At the Anzac Day March 2017 I saw a waiting in a side street off Martin Place. Not remarkable you might say. Except that he was in full WWI Australian uniform. His name was Johnny Walker!
He was part of the 18th Battalion Living History group who perform re-enactments of a typical infantry unit based in France and Belgium between the years of 1916 and 1918. Their prime focus is on the Western Front.
According to their website they try to ‘Live the History’ of the AIF of the Great War.
The original 18th Battalion AIF battle honours included Gallipoli, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres & Passchendaele. After serving and suffering heavy losses at Gallipoli, the battalion was sent to Egypt and then onto the Western Front. When they arrived in February 1917 France was experiencing the worst winter for forty years!
On 3 October 1918 the 18th battalion took part in their last battle of the war. They were required to take and hold a stretch of the Beaureviour Line near St Quentin. Shortly after the 18th Battalion was removed from the firing line for the final time as the Great War ended just over four weeks later.
You can read more details of this battalion’s history and battle honours and about the Living History Re-enactment Group on their website:
http://18thbnaiflivinghistory.fws1.com/about.html
He was part of the 18th Battalion Living History group who perform re-enactments of a typical infantry unit based in France and Belgium between the years of 1916 and 1918. Their prime focus is on the Western Front.
According to their website they try to ‘Live the History’ of the AIF of the Great War.
The original 18th Battalion AIF battle honours included Gallipoli, Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres & Passchendaele. After serving and suffering heavy losses at Gallipoli, the battalion was sent to Egypt and then onto the Western Front. When they arrived in February 1917 France was experiencing the worst winter for forty years!
On 3 October 1918 the 18th battalion took part in their last battle of the war. They were required to take and hold a stretch of the Beaureviour Line near St Quentin. Shortly after the 18th Battalion was removed from the firing line for the final time as the Great War ended just over four weeks later.
You can read more details of this battalion’s history and battle honours and about the Living History Re-enactment Group on their website:
http://18thbnaiflivinghistory.fws1.com/about.html
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