The tragic events of last Sunday have cast a pall of grief over the community, yet within the darkness, stories of remarkable heroism and self-sacrifice have emerged, offering a beacon of hope and lessons for us all.
A Christmas Story from the Heart of Australia
Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge, currently on leave for cancer treatment, recalls a poignant moment from his time as a young doctor in Central Australia that feels particularly resonant now. At a local Christmas gathering led by an unassuming Anglican minister, the initial presentation seemed out of place.
The minister, a thoughtful and humble man, reminisced about a traditional English Christmas in the 1930s—complete with chestnuts, snow, and Yule logs—to a polite but mostly Indigenous audience. Kerridge admits he initially dismissed the man as perhaps too unworldly for the rugged challenges of the outback.
A Shadow from Above: The V2 Attack on New Cross Road
That perception shifted dramatically with the next part of the minister's tale. He described walking along New Cross Road in London in December 1944, heading to the shops in Deptford. Without warning, he saw the buildings ahead silently twist and crumple before the sound of the explosion hit him, knocking him off his feet.
The cause was a direct hit from a German V2 rocket bomb. In the final year of World War II, more than 1400 of these supersonic missiles struck London. The New Cross Road attack was one of the deadliest, claiming 165 lives. Unlike the earlier V1 'buzz bombs', the V2s arrived silently and without warning.
A Lifelong Vow Forged in Carnage
The most powerful part of the story came next. As the minister regained consciousness amidst the devastation, he made a solemn resolution: to dedicate the remainder of his life to working for peace in the world.
Kerridge later learned that, contrary to his first assumptions, this man had been a quiet achiever for decades in Central Australia and beyond. His journey—from finding profound purpose in tragedy to championing reconciliation over revenge—left a lasting impression on the future Lord Mayor.
In the face of the extremism and atrocity witnessed last Sunday, Kerridge argues it is too easy to react with anger and hatred. The challenge, and the inspiration drawn from such stories, is to reach inside ourselves to find a better response.
He calls for reaching out with compassion and understanding, for being tolerant of differences while firmly refusing to tolerate intolerance or extremism itself. By doing so, everyone can play a part in creating peace.
"This is a challenge for all of us," Kerridge concludes. "Because in the long run, if we don't all learn to live together, we will never live at all."
