A celebration of five heroes in Queensland’s WWII campaign

Join Anzac Square Memorial Galleries ahead of Queensland Day for a free talk by John Thompson-Gray, author of Memorable Queenslanders, Japanese Blitz on Darwin, Love Luck and Larceny: Memoirs from Broome 1942, and How Great Thine Aunt.

John has been recording tales of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances for many years, and will share the stories of:

• John Waldie, a 25-year-old coxswain from Stone’s Corner, who saved 150 lives during the Blitz on Darwin on 19 February 1942
• Captain Tom Minto, an old boy of Brisbane Grammar, who rescued the crippled hospital ship in Darwin Harbour during the Blitz on Darwin
• Gerry Droste, who evacuated women and children from the Gulf of Carpentaria prior to the Battle of the Coral Sea
• Captain Gus Winckel, who sank a Japanese submarine off the coast near Sydney and celebrated by flying under the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Dr Jean Davies, who went to the front line on mission stations in North Queensland and became a flying doctor during WWII.

After the talk, visitors can stay to explore the Memorial Galleries – embarking on an interactive journey from World War I to today, before taking time to reflect on the remarkable stories of bravery and sacrifice in the tranquil parklands.