The Wedding Gown

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The Wedding Gown  

By Paul McCann

Hazel Maclean was the daughter of a Henry and Margie Gowlan who owned a string of ladies fashion stores all around Australia . Her fiancé Alan French was the son of John and Janet French who imported many items of interest such as poker machines , sewing machines and irrigation equipment ,

     

Alan and Hazel had met at a fundraising event to support farmers who were struggling to feed their sheep and cattle since the drought began in 1939 and continued to devastate the communities who worked on the land .

At this time the economic growth of Australian agriculture had collapsed and many farmers were helpless to do anything about it as they watched their crops die and the soil turn into dust .

John who had a pilots license and Hazel loved to fly . John took her  up in the sky every opportunity he could . Together they visited farmers in the outback bringing much need provisions .

From 1939 the drought and is if that wasn’t enough , the second world war was now in motion .

John had joined the RAAF and quickly climbed through the ranks to become squadron leader .  John had received orders that he was lead a dozen jets on a bombing mission and had to make his way immediately to the barracks for instructions for the strike .

On the last day of his freedom with Hazel they walked to church hand in hand. It was a sad Sunday as Alan had to leave the next day to commence his mission with the air force . They walked quietly together and tried not to speak of the plans they had made for it was in 1945 when their honeymoon was planned until  something had happened to change all of that .

Alan had to go to fight a war instead of marrying the girl he had got to know.

The love they had for each other was thrown into chaos .

Hazel tried hard not to show how upset she was that last day . She knew that she had to be strong and give Alan some support in what he had to do .

At church she prayed for him and asked God to keep him safe . Then she prayed for the strength to carry on without him . After church was over they both walked back to her home .

They stood together at the gate and as they kissed goodbye that evening she looked into his eyes and said ,

“Australia remembers the love we have and everything we planned . Always remember that Alan my darling . Australia remembers you and I will never forget what you are doing for Australia . Get back safely to  Australia my darling .“

As he walked away she felt her heart almost jump into her throat,  She didn't know if they were the words he needed to hear but it was all she could think of to

She went inside to the house were her Mother gave her a hug and her father  gave her some reassuring words of support .

During the events that lay ahead no one could have predicted what had happened but as Alan sat there in the front of the formation of fighter planes suddenly from out of nowhere they were surrounded by Japanese fighter planes that were much faster than anything they had ever seen before .

One by one Alan watched helplessly as all his crew were shot down and  one by one their planes fell from the sky in flames . The Japanese pilots seemed to show respect for the squadron leaders plane and left him to last .

Alan tried to evade the jets on his tail but had no chance as those jets that chased him were much faster and agile than his . Eventually Alans plane was  hit hard from left right and centre and it fell from the sky all he could do was ejected from his plane and hope that somehow he could stay alive .

As he parachuted down the Japanese pilots played with him like a cat with a mouse suspended by a string . They took pot shots at him . Happy played as if he was dead . Hanging limply in the harness of his parachute the Japanese considered that he was dead and left the scene .

Alan was the only in his squad who was lucky enough to land in a lake . As far as he was aware all his crew with their jets had has crashed into the mountain range that cradled the lake . Lucky for Alan a fishing boat that was on the lake  at the time had saw him and managed to pluck him out of the water with his parachute still attached . He was losing blood from gunshot wounds but fortunately for him there was a doctor on board the fishing vessel and he administered immediate life saving assistance . Then the fishing boat was able to transport Alan to a nearby hospital were he was placed into their care until he recovered . As a keepsake the crew of the fishing boat gave the hospital staff Alans parachute . Alan had made a miraculous recovery and was returned to Australia. He had been the only survivor of the failed bombing mission.

When the war was over Alan and Hazel at last set the date for their wedding  and Hazel decided it might be a nice idea to have her wedding dress made up from the silk of the parachute that John had used to land in the lake the day he had come under attack from Japanese the air force . So Hazel approached her parents and asked them for their because had a number of dress makers who manufactured garments for their ladies fashion stores around the country and so immediately they contacted the supervisors for the work to begin on their daughter’s wedding  gown .

Flowers and cars were booked with crowns and gowns , suits and boots , singers and the organist . A breakfast reception was also arranged for the day after the wedding . The word came from the dressmakers that the wedding gown was finished and they required Hazel for a final fitting just to make sure everything was all right ,

Finally their wedding day arrived and the occasion was one of considerable local interest . At St. James Church of England in Maclean on the night of June 21 1944 Hazel (the only daughter of Mr.and Mrs Gowlan )  John French (second son of the late Mr.and Mrs French) of were wed .

The inside of the church  was beautifully decorated by all of Hazels friends .

Small flower bouquets lined the side of each pew along aisle and escorted by her father, Hazel walked up to the altar inside the church in her  beautiful gown made from the parachute that Alan had brought back from India .

The dress was exquisite . It was cloaked in a polar-bear dream satin that featuring a fitted bodice and a heart-shaped neckline . It had a very full skirt and full-length train. It had attracted the eyes of everybody in the church .

The best man Brian Stubbs (friend of the bride and groom ) attended and during the signing of the register, Miss Rita Harcas rendered an unforgettable solo performance of , "I'll Walk Beside You."

Mrs Ruby Alexander presided at the organist.

Flower girls and bridesmaids looked beautiful in the hand made dresses.

In the congregation were some of the fishermen as well as the doctor who had pulled John out of the lake and two of the nurses that assisted John while he was recovering in hospital . Members of the RAAF were also present .

Photographers were busy capturing moments inside and outside the church .

Next morning the wedding breakfast was held at the Hazels family home .  Her mother, who received the guests, wore a black worsted costume featuring a pencil stripe, together with black accessories with a shoulder spray of gold and red roses and carnations.  

On the large kitchen table sat a nicely decorated wedding cake, that held pride of place . All the usual toasts were honoured.  Many congratulatory telegrams were read .

The newly weds spent their honeymoon on a secluded island all paid for by the Australian air force who also provided them with the air transport to the well-guarded  hideaway for a week .

After the honeymoon the young couple settled down into married life and it wasn’t that long when their first baby was born a little girl they named Betty .

Two other children arrived in the years that followed , another girl called Gwen and a boy they named Percy . At they years went by Hazel became a sewing teacher and the sole agent for singer sewing machines in Australia .. Her  company worked through Australasia . In the 1950’s Hazel set up 99 sewing schools with full instruction . She always told her students the story about her wedding gown .

In 1972 Hazel’s first daughter Betty was to be married and of course she was to be married in the wedding gown that her mother wore .

After when the second daughter was married she also wore the same weding gown .

Hazel now was still busy conducting her 4 two hour sewing sessions every Thursday night at a token cosy of $2.00 per lesson . Hazel became very connected with her students and they were most important to her . So  popular was the course , that there was a four year waiting list for enrolments at the sewing school . Things were very busy with her company and she had no time for any social life .

John was also kept busy installing irrigation equipment around farms all over the country . He was also involved with some unpaid work with the local radio station , presenting a program called , On Air With Johnny .

Life was good and things were running smoothly for the French family .

In June 1984 Hazel and John were told they were going to become Grandparents and both of them were over joyed with the news . 

Even though Hazel and John were at retirement age they were far too busy even think about retiring . Hazel was now the resident craft expert at David Jones in Sydney where she was able to assist people with embroidery , crochet , colours for threads and new stitches in needlework . She had become very crafty indeed and was and was regarded as the best craft expert around town . She was always there on the 3rd floor of D.J's in their city store every day from Monday to Friday, between 1030 am and 3 pm .. Hazel loved people and everyone loved her .

Just before the century was over Hazel and Johns first Granddaughter was to be married and as was the family tradition , the young bride to be was given the wedding gown to wear on her wedding day . Even to this day the tradition continues with the well-known phrase and respected tag of , being honoured in that wedding gown  .

While they were still able to walk and talk , John and Hazel enjoyed traveling  and  appreciated seeing new cultures and meeting new people everywhere they went and with them in their luggage they always had photos of that wedding gown .

The End

 

By Paul McCann

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