Anzac Day is a Time for Residents to Reflect at Mercy Place Mont Clare

More than 100 years on from the birth of the ANZAC legend, Mercy Place Mont Clare will commemorate the Anzac heroes and other ex-service men and women in its midst ahead of Anzac Day on Monday April 25.

And as one of several World War II returned servicemen now living at the not-for-profit aged care home, 98-year-old Basil Balme will be one of those commemorating his fallen mates in a ceremony at Mercy Place Mont Clare.

Dr Balme enlisted in the Navy in 1940 - following in his father’s footsteps who fought in the trenches, in France during the First World War.

“I was largely involved in convoy duties, escorting other ships throughout the Mediterranean and England,” recalls Dr Balme, who lost three of his closest school friends when they were killed during training for the Air Force.

“I originally trained as a radar operator and spent all the war years at sea, either on an English cruiser or Australian corvettes.  For several months I was on board with Philip Mountbatten, who would later become Prince Philip, and I remember having several conversations with him.

“One of the most vivid memories I have is of sinking a Japanese submarine after we dropped bombs on it, we just had to accept what we had to do.”

Following the end of the war in 1945, Dr Balme returned to the University of Western Australia where he finished his degree in oil geology, and from there won a Fulbright scholarship to Harvard University in the United States, after which he also worked at the University of New York.

Mercy Place Mont Clare General Manager, Amanda Page, said ANZAC Day was an important and emotional day for many residents.

“Every year Mercy Place Mont Clare acknowledges the exceptional contribution of all Australian service men and women in our ANZAC Day ceremony, and in particular it’s a time for us all to reflect on the bravery and selflessness of servicemen like Basil,” she said.

“Indeed, our ANZAC day commemorations enable many of our residents to reflect on the war years, reminisce about that time whether they were an adult or a child, and also remember those who lost their lives. It’s an important day for all of us.”

Residents at Mercy Place Mont Clare will commemorate ANZAC Day by holding a small service within the home on 22 April. 

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