HE DIED FOR AUSTRALIA

PRIVATE WILLIAM GAR

AUSTRALIAN PIONEERS

30TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 25

BURIED: ,


For Private Gar's parents the cause was unequivocal, their son died for Australia not God, King or Empire as many other Australians did. William Gar was a Filipino, born Guillemo Gah on Thursday Island, Queensland, Northern Territory, which allowed him to answer 'Yes' to the question 'Are you a natural born British subject' on his Attestation Paper. Gar was apparently one of only eight Filipinos from the Northern Territory to enlist. For some reason I find Carlos and Mary (Gah) Gar's overt loyalty to Australia both significant and rather moving.