War Spoils, a journey
The timeline to War Spoils
Sometime later while looking through personal effects come across a very detailed journal by my grandfather written just after WWI, for my father (then a toddler).
On reading, realise that my grandfather Captain Henry Dobbyn was wounded seriously twice during various battles in WWI. Not only this, but with the death of his wife at age 30 in 1929, he had been left to raise his five children in Toowoomba.
Sometime in 1993, inspired by sections read in my grandfather’s journal and also photos and documents, write the poem War Spoils seeking to come to terms with the military legacy of my grandfather, father and uncle.
Start performing the poem, complete with projected images of ancestors and several tunes related to WW1 and WWII to various audiences. A story previewing such a performance appeared in the Wynnum Herald some years ago - httpss://www.dobbynpoetry.com/documents/warspoils.pdf
Publish the poem as a chapbook. A copy is now held in National Library - https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/295407
Discover a British blogger Hogrider Dookes has recreated my uncle’s final fatal flight with the Pathfinders - httpss://hogriderdookes.com/2015/05/08/71-years-ago-today/ Start to think seriously about creating a book.
On re-reading my grandfather’s journal, realise he was actually among those receiving a blessing in the iconic painting The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois, a print of which I have seen at my relatives’ abodes since I was a child.
This final discovery leads to my decision to compile my new book War Spoils: A Childhood Painting, My Grandfather, His Sons and a Stunning Revelation. An image of the famous painting is used on the book cover.
While compiling the book, I realised it was on May 9, 1915 that my grandfather survived the Battle of Aubers Ridge, albeit seriously wounded. It was also on May 9 (1944) that my uncle Pilot Officer Robert Dobbyn was killed while on a Pathfinders’ mission in France. Thus I decide that my new book will be launched on May 9, 2025.
War Spoils the book is launched at Manly-Lota RSL Sub Branch on the afternoon of Friday, May 9.