Remembrance Poppy: image use courtesy http://ww100.govt.nz/
25 April is Anzac Day, honoring the soldiers and veterans of Australia and New Zealand. The commemorations had their start with the Gallipoli Campaign, where the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) were part of the British forces to fighting to secure the Dardanelles for the Allies and capture Constantinople. The campaign was ultimately unsuccessful for the Allies, but became a rallying cause and helped define the national identities of Australia and New Zealand. As the Gallipoli Campaign was fought in 1915, today also marks the 100th Anzac anniversary.
In honor of this day of remembrance, here is a list of Australian and New Zealander passengers and crew aboard the last voyage of the Lusitania, sailing at the same time as the Gallipoli Campaign was unfolding. At least three of these passengers and crew served and fought for the Allies or strengthened their commitment to fight after surviving the Lusitania sinking on 7 May 1915 by the German submarine U-20.
Italics indicate survivor.
Australians
- Elisabeth Lassetter, saloon passenger
- Frederic Lassetter, saloon passenger
Elisabeth was from Picton, New South Wales. Her son, Frederic, was born in Woolahra, NSW. Both towns are in the Sydney area.
- Charles Alfred Learoyd, saloon passenger
- Mabel Learoyd, saloon passenger
- Margaret Hurley, saloon passenger
The Learoyds were from Sydney and employed Margaret Hurley as their maid.
- Mary Macky, second cabin passenger
Mary Macky was from Victoria, Australia, but later moved to Devonport, New Zealand, after her marriage to Joseph Macky.
The Mainmans were from Melbourne, Victoria, but had later moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where the youngest children, twins Betty and Edwin, were born. Of the family, only Molly and the twins survived the Lusitania sinking.
- George Turton, saloon passenger
Also of Melbourne, Victoria.
- Robert Neptune Williams, first waiter
Biography coming in the future.
Among the survivors who later moved to Australia include George, Elsie and Frank Hook, who at the time were still Canadian. Likewise, Gertrude Adams, also living in Canada, moved to Australia after the First World War.
New Zealanders
- Edward John Heighway, able-bodied seaman
Heighway from from Auckland, but he married Irish and settled in England.
- Eleanor Charles, second cabin passenger
Biography coming in the future.
- James Gardner, second cabin passenger
- Annie Gardner, second cabin passenger
- Eric Gardner, second cabin passenger
- William Gardner, second cabin passenger
The Gardner family was from Dunedin but had been living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for 13 years before planning to move back to New Zealand and settle in Nelson. After the Lusitania sinking, Eric enlisted in the war and was killed in action in the Passchendaele Offensive on 15 October 1917.
- Joseph Macky, second cabin passenger
Macky was from Devonport (outside Auckland) and had even served as mayor of the town from 1896 to 1900.
- Nina Wickham, second cabin passenger
Nina had a son in New Zealand and another in India.
Among the survivors to move to New Zealand after the sinking include John (later Father Conleth) Coughlin.
If this list is incomplete or if you have any stories to share about more Australians or New Zealanders aboard the Lusitania, we would like to hear from you.
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