Heroism … and the closure of Trinity

The Old Bear returns (a regular on Tasmanian Times Jurassic)

This striking depiction ranks with any of similar nature anywhere in Australia. That’s appropriate, for this 1922 window, paid for by the congregation, is a heartfelt remembrance of 101 servicemen – and anyone would agree that’s a high toll for one parish. Their sacrifice for country, and church, should remain honoured in perpetuity, as, no doubt, their descendants would expect. Yet there have been no public words from Bishop John of how the window is to continue to be protected. And the same goes for several other war memorials in the church.

A VERY disturbing thing about the coming weekend’s closure and deconsecration of North Hobart’s Holy Trinity Anglican Church is – what’s going to happen to its war memorials?

Nothing I’ve seen so far indicates anything for their protection post-closure by the Bishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend John Harrower, the man whose ultimate decision it has been to close the church.

The most impressive (and significant for what it is there for) feature of Holy Trinity’s interior is the magnificent Lucien Dechaineux-designed Diggers’ Memorial, a stained glass window honouring those many brave souls from this parish who died in World War One.

This striking depiction ranks with any of similar nature anywhere in Australia. That’s appropriate, for this 1922 window, paid for by the congregation, is a heartfelt remembrance of 101 servicemen – and anyone would agree that’s a high toll for one parish.

Their sacrifice for country, and church, should remain honoured in perpetuity, as, no doubt, their descendants would expect.

Yet there have been no public words from Bishop John of how the window is to continue to be protected. And the same goes for several other war memorials in the church.

I’ve been told the RSL has taken up the issue with the bishop, through concerns of its national president, Major-General Bill Crews. What this has achieved I don’t know.

Indeed, it’s surprising more people haven’t been asking questions, because there is a heightened awareness of what that war meant to Australia. We see this in the increased attendances at Anzac Day services, and the pilgrimages to Gallipoli. Next year the Australian War Memorial will be hosting a special tour of the battlefields of France.

This will include an Anzac Day dawn service at Villers-Bretonneux. It was the Australian troops defence of this village in April, 1918, that was a turning point in the war. It also has a special resonance for Tasmania and Holy Trinity – the man who returned and became the church’s sixth rector, the Reverend Donald Burns Blackwood, won the Military Cross at Villers-Bretonneux while serving as a chaplain.

His citation recorded at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra states that with his rank as senior chaplain this brave Tasmanian from Deloraine could have stayed at casualty clearing stations, yet he chose to go out into the hell of the battlefield:

“On the second day and night of operations he was out with burial parties well in advance of Headquarters of the frontline battalions, working throughout the night in dangerous and shelled areas. By his cheery presence amongst the unwounded but tired troops he did a lot towards keeping up their spirits and morale, whilst his work amongst the wounded was invaluable.”

Should such heroism be forgotten in the haste to close Holy Trinity? Should the sacrifice of the many who died be forgotten as well? I think not. Lest we forget.