Lansdowne Gardens residents commemorate ANZAC Day

Residents of Lansdowne Gardens today commemorated ANZAC Day with a service held by a local minister. In attendance was resident Dr Lilley who served in the Pacific Region during World War II. He was a pilot who actively saw action with the Japanese. He enlisted for service during his medical studies, but the airforce refused him as he was more valuable in the medical profession. So he withdrew from his studies to enlist in the war as he couldn’t live with himself if he couldn’t serve his country. He was involved in attacking the Japanese Barge which was used for supplying supplies and arms and foodstores. He was shotdown in the Soemba Sea,whilst attacking a Japanese Cruiser. He was rescued and taken to Darwin by the allies. The film “30 Seconds over Tokyo” was based on the true events of America’s first retaliatory attack on Japan (which was the attacking of the Japanese Cruiser in the Soemba Sea) after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Dr Lilley returned to Australia and continued his studies, encouraged and motivated by his wife to be, and become a renowned Orthopaedic surgeon.