Honouring the Bettles Boys

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Türkei: Ubz.: Eine Aufnahme aus dem Jahre 1915 während der Landung von Truppen der Alliierten in der Anzac Bucht auf Gallipoli (Türkische Halbinsel im Ägäischen Meer).

10,000 people are expected to attend the official ANZAC Day 100 year anniversary ceremonies at Gallopoli this year.

Among them will be Wangaratta local and Mobile Travel Agents member Nicci Bettles.

Nicci and her father Brian Bettles are making the pilgrimage to honour the nine members of the Bettles family, and two other relatives, who fought at Gallipoli.

Nicci’s great grandfather Randolph, his four brothers and four cousins, were all heavily involved in the Gallipoli and French campaigns.

Eight of the family group made it through Gallipoli, however 21-year-old Billy Bettles was killed on April 25, and is one of the hundreds of ANZACs laid to rest at Lone Pine.

Following the ANZAC Day celebrations and a visit to the Lone Pine cemetery, Nicci and her father are travelling to France where they will visit the graves of the four Bettles boys killed in action there; Hedley Farquahson Bettles who died at Bussy, Charles Leslie Bettles buried at Serre, Roy Scott Bettles and Albert John Bettles who are both buried at Villers-Bretonneux.

The visit to Gallipoli, although not Nicci’s first, will be an emotional experience, especially in the company of her father.

“It is extremely rare to have twelve members of the same family fighting in the same campaigns. That’s what makes what my grandfather, his brothers and their cousins did together so special, we are very proud of them of all and I am sure the people of Wangaratta will be too,” Nicci said.

Nicci has recently discovered documents and photographs dating back to the Bettles boys’ WW1 history, all of which she intends donating to the Australian War Memorial.

She is also planning to write a book telling their story.

MTA - Nicci Bettles

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