Dennis Davis celebrates ANZAC Day in style

By Melissa Loughlin

Dennis Davis, one of the last surviving Rats of Tobruk from World War II, had a great day celebrating ANZAC Day this year. 100-year-old Dennis (turning 101 this month), was the star of the day, being interviewed by many media outlets and featuring on the nightly news on most TV channels in Sydney.

Supported by his granddaughter Fiona Brown, who is the Education Officer Evangelisation and Catechesis in Catholic Schools Broken Bay, Dennis made his way up Elizabeth Street to the cheers of the crowd. The crowds for the ANZAC Day march were smaller than usual, adhering to COVID safe rules, but for Dennis, attending his 60th march, the day was particularly special.

After the event was cancelled in 2020, he was so happy to be back marching to honour and remember his mates, all now gone, who he served with in the Australian Army from 1940-1945, in Tobruk, El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo. Dennis was a driver in the army, delivering ammunition to the front line, dodging German planes who were targeting the trucks.

Dennis has always been a man of great faith, and during the war, he prayed every morning to live through the day, and every night to make it through to the morning.

“There was quite a few unfortunately that didn’t make it through,” said Dennis. “But I am thankful to God that I was one of those that did.”

Dennis is a parishioner at St Bernadette’s Parish at Castle Hill. Every morning at 6.00am, Dennis walks 1.5km to the church to attend Mass and pray the rosary. He leads the first decade of the rosary every day. Almost blind with macular degeneration, Dennis doesn’t let that interfere with his routine.

On the Tuesday night before ANZAC Day, Dennis was a special guest speaker at Hornsby Cathedral Parish Young Adults group, Boundless (led by his granddaughter Fiona). Dennis spoke about his time in the war, his faith and about the special meaning ANZAC Day has for him and his family. The young adults were all inspired by Dennis and his stories.

Dennis was married to Margaret for 61 years, until her passing in 2004. He still lives on his own in a retirement village, and is supported by his two daughters, seven grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren, most of whom were there on ANZAC Day to cheer him on in the march.

Dennis Davis and Fiona Brown with the Hornsby Cathedral Young Adults group