For Brad Williamson his great grandfather Arthur Little is a picture in a frame. He never met him, but has a connection through service in the military that has engendered respect for the World War 1 soldier and what he went through almost 100 years ago.
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Arthur Little served with the mounted 4th/33 battalion on the western front in Europe including Villers-Bretonneux, which was one of the most significant battlegrounds of the Great War. Despite being wounded twice, he returned to the battlefront and stayed until the end of hostilities.
“When I see his face I see stoicism, hardiness and a cheeky grin that are the mark of many from that era,” Brad said. “I am in awe of what they went through.”
Twelve years in the military has given Brad a unique perspective. He graduated from ADFA in 1998, Duntroon in 1999 and spent time on active service in East Timor and Bouganville. He knows what it is like to serve your country.
However, Brad knew little of his connection with his great grandfather because he was of the generation that didn’t talk about what they’d been through. He came back from the war and got on with his life.
Brad has since walked in the footsteps of his ‘Poppy’ Little. In 2007 he visited France and walked the same ground that his ancestor had walked (and fought) on at Villers-Bretonneux. Australians are still welcome in this part of the world for the role they played in liberating that country. He visited the local school where the words “N’oublions jamais l’Australie.” (Never forget Australia.) are still displayed.
On reflection he feels that his great grandfather, like many others from around the New England, was well suited for the role.
“Men from the land were tough, they had a job to do and they knew how to get on with it,” Brad said. “It was something I didn’t really understand growing up, but having a military background helps to understand how well they were suited to the task.”
Marching in Guyra on Anzac Day was another way of connecting with his family’s history. With father Dave on one side and cousin Roy Little on the other, Brad was there to remember and honour the man he never met.
Dave, from Tamworth, and Roy, from Ipswich, have made the journey before. This year was special because they brought the next generation with them to mark the Anzac Centenary.
Brad would like to do it again. He loves coming back to Guyra to spend time with his Nan, Dot Williamson, and each time he gets a sense of what made the men from this area a valued part of the WWI contingent.
