General News
25 April, 2025
Anzac Day special for Ross
For some, remembering a relative's service is more than keeping a history but instead an act of love.
Stories, photos, medals, and paperwork. These are more than a record of Arnold Gregory’s service in WWII. Instead they’re evidence of a son’s love and pride in his father.
Anzac Day wasn’t always so emotional for Maryborough local Ross Gregory. He said that’s come with age.
His dad, Arnold Gregory, served in the 2/8 Field Ambulance during the Second World War. Between 1940 to 1944 he fought as a Rat of Tobruk in the desert heat right through to the humidity of New Guinea.
“Everybody that sacrificed their life, it’s an unbelievable thing, but I just come back to dad — that’s where I go,” Ross said.
“That’s the bit that gets me emotional.”
Arnold had every reason not to enlist. He was engaged, in his mid 30s, had an enlarged heart, and his brother carried the wounds of WWI.
Yet he still enlisted, at first without telling his fiancé.
“[He said] ‘oh by the way my dear, I’ve enlisted’. Well mum’s heart had gone through the floor,” Ross said.
They both knew the risks, considered what it meant for their marriage, and went through with it anyway.
They were together just a few weeks before Arnold was sent overseas with a picture of his bride, Meryl, in his pocket.
“He’d show [the picture] to a lot of his mates and they’d always say ‘what the hell are you doing over here’,” Ross said.
Like many veterans, Ross doesn’t remember his dad talking much about the war — just one near miss in Tobruk.
“They all had a foxhole they’d go down in when they heard the siren,” Ross said.
While Tobruk didn’t have many trees there was one that had fallen with a large fork between the branches. If Arnold was closer to it than his foxhole, he’d lie down in the fork.
“He goes down in the foxhole, he comes out, and they put [a bomb] right in that tree. It just disintegrated, it probably would have landed on his back if he was there instead of his foxhole,” he said.
Ross remembers his dad, who died in the early 80s, as a clever and compassionate man.
“I just hope that other young kids are as proud of their dad as I am of him,” he said.
“I’ve got the best dad, I’ve got the best.”
Ross hopes the community take the time this Anzac Day to remember all those who have served.
“Don’t ever forget,” he said.