Remembering
Only one known body was returned home to Australia: Major-General Bridges. He was buried at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Canberra. Since most Australians were buried in cemeteries in the foreign fields where they died, or were buried at sea, there were no bodies to mourn over, no funerals and no wakes.
In 1916 the first statues of soldiers began appearing in Australian towns and the names of the fallen were engraved on monuments to the war dead. New traditions of public mourning were being formed around Anzac Day.
Bereaved families privately mourned loved ones who would never return. William and Marie Garling from Sydney created their own memorial to their son, Terence. His letters home, carefully bound together with photographs and memorabilia, were placed reverentially inside a wooden box with Terence’s initials and brigade colours decorating the front. They embossed the front of the book with the words, “In memoriam, Terence, 1914-1918”. This was their memorial to their youngest son who never came home.
Terence Garling represents all of those young men who held so much potential, who could have contributed much to society, if not stopped by premature death.
France, 14.4.18
Dear Uncle Willie
I have deferred writing about Terence till I had thoroughly satisfied myself that the report of his death in action was correct. Yesterday I went to his grave & added to its simple yet fitting embellishment my own offering, a token of my silent but deep sympathy for a grand young life, sadly cut off in its prime. But he did grand work, Uncle, & all, both his seniors & juniors, speak in just as high terms of him as an officer & a man as our his confreres speak of him. His ability was amply attested by his rank while yet a youth & so his life we cannot say was wasted …
with love
Your affectionate nephew
Gerald
Major Garling has served with me on many occasions both in Egypt & Gallipoli as well as in France. On every occasion & under all conditions he has proved himself an able soldier and an excellent officer. His cheerful courage, sustained & inspiring energy has at all times been an example to his brother officers & the men under his command. I have lost, in him, an experienced Battery Commander & an officer of proved ability, whose personality & service I cannot replace,
Brig. General Burgess, Commanding 4th
Aust. Div. Artillery, 14 April 1918
Dear Mrs Garling
Fergusson is my name, poor old Terry and I were the best of pals and fellow officers for a long time; so I am writing to you to give you my deepest sympathy. Terry was a son to be proud of, I can’t say enough for him, he was just about the bravest man I have ever known … His men loved him, his officers too.
He was always where the trouble was, in the shape of shelling, I mean. He was hit whilst walking up and down his battery which was being heavily shelled; giving confidence to his men; it was absolutely necessary too, as the enemy was attacking in overwhelming numbers and the batteries had to keep firing so long as there were men to man the guns; Terry as usual was doing his job properly as he always did; he was badly hit and was never properly conscious so did not leave any messages,
MA Fergusson, 7 April 1918