ANZAC and Remembrance Day
Port Curtis Road State School was established in 1875. The ANZAC and Remembrance Day events are important days in our school year.
Our memorial ANZAC garden was established in 2015, in honour of a past student, Private James Hamilton Phillips (1380A, 15th Battalion 2nd Reinforcement) is a major feature of our grounds.
Here at Port Curtis Road State School we honour past students who served our country. Every day we honour their memory and their sacrifice.
Private James Hamilton Phillips
Private James Hamilton Phillips, service number 1380A, 15th Battalion 2nd Reinforcement. Private Phillips attended Port Curtis Road State School with his two sisters Alice and Charlotte.
Private Phillips had been working in the Rockhampton area as a carpenter when he enlisted. He enlisted on the 3rd of December 1914 and his unit embarked from Brisbane on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on the 13th of February 1915. Private Phillips served in Egypt and Gallipoli.
Private Phillips was killed in action on the 9th of May 1915 at only 25 years of age. He has no known grave but is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial in Gallipoli. Private Phillips was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Private Percival Leslie Thorsen
Private Percival Leslie Thorsen, service number 2745, was employed at the office of "The Critic" as a printer in Rockhampton. He was the second son of Christen and Maria THORSEN. He was only eighteen years of age when he enlisted on the 3rd of July 1916 in the 49th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement. His unit embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on the 7th of October 1916.
Private Thorsen was fighting at Messines in which he was wounded, but as soon he had recovered, and he returned to the firing line. Private Thorsen was killed in action on the 5th of April 1918, aged 19 during the Battle of Amiens. He has no known grave but is remembered with honour at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. Private Thorsen was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Private George Edward Tiegs.
Private George Edward Tiegs, service number 3235, enlisted on the 7th of June 1916 with the 52nd Battalion 8th reinforcement. He was 21 years old when he enlisted. His unit embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A64 Demosthenes on the 23rd of December 1916.
Private Tiegs was wounded in action in France and returned to Australia on the 18th January 1919 and was medically discharged from service. He received the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
2nd Lieutenant Albert Tiegs
2nd Lieutenant Albert Tiegs was an older brother to Private George Tiegs. The Tiegs family lived on Port Curtis Road. 2nd Lieutenant Tiegs served our country at Gallipoli and also in France.
Albert was 21 years old when he first enlisted in the 11th Battalion as a Private. He was wounded at Gallipoli and was promoted to sergeant. He returned to Australia due to his injuries.
2nd Lieutenant Tiegs then re-enlisted in the 28th Battalion and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. 2nd Lieutenant Tiegs was killed in action and is buried in France.
Captain Oswald William Turner
Captain Oswald William Turner enlisted in Rockhampton on the 17th February 1915 at age 26. He returned to Australia on the 15th December 1919. He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatches on the 25th September 1917.
Captain Turner was awarded the Military Cross on the 3rd March 1918 “for conspicuous good work and devotion to duty during the Battle at Ypres during September and October 1917".
Captain Turner received an Order of the Crown (Belgium) on the 19th June 1917, for battles of the Hindenberg Line on the 3rd May 1917, and Warlencourt on the 10th March 1917, “two Oak Leaves"; 1914-1915 Star; British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Captain Turner was wounded twice during his service. He served at Egypt and Gallipoli. In France he fought at Messines, Pozieres, Flanders, Flers, Bullecourt, Menin Road, Broodseinde, Passchendaele and at Ypre. Captain Turner served Special Service List duties with the Imperial Army in Mesopotamia from the 15th January 1918 to the 18th September 1919 with Dunsterforce and Norperforce.
Captain Turner was in the 25th Battalion, which was the first AIF Battalion to arrive in France on the 19th March 1916. He was one of 40 AIF members chosen for Secret Service mission with Dunsterforce and remained at Enzeli and Baku with the British Army in Occupation, Mesopotamia Campaign, returning to London in October 1919.
More information refer to "In Our Community" page.