Mary Ann Appleyard - A Mothers Strength
As the mother of two young men, fighting for their God, King and
country during World War One, Mary Ann was proud and stoic. The mother of ten children, she had already
experienced three of her sons dying as children during a diphtheria epidemic in
1891, the youngest only eleven months old.
Mary Ann also nursed daughter Alice through the disease before becoming ill herself.
Mary Ann’s strength and stoicism would no doubt help her when, as a single mother, she would see the country at war and one of her sons die, thousands of miles away from her, but always in her heart.
Mary Ann was born in Alberton in 1854, only thirteen years after the town had been named. Her parents, John and Jane, had come to the new colony from Ireland.
Marrying Arthur in 1875, Mary Ann would have her first child Alice in 1876 and her last child Muriel, 19 years later. Only three years after the birth of Muriel, her husband would die following complications from the measles. Arthur was only 47 years old.
To survive, Mary Ann would rent out rooms in her Alberton home to boarders, milk cows, make butter and cheese to sell along with eggs from her chooks and vegetables from her garden. She also acted as a nurse and midwife in the region and ensured all of her children would go to school as long as they could.
In 1914 Australia would enter World War One and two of her boys, Francis and Edgar would quickly sign up. Francis would find himself on a transport ship in a harbour, worlds away from the green pastures of Alberton. Watching the sunrise as Australian and New Zealand troops made their way onto the shores of Gallipoli at 4.30am, Francis would write a detailed letter to his mother describing the moment that Australian soldiers would become part of Australian folklore.
“At 4.30 the first boat landed, and the first lot got ashore without mishap and were fairly ashore before being discovered by the Turks in the trenches on the beach. There, a rapid fire was opened by the Turks but most of their shots went high in the uncertain light. Then some alarm lights were sent up by the Turks. Their fort on the right then opened an incessant shrapnel fire over the land lag parties. In the meantime, our troops at the point of the bayonet had cleared the foremost trenches of the Turks and were chasing them up the hill that rose up from the beach.”
Not wanting their mum to be too concerned and undoubtedly trying to keep the mood light, Francis would end his letter;
“Well, I have just about run out now and it will take a censor a week to read this so I will close now hoping you are in good health. I have kept a good diary of our doings so if things go alright with me and I get back it may prove of interest to you.”
Enlisting soon after his brother, Edgar would become a part of the Lighthorse Brigade and be based in Egypt after spending some time at Gallipoli following the April 25 battle.
In April 1916, Edgar would be injured in the second Battle of Gaza, shot in the back as he rode through the battlefield, severing his spine and leaving him paralysed from the hips down.
Arriving in the hospital in Cairo five days after his injury, Edgar would be placed in the dangerously ill list due to his injuries but letters home to his mother and his sister would remain light, such was his concern not to worry his beloved family too much.
“Just a few lines to let you know I’m still in the land of the living, although a bit of a wreck. Old Jacko fluked one into me at last and in rather a bad place in the back. I have lost the use of my legs and hips for the time being and it makes things fairly awkward.”
Mary Ann would rally locals who knew her son, writing to the local paper and encouraging friends to write to Edgar to keep his spirits up but within a month of his family receiving his final letter and four months after being shot, Edgar would pass away as a result of his wounds.
Mary Ann also nursed daughter Alice through the disease before becoming ill herself.
Mary Ann’s strength and stoicism would no doubt help her when, as a single mother, she would see the country at war and one of her sons die, thousands of miles away from her, but always in her heart.
Mary Ann was born in Alberton in 1854, only thirteen years after the town had been named. Her parents, John and Jane, had come to the new colony from Ireland.
Marrying Arthur in 1875, Mary Ann would have her first child Alice in 1876 and her last child Muriel, 19 years later. Only three years after the birth of Muriel, her husband would die following complications from the measles. Arthur was only 47 years old.
To survive, Mary Ann would rent out rooms in her Alberton home to boarders, milk cows, make butter and cheese to sell along with eggs from her chooks and vegetables from her garden. She also acted as a nurse and midwife in the region and ensured all of her children would go to school as long as they could.
In 1914 Australia would enter World War One and two of her boys, Francis and Edgar would quickly sign up. Francis would find himself on a transport ship in a harbour, worlds away from the green pastures of Alberton. Watching the sunrise as Australian and New Zealand troops made their way onto the shores of Gallipoli at 4.30am, Francis would write a detailed letter to his mother describing the moment that Australian soldiers would become part of Australian folklore.
“At 4.30 the first boat landed, and the first lot got ashore without mishap and were fairly ashore before being discovered by the Turks in the trenches on the beach. There, a rapid fire was opened by the Turks but most of their shots went high in the uncertain light. Then some alarm lights were sent up by the Turks. Their fort on the right then opened an incessant shrapnel fire over the land lag parties. In the meantime, our troops at the point of the bayonet had cleared the foremost trenches of the Turks and were chasing them up the hill that rose up from the beach.”
Not wanting their mum to be too concerned and undoubtedly trying to keep the mood light, Francis would end his letter;
“Well, I have just about run out now and it will take a censor a week to read this so I will close now hoping you are in good health. I have kept a good diary of our doings so if things go alright with me and I get back it may prove of interest to you.”
Enlisting soon after his brother, Edgar would become a part of the Lighthorse Brigade and be based in Egypt after spending some time at Gallipoli following the April 25 battle.
In April 1916, Edgar would be injured in the second Battle of Gaza, shot in the back as he rode through the battlefield, severing his spine and leaving him paralysed from the hips down.
Arriving in the hospital in Cairo five days after his injury, Edgar would be placed in the dangerously ill list due to his injuries but letters home to his mother and his sister would remain light, such was his concern not to worry his beloved family too much.
“Just a few lines to let you know I’m still in the land of the living, although a bit of a wreck. Old Jacko fluked one into me at last and in rather a bad place in the back. I have lost the use of my legs and hips for the time being and it makes things fairly awkward.”
Mary Ann would rally locals who knew her son, writing to the local paper and encouraging friends to write to Edgar to keep his spirits up but within a month of his family receiving his final letter and four months after being shot, Edgar would pass away as a result of his wounds.
In Dianne Appleyard’s book, Lowlands, she describes
the moment that Mary Ann was told of her son’s passing as told by Mary Ann’s
granddaughter Alsie.
Dorothy (Alsie’s sister) had been ill with the
mumps and was in bed in the room nearest the front door of the house. She noticed the minister coming in the gate
with papers in his hand. He hesitated up
the pathway, as he glanced at these papers, then his knock came on the door. As Grandmother opened the door, there was a
murmur of voices, and then a cry rang out.
A cry Dorothy will never forget.
The anguish and despair in that cry was something she hoped she would
never hear again.
The local paper would report Edgars passing and
also publish a letter sent to Mary Anne by another soldier whose brother looked
after Edgar and often spoke of him, in the hope his thoughts would ease her
pain.
Dear Mrs Appleyard, you will please pardon me for
intruding upon you at this time, but you will understand my reasons when I tell
you that it is my great admiration for a gallant gentleman and sympathy for his
loved ones that impels me to write to you….
‘Appy’ is the gamest boy I have ever seen and,
although his case is hopeless, he is always laughing and joking whilst we are
dressing him; never a word of complaint escapes his lips. Just as I am writing (2:15am) he is sitting
up in bed as happy as can be puffing on a cigarette. His constant thought is of his home.
Mary Ann would place a notice in the local paper
every year remembering her brave son and the family would donate a prayer desk
to the Holy Trinity Church in Yarram, in memory of Edgar.
Francis would return home before the war ended,
marrying in 1919 and residing in Melbourne until his death in 1962.
Remaining in the region, in 1934 Mary Ann would
pass away aged 80 years old
After a long period of illness there passed away at
Welshpool on Saturday 30th December, one of the oldest pioneers of
South Gippsland in the person of Mrs Appleyard, who was born at Alberton 80
years ago.
Though expected, her death caused profound regret
throughout the districts of Yarram and Welshpool, where her long residence made
her known far and wide. Her parents were
natives of Lancashire, England*, and came to Port Albert, when that place and
Tarraville were making rapid growth.
She had experienced the pioneering work, which then
was going on, by newcomers to South Gippsland, and reared a large family. Mrs Appleyard was a most kind and estimable
woman, testified by the very large number of mourners who attended the
internment of her remains in the Alberton cemetery, on Sunday.
Mary Ann Appleyard nee Gallagher
Born: November 6, 1854, Alberton Victoria
Died: December 30, 1934, Welshpool, Victoria
Relationship with Peter: Daughter in law
Image: Mary Ann Appleyard. Photo from Alsie Hackwill via Lowlands, by Dianne Appleyard
* Newspaper announcement reported Mary Ann's parents being from Lancashire however her birth certificate lists Ireland as their place of birth.
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