South Tyneside pays tribute to war heroes on ANZAC Day

South Tyneside has honoured members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at a special service held on Friday, April 25.

ANZAC Day is a National Day of Remembrance commemorating those who fought in the battle of Gallipoli during the First World War.

The day has a special connection to the borough through South Shields-born Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick, known as ‘The Man with the Donkey.’

Kirkpatrick risked his own life to rescue more than 300 wounded Australian and New Zealand soldier from the frontline during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915.

He carried the soldiers to safety using his trusted donkey until he was killed at the age of 22 by a sniper’s bullet on May 19, 1915.

To mark the occasion, a service took place at the John Simpson Kirkpatrick memorial statue on Ocean Road, in South Shields town centre.

It was led by the Mayor of South Tyneside, Cllr Fay Cunningham, alongside the Mayoress, Stella Matthewson.

The service included a one-minute silence, renditions of The Last Post and Reveille and wreaths laid on behalf of the people of the Borough.

Father Mark Mawhinney conducted the service, with local dgnitaries and military organisations such as the Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Wing Commander David L. Harris, the High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear, Jo Curry, South Shields MP, Emma Lewell, Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, Deputy Leader, Cllr Jane Carter, and Lead Member, Cllr Paul Dean, all in attendance.

Speaking after the service, the Mayor said: “The Mayoress and I were honoured to join the people of South Tyneside to pay tribute on Anzac Day to remember John Simpson Kirkpatrick for his incredible bravery and commemorate all the service personnel who lost their lives at Gallipoli.

“Kirkpatrick was a son of South Shields. He’s a local hero and we were so proud to honour him and his comrades in this way.”

The bravery that Kirkpatrick showed continues to inspire generations of people and he is still highly regarded in Australia, where his story is told to schoolchildren.

Read South Tyneside’s latest news and sport with the Gazette’s email newsletters - sign up online today

Cllr Paul Dean, Lead Member for Voluntary Sector, Partnerships and Equalities and Chair of South Tyneside Armed Forces Forum, added: “John Simpson Kirkpatrick is rightly a national hero in Australia for his bravery at Gallipoli.

“The Gallipoli campaign was one of the Allies’ great military disasters in the First World War, but it also stands out for the incredible bravery of the Anzac troops.

“Anzac Day gives us all an opportunity to take a moment of quiet reflection in memory of John Simpson Kirkpatrick, his comrades and the sacrifices they made.”

Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/.

It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.