In 2 weeks time, we commemorate 100 years of ANZAC. Did you know that some of the streets in South Perth and Como are named after decorated WWI soldiers?
Bessell Avenue, for example, was named in honour of WWI and WWII soldier Brigadier General Alfred Joseph Bessell-Browne. He was born in Auckland, and later moved to Perth where he attended Perth High School. He fought in both WWI and WWII, and played an important part in both the Gallipolli campaign in 1915, and in other WWI battles on the European continent. Read more about his brave man here:Â http://bit.ly/1FpFUpN
Birdwood Avenue was named after WWI Field Marshal Lord Birdwood, known to his friends as ‘birdy’.
Born in India and trained in the UK, Birdwood went on to becoming the first leader of the ANZACs. In 1915, General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, ordered Birdwood to carry out a landing on 25th of April 1915 at a site now known as ANZAC cove. While Birdwood failed to dislodge the Turks from the peninsula in subsequent battles, his biggest achievement was the successful evacuation of the entire ANZAC force in December 1915 and January 1916 before any Turkish reaction.
The name Hobbs might ring a bell to the ‪people of Perth, and Hobbs Avenue in‪ ‎Como‬ was indeed named in honour of Perth architect and WW1 soldier, Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs.
Born in England, Hobbs moved to Perth In 1887 where he set up an architecture practice. Hobbs was (and still is!) notable throughout Perth, designing well known buildings in South Perth such as Haddon Hall (demolished in 1976) and the Windsor hotel, as well as the Kings Park War Memorial.
During WWI he served in the Middle East and ‪#‎Gallipoli‬, after which he was awarded the Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) in 1918 and the Knight Commander of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG) in 1919. Hobbs was a humane commander who cared deeply for the welfare of his men. He retired from the army in 1927.
To read more about this remarkable man, visit http://bit.ly/1IPygCS
