![Soldier McGlashan poses for the camera in March 1916. Soldier McGlashan poses for the camera in March 1916.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7PapGKjYPrPEgYfvAPt3Wq/50c3b9d4-f4d3-4256-82e7-47e1e6913410.jpg/r0_0_1200_1800_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
THIS week's article, marking Anzac Day, features a photograph of a young man in his military uniform posing with his swagger stick for Mr Gregory, Bathurst photographer. The negative notes he is a soldier named McGlashan and the photo was taken in March 1916.
In November 1915, Bathurst was already seeing long casualty lists in the local newspaper.
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They were being experienced at Gallipoli, although the decision had already been made to evacuate the Turkish peninsula.
A public meeting was held in the School of Arts Hall early in November for the purpose of forming an Allies' Day in Bathurst. Bishop Long, Reverend Father Loneragan and Dr Machattie were the speakers.
The mayor, Alderman Beavis, presided over the meeting.
IN NEWS AROUND BATHURST:
Casualty lists Nos. 102 and 103 were issued on November 1 and contained 506 names, including Private B.W. Bonnor and Corporal A. Boswell, of Bathurst, who were mentioned among the war hospital patients.
On July 28, 1916, the Bathurst Times published a letter from Driver G. Kemlo, a one-time resident of Bathurst South, who had written about his voyage to Salisbury Plains in the United Kingdom. Many servicemen had similar experiences.
On Saturday, June 3, 1916, they boarded the White Star boat Persic A34 at 10am and sailed at noon, to best wishes and a farewell from one of the largest crowds assembled on the new railway pier.
They met heavy weather in the Bight and he was sick.
"We arrived at Albany, a little place with a very nice harbour. On coming alongside we received the news of Lord Kitchener's tragic end, also the account of the naval battle in the North Sea," he said.
Next morning the whole of the troops on the ship assembled on the pier, marched into the township and were dismissed for four hours' leave. They reassembled at 2pm, went on a seven mile march and left Albany at 5pm that Friday.
After being out 10 days from Albany, they found their destination was Cape Town, in South Africa, a journey that would take the ship 18 days.
Weekdays were occupied with physical exercises and drill and divine services took place on one of the hatches on Sunday afternoons.
Whales were sighted during the trip across the Indian Ocean and they passed some steamers and a couple of sailing vessels, besides witnessing some very fine sunrises and sunsets.
They arrived at Table Bay at 2am on Wednesday, June 27 and anchored around midnight, when they moved up nearer the docks.
As the mist lifted, they had a fine view of Table Mountain.
Whilst waiting to enter the docks, two Japanese traders went past.
The ship berthed in the Victoria Basin at 11am and, after dinner, the troops on board went for a route march and, later, were inspected by Major-General Thompson.
Next day the men donned heavy haversacks, containing rations and water bottles, and went for another route march. The route was lined with locals.
The troops went past the zoo and on to a memorial where they had lunch. Afterwards, they traded with some of the locals, getting oranges, local cigarettes, sweets and views of Cape Town.
Driver Kemlo estimated the distance at around seven-and-a-half miles from their boat.
Their boat had finished coalling up while they were away around town.
After leaving Cape Town, they passed a few steamers. The "wireless bulletin" of war news was posted each morning.
At 11am, they sighted the famous Eddystone stone lighthouse, and an hour later they were moving slowly to their anchorage in Plymouth Harbour.
They disembarked in the afternoon before entraining to Amesbury on Salisbury Plains after their 52-day journey.