Posted April 2005 Anzac Day chats - bigger and better in 2005! Education Views, Edition 9, 2005
		The Learning Place's Anzac Day online chat sessions were so popular last year that the project was repeated in 2005 – bigger and better! Students from schools across Queensland gained new insights into the significance of Anzac Day as they chatted online with serving and returned servicemen and women, and other special guests. From left: Nancy, Renae, Jeffrey, Richard and Murray Linda Cooper, Learning Place officer, found 14 guests willing to share their stories with students. Guests for 2005 were: Warrant Officer Class Two - Nancy Trevathen Signaller - Renae Cooper Armoured vehicle commander Sergeant - Jeffrey Moore Armoured crew commander Lance Corporal - Richard Ruff Corporal - Murray Severin Military policeman Warrant Officer Class One - Barry James Infantryman Warrant Officer Class Two - Darren Murch Captain - Sarah-Jane Murray Medical assistant Private - Michelle Clarke Warrant Officer Class Two - Mark Keft and Navy diver Lieutenant - Bruce Hankinson.

Other guests were Cyril Gilbert, returned serviceman and ex-prisoner of war; teacher Mike Goodwin, founder of the Lest We Forget History project; and Matthew Smith, creator of the Australian War Graves Photographic Archive.

Linda set up a project room for multiple chat sessions. Over the period 18-22 April students received information about life in the services today, what it was like being a POW on the Burma-Thailand railway, how Australian students feel when they visit Gallipoli personally, and where Australian war graves are situated across the world.

Students were interested in why serving members of the services decided to join up, where they had served overseas, what their jobs involved – and what they got to eat in the field!

Mike Goodwin showed photographs taken at Gallipoli and described how Australian students - some of whom had family members buried at Gallipoli - reacted to their visit.

Matthew Smith also showed photographs, some of the many war graves he has recorded. Students wanted to know how Matthew feels while doing his work, and asked how many photographs he still has to take. "Over 100,000," Matthew responded.

Cyril GilbertPerhaps the guest who most impressed students was Cyril Gilbert, taken prisoner by the Japanese in Malaya. Cyril explained how he had become a POW and described life on the railway. "We were very hungry all the time – for the three and a half years I was always thinking of food at home," he said. "If you didn't have mates you didn't survive as a POW in Thailand/Burma."

Students responded by thanking Cyril "For your time, valuable insights and your service to our country. Thank you!."

Read an extract from the 2004 online chat with Cyril.