T’other day, I drove down a seldom travelled road to get to a neighbouring town, Lower Dismal Swamp. This caused me to see something I had never noticed before … I never knew that there was a war cemetery in Dismal Swamp! Furthermore, it’s listed in the Queensland Heritage Register.
There are 164 graves with identical headstones for soldiers and airmen of the district who were killed during World War II.
In an online reference, it is noted “The graves represent 19 different Australian services and corps including: Infantry, Army Service Corps, Air Force, Volunteer Defence Corps, Medical Corps and Engineers, and one grave belongs to a member of the Young Men’s Christian Association.”
What else might I discover during my last week in Dismal Swamp?
Hello World 
It is strange how tidy war cemeteries are compared to the chaos of war, whereas civil cemeteries are chaotic.
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That’s a very interesting observation, Hilary.
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Having just been through the move from hell I wish you much luck. Is the new town called ‘slightly less dismal swamp’?
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Nothing could compare to your wretched experiences.
Let’s see what happens in my new abode, Andrew. This time, if something goes wrong, I can ring the agent and say “Fix it”!
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Looks very peaceful. A place I would visit to reflect on what our ancestors had the courage to give us.
Wishing you to the other side of your moving event!
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Good morning, Jane. Thank you for your good wishes.
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Moving. Oy. I haven’t moved for 26 years. Good luck. It sounds as though you’ll be glad to leave your current spot. Here in the US there is an actual Great Dismal Swamp near the coast of North Carolina on the way to a long stretch of beach called the Outer Banks. This Dismal Swamp is, I think, basically a peat bog. Yours sounds metaphorically dismal. Your cemetery is beautiful, but like an earlier commenter, I always feel such a feeling of sadness and loss in war cemeteries, especially when I start reading the dates. Regional tourism deserves a bit more support, I think, so I hope you have many happy discoveries in the new place!
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26 years would no doubt result in a fair amount of treasures to be sorted through if you ever decided to move.
The state I’m moving to (Victoria) is not as sparsely settled as Queensland, so there are interesting places not far from wherever you happen to be. I love change, so am looking forward to this next phase of my life.
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How did I miss this news? Dismal Swamp won’t be the same without you. Moving south hey…interstate or just south of where you are now? You might be closer to me.
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Hi, et. I’m moving to NE Victoria, not far from the snow fields. That has to be closer to you, Dismal Swamp is way up in the NE of Queensland.
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About the same distance. We’re in SE QLD. The weather will be vastly different. I hope you have your woollies ready.
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Yes, finally all the things I’ve been knitting will be put to use!
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How lovely.
Also best of good luck wishes from us for your move – how exciting! I town full of Italians sounds much better than Dismal Swamp!
Towards the end of the time we were packing up to leave Edinburgh, the Oxfam bookshop in Morningside (which Philip had visited many times) had a poster up advertising a forthcoming massive sci-fi video sale 🙂
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That’s funny about the Oxfam shop, Caroline. I’ve been noticing that my neighbours all look nervous and avoid my eyes when they see me appear with stuff in my arms! I wonder why? 🙂
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Lovely how these places are so well tended,
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Of course the new town will garner and nick-name. Good luck with everything.
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Thanks. You should be here to offer encouragement and wine. Especially wine!
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I didn’t know you were moving either. Best wishes on the journey and settling in.
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Thank you, Sue. How’s the weather in the Stampede city?
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As changeable as can be. Yesterday we had snow in parts of the city and today back to summer. Our daughter’s wedding is 2 weeks today so we hope the weather holds. 🙂
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Wow, a busy time for you folks. I hope the weather is lovely on their big day.
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It’s amazing what we find right in our own backyards sometimes.
I, for one, am looking for your posts from your new home. Not of course that I haven’t enjoyed the ones from Dismal Swap.
My move to where I live now was a miserable and exhausting one and I think they renamed the local GoodWill donation center after me…or at least one of the doors there. I was almost on a first name basis with all of the workers. I think it’s partly moving when we are older and moving from a place where we have lived for a while. I was in my previous place for 11 years although I had moved around a lot before then.
You know, when my move to Venice happens they will definitely name a wing of their building after me. Probably put my picture over the cash register in the shop….and not on a “wanted poster”.
Beautiful, poignant pictures my friend.
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And then I think of my parents migrating from Belgium; they didn’t have any jet planes to speed their trip in the early 1900s.
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I didn’t know you were moving. A most hellish experience. I wish you well.
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There’s a particular charity shop in town which has been renamed “The Yvonne Shoppe”, Cynthia!
This move is the worst I’ve done, and I can’t figure out why. It’s not like I didn’t want to get out of town. Cheers!
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I am glad you saw this before you move South. Now you can start a series looking at more old monuments.
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Right! So, will you please pose for me, suchled? Your followers consider you a monument!
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Very hilarious.
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Too right, mate. 🙂
Hey, you’re not going crook on me, are you?
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never!! Why would I go crook on my most loyal fan. Then I’d have to rely on someone else to take me on tours through Italy.
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I like the name of your new town. It has a happy ring to it. We’re thinking of you as you venture forth on a brand new adventure. Can’t wait to read about it.
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Let’s see if the new town gets it’s own nickname, Barb. It’s chock full of Italians, so I know there’ll be good coffee, anyhow. I wish The Minxster and I were there already.
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These place always make me sad…such a waste of life.
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I agree very strongly with you, Debra.
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Have a reasonable move away from dismal swamp. These are difficult times, hope all goes smooth!.,
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Thank you for your kind wishes, Gerard. I just wish the move was already over.
I wonder if my new town will garner a nick-name?
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