It’s important we remember the courage and sacrifices that have been made for us. It’s important we tell our young people stories from the wars our people have fought in. Sometimes us young people (I like to think that still includes me!) think we know it all, we can’t be told anything…
When I was a young teenager my Dad took me for a bushwalk, near where he came from in Gippsland, Victoria. We went with one of his old mates named Keith Gwyther (second from the left in the photo below). Keith was in his late 60’s. I wondered how this old man would be able to walk all day… how would he keep up with us young fit fellows?
But when we started walking, he left us for dead. I couldn’t keep up. I remember looking ahead wondering how this old bloke can keep up that pace all day?! After a long day of hard bushwalking, I was left wondering who is this old man?
My memories of Keith Gwyther were visiting his farm as a kid and thinking it was so cool he had a possum nesting at his back door and had a train line running through his farm.
Over the years, my Dad told me more about his mate Keith. His story is one of amazing courage and resolve for his country; a story that made our bushwalk look like a leisurely stroll in the park.
You see, Keith Gwyther was disappointed to miss WWII, he was too young. So five years after that war ended he was one of the first to enlist in the Korean War. This war was about stopping the spread of Communism, Australia joined to support our ally America.
After 3 weeks training in Australia and 3 weeks training in Japan, Keith landed in Korea by parachute and literally hit the ground running with a Bren gun and rifle in hand.
Keith had funny stories to tell like the time he was firing at what he thought was a foxhole camouflaged with branches of trees. He thought he was clever in spotting it only to see it open up and big guns swing down towards him. It was a tank camouflaged, he thought they’d blow his head off, the shells went over about 3 feet above his head, and so he flattened to the ground. That knocked the cockiness out of him!
But the most important day was on ANZAC day 1951, seven months after arriving in Korea, when he was taken a prisoner of war. The Australian newspapers reported the battle he had fought in as having the highest enemy casualty rate any Commonwealth Unit had claimed in a single day. Their stand will be remembered as one of the finest of the war. They ripped an attacking enemy force to pieces, and when the sun went down on that ANZAC night… 500 of the enemy lay dead on the hillside among the shell craters. But unknown to his mates, Keith lay there with them, buried almost to his neck in clods of dirt from a bomb blast.
Keith was a forward gunner. No one got the retreat orders through to Keith and his mob. While they came under attack from the enemy… they were also bombed with napalm from four American planes trying to halt the enemy. The napalm bombs burst so close that they shriveled the leaves Keith used to camouflage his foxhole. His last memory was seeing his men waving desperately, signaling to the planes to stop bombing their own men.
The Chinese who were searching for their own wounded among the dead later dug out Keith. He spent more time as a captive across the 38th Parallel than fighting. Over the next few years he was to spend time in various prison camps.
He was among the first Australians in any war to have to stand up to brain washing. Days of endless torture and interrogation, starvation, squashed in small boxes with other prisoners who had dysentery, teeth knocked out, beaten to be unconscious, left to hang tied by their neck and wrists so that if they lowered their heels they would hang themselves. They were indoctrinated in Communist speeches and told to convert.
All through this they wouldn’t give anything away that might help the enemy. Keith said that not one Australian fell for the brainwashing stuff they tried to feed them. They’d rather have died than help the enemy.
Keith attempted many escapes and spent days on the run and drifting out at sea. Each time he was recaptured the torture and interrogation worsened. For all those years he was presumed dead – missing in action. Apparently, my Dad told me, it was only his mother who hadn’t given up on him.
Sadly, the Korean War was one that never grabbed the imagination or troubled hearts of the people back home in Australia… despite what Keith and our men went through. It was a forgotten war.
Eventually he was released. When he got to home his home-town of Leongatha (Victoria) they gave him a Civic Reception with a half day public holiday.
When I was a teenager and went bushwalking with Keith Gwyther, I thought this old man wouldn’t be able to keep up with me. Little did I know the torture he’d been through, the ‘bushwalks’ he’d done in Korea to save his and his mate’s lives. Little did I know how mentally and physically determined he was.
His story is one of courage and determination for his country. Not giving an inch to the enemy for what is right and worth fighting for.
In many ways Keith showed similar character to another man in our history. A man who showed courage to the point of death… not giving the enemy an inch. A man who lived and died for what is right and worth fighting for. A man who was forsaken by all, even his closest friends gave up on him, betrayed, and left him to die. A man who went through more pain and suffering than any other man in history. A man who (sadly) many would never realize the sacrifice and importance of what he did for them. A forgotten hero.
The man Jesus Christ died on a Cross to take the punishment we deserve for ignoring God. He died for us, so that we don’t need to die.
The Bible says of Jesus: ‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45)
On ANZAC day we remember many Australians (like Keith Gwyther) who showed amazing courage for us. Some of them are with us today, some of them are serving overseas today. It’s important their stories are told to younger people. It’s important that young people listen to their stories so that we know the sacrifice they went through for us. Many went through torture and death for us, so that we didn’t have to.
My prayer this ANZAC Day is, ‘God give us more men and women like this, and make us men and women like this.’
My greater prayer is, ‘God help us to remember what Jesus went through for us and that we are not among those who forget his courage and sacrifice for us.’
Amen.
PS Keith Gwyther’s older brother Lennie Gwyther is another interesting story in Australian history, google him up if you have the chance.
