THE REMEMBRANCE FIELD
Most visitors to my garden understand the significance of the red Flanders poppies growing in the Remembrance Field and the edging hedge of the herb rosemary. Rosemary is the token worn on ANZAC Day and the red poppy is worn on 11th November the date the Armistice Treaty was signed at Versailles to end World War One.
“But, what is the significance of the blue cornflowers?” they ask.
Cornflowers and poppies
My answer is of particular interest to the residents of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, because the planting of blue cornflowers represents our remembrance of the crew, doctors and nurses of the Centaur an Australian Hospital ship sunk off our coast by a Japanese submarine.
Sinking of the Centaur
The Centaur, 2/3rd Australian Hospital Ship, was a motor passenger ship converted in early 1943 for use as a hospital ship. In November 1941 it had rescued survivors of the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran after it had been sunk by HMAS Sydney.
On 12 May 1943 the Centaur sailed unescorted from Sydney at 0945 hours carrying her crew and normal staff, as well as stores and equipment of the 2/12th Field Ambulance but no patients. It was sunk without warning by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine on 14 May 1943 at approximately 0400 hours, its position being approximately 27°17′ S, 153°58′ E about 50 miles east north-east of Brisbane.
Of the 332 persons on board, only 64 survived. These survivors spent 35 hours on rafts before being rescued. Sister Ellen Savage, the only one of twelve nursing sisters on board to survive, though injured herself, gave great help to the other survivors and was awarded the George Medal for this work.
The ship had been appropriately lit and marked to indicate that it was a hospital ship and its sinking was regarded as an atrocity. The Australian Government delivered an official protest to Japan over the incident. The Japanese did not acknowledge responsibility for the incident for many years and the War Crimes Tribunal could not identify the responsible submarine. However, the Japanese official war history makes clear that it was submarine 1-177, under the command of Lt Commander Nakagawa who had sunk the Centaur. Lt Commander Nakagawa was convicted as a war criminal for firing on survivors of the British Chivalry which his ship had sunk in the Indian Ocean.
Poppies and cornflowers
I have left you wondering about the connection of the Centaur with the blue cornflower. The Latin name of the blue cornflower is Centaurea cyanus. The plants of this genus are said to have healed a wound on the foot of Chiron, one of the centaurs of Greek mythology. It is said that he gave knowledge of healing to mankind.
On August 28, 2009 the Courier-Mail newspaper carried this story:
OPERATORS of deep-water search equipment are wanted to help find the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur, which sank off Queensland in World War II.
The Queensland government will this weekend call for tenders from operators of deep-tow side-scan sonar and remote-operated submersible vessels.
Premier Anna Bligh said the highly specialised job was expected to generate international bids.
“This is the next stage in the Queensland and Australian governments’ $4 million project to locate the AHS Centaur,” Ms Bligh said.
Exhaustive research is being finalized in order to determine the Centaur’s likely resting place, before the search begins later this year or early next year.
Remembrance Field
Above is the path separating the house garden and the Remembrance Field. The bushy green clumps near the garden fence are Shasta Daisies which will soon flower with white daisies to create a patriotic red, white and blue vista.
Come see this garden for yourself. It opens to raise money for the Australian Open Garden Scheme on 7/8th November. Entrance fee of $6.00 for adults. Children and students are free. Food and beverages will be available and Fay will be signing her book. Every book sold that day will ensure a donation of $10.00 to Legacy the organization which cares for dependents of former servicemen and women.
