australia as artillery reinforcement and was posted to the 21st Australian Field Artillery Brigade as a gunner. Just six months after leaving the Sydney docks, he was dead, having received a shrapnel wound to his face in France in late May 1916. His mother Amelia never saw his memorial plaque or his medals, which were delivered to the family in 1922. The shock and distress of losing her son had overwhelmed her, and she died in 1919.

A fortunate father In 1984, 90-year- old Clem Lavender recalled his experiences in France and Belgium during the First World War, including the remarkable story of his five other brothers. All six brothers from North Richmond enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF): Andrew in 1914; Victor in 1915; and Clem, Clive, Daniel, and George in 1916. All returned home safely, one by one, to the great relief of their father and all of their family, who had waited patiently at home for their return.

The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience is a free event presented by the Australian Government, the Australian War Memorial and the Australian Defence Force, and proudly supported by the Commonwealth Bank and Telstra.

To find out more and to book your preferred session go to www.spiritofanzac.gov.au or call 1300 462 313.

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