One of the Army's great historical researchers, Lieut-Colonel John Kirkham, provided me with this most interesting extract from the September 1932 edition of "The Victory" publication.
The article entitled "My Concertina And I" was written by Major A S Penberthy (Melbourne Central Division).
It is nineteen years since first we met, my concertina and I. Our friendship has gradually developed into a real love, and for years we have been inseparable friends. We have travelled thousands of miles together and have taken part in innumerable meetings, seen the sunshine and shadows, smiles and tears, and my faithful friend has never failed me.
We were giving an imitation of the bagpipes in a programme in a town in Tasmania. I was rather rough on my good friend and I broke the key of the bottom G. There was no one in that town who could repair the damage. I needed the concertina for the weekend meetings, so I turned doctor myself. I repaired it with a piece of a man’s leg. “Would you mind giving me a piece of your leg?”, I asked a soldier of the corps. He was very self-sacrificing. “How much do you want?”, he asked. “Oh, about an inch will do”, I said. So he cut off the required amount, and I did the rest. Needless to say it was a wooden leg, made of Tasmanian Blackwood. That bit of leg is still there.
Sometimes the shadows have fallen and the music has been in a minor key. A young woman, who had often heard and loved the music of my concertina, lay dying in a country town. She asked, “Will you come to my funeral, and after they have lowered me into the grave, play 'Abide with me' on your concertina?"
My concertina is quite a preacher. We went on one occasion to the Fremantle long-sentence prison with the Perth Fortress Band for the Christmas programme. I played the grand old air “The Rosary”. The men loved it. I asked “Jim” to sing “Just as I am without one plea” to the tune of “The Rosary”. The men were very moved. That was probably the greatest sermon they had heard.
I don’t know what I would do without my concertina. When the Great Master Musician asks what instrument I would like to play in the Grand Orchestra of the Skies, I will say “My Concertina”.
Wonderful instrument! ~ beautiful on earth ~ good enough for Heaven!
