ANZAC Day Commemorative Service

The Morecambe & Heysham Branch have been arranging an ANZAC Day commemorative service  at Torrisholme Cemetery for a number of years now and this came about when the Midland Hotel in Morecambe was renovated after many years of standing empty. Alongside the restoration, a book was produced which described the history of the Hotel including its service as a military hospital during World War II. The book also includes details of a Sergeant Jack Wilson's (Royal New Zealand Air Force) flight and subsequent crash, as he was taken to the Midland  Hotel to treat his injuries and also that his grave is in Torrisholme Cemetery.

We subsequently made enquiries about the story and discovered Flight Sergeant Jack Wilson is buried amongst a number of War Graves in Torrisholme Cemetery. It transpired that Flt. Sgt. Wilson had lost his life whilst on a training flight from Flookbrough Air Field across the other side of Morecambe Bay and due to his heroic actions when an engine fault developed, managed to steer the plane away from the houses around Morecambe & Heysham and crashed on the nearby deserted Middleton Sands.

Flight Sergeant Jack Wilson. RNZAF

After we started the Commemorative Services, one of our members decided to see if we could trace any relatives of Sgt Wilson and we eventually found out his sister, Mrs Margaret Todd, was still living in Westport, New Zealand and we were corresponding with her and sent her pictures taken during subsequent Services until she passed away. We also sent her a Morecambe & Heysham Branch Pennant to display in her local Returned Services Club and they have sent us a Certificate of Appreciation. Since Margaret passed away, the Branch Secretary has maintained contact with Margaret's family in New Zealand.

The Branch Secretary corresponds regularly with the Australian and New Zealand High Commissions in London and they send wreaths to be laid at Sgt Wilson's grave every year. Photographs of the Service are sent to the Commissions to post on their Websites and are also sent to Flt. Sgt. Wilson's family in New Zealand.

Click here to see pictures taken at the 2010 Service.

Click here to see pictures taken at the 2011 Service.

Click here to see pictures taken at the 2012 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2013 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2014 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2015 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2016 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2017 Service.

Click here to see a report on the 2022 Service.

Details about the Morecambe ANZAC Day Commemorative Service are also included:

 - in the Journal of the Gallipoli Association;

 - on the Australian High Commission website;

 - on the New Zealand High Commission website;

 - on the Australian Nexus website.