ANGELA GAZEY and the death of Eric Joseph HOLST WX8678 Private, ‘A’ Company, Born 1913 died 1945
Angela, former student of Kalamunda Senior High School and a selected member of the Premier’s Student Anzac Tour 2012 which focused on:
- the fall of Malaysia and Singapore.
- the tragic story of Sandakan.
- honouring the 2/4th Machine Gun Btn.
With the main focus of the education program on the prisoner of war experience and Sandakan, the tour group visited States of Sarawak, Labuan and Sabah, attending ANZAC Day commemorations at Sandakan where a prisoner of war camp was first established in 1942. Angela’s great uncle, Private Eric Joseph Holst, 2/4th MG Btn, aged 31 years perished in 1945 on the wretched Sandakan march. His death records confirm he died of malaria on 20th March 1945
In 2012, Angela Gazey was a guest speaker at our annual luncheon. With the assistance of Student Tour Leader & Organiser Robyn Cleaver Angela spoke about the group’s experience and shared with us some of the tour photographs.
ANGELA who at the age of 18 years was the RSLWA’s 2013 Youth Ambassador and following the march, gave an address at the Anzac Day Service at the Perth Esplanade . She spoke with confidence, and delivered a moving speech to the very large audience gathered. In particular, Angela urged her generation to study the experiences of their forebears.
“Our freedom came at a cost, and it is important we learn about this”