Book honours indigenous Anzac service
Aboriginal men from the Blackwood area who served in World War I will be recognised in a book to be published on the eve of the Anzac Day centenary.
They Served With Honour tells the story of 13 indigenous Western Australians who fought at Gallipoli.
"It's wonderful that it's being published now while there are still people who can relate to what happened," Department of Aboriginal Affairs spokeswoman Anna Wyatt said.
Included in the 13 are brothers Lawrence 'Larry' and Lewis Farmer, who were living in Bridgetown when they enlisted.
They were among eight boys born to William Farmer and Emily Coyne in Katanning, with their brothers Augustus and Kenneth also serving in WWI.
Larry survived Gallipoli but was killed at Pozieres in 1916, while Augustus also died in France. Lewis and Kenneth survived the war.
The Farmers will be remembered today in one of the sunset services being held at Kings Park in Perth as Anzac Day approaches.
Also being acknowledged today is James Dickerson, born in Gingin and believed to be the only Aborigine to die at Gallipoli.
Their stories were revealed when DAA staff, preparing for the Anzac Day centennial, noticed a list of 57 men was incomplete and began searching national records.
"We found more and more and more and eventually we found 120 so far that have served in World War I," Ms Wyatt said.
She said a a book on all the indigenous WA men who served in the war was planned.
