GALLIPOLI hero Colonel Colin Dunmore Fuller started his military career as a member of the Illawarra militia and then as a member of the Royal NSW Lancers.
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He was the 11th child of George Fuller, who built Shellharbour's Dunmore homestead out of his gold rush earnings in 1865 and created several of Kiama's early businesses.
The Illawarra's own Light Horse division, the 28th, was formed in 1912, and Colin Fuller became its commanding officer. He was appointed captain at age 32, when he joined the 6th Light Horse Regiment of the 1st AIF in 1914.
The Illawarra light horse brigade camped up the coast, one of their camping spots believed to be at Helensburgh, as they made their way to Sydney before sailing off to war on the Suevic in late December 1914.
About 40 days later, they were in Egypt and camped near the pyramids. Soon the 6th Light Horse were sent to Gallipoli and was battling in the trenches at Ryrie's Post under heavy Turkish fire, where Colonel Fuller was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery.
One citation, in December 1915, read: "This officer has displayed fine initiative in dealing with a difficult problem [in] the defence of Wilson's Lookout also courage and daring. He ... carried out his work with determination and grit."
In the battle of Romani, Colonel Fuller was injured in the thigh. He was awarded a DSO for the successful withdrawal of troops at Romani, which lured the Turks into the heavy sands for a victorious ambush.
The 6th took more than 11,000 prisoners during their campaign. The Sultan of Egypt awarded Colonel Fuller the Star of the Nile for bravery.
At the end of the war, Colonel Fuller returned to Dunmore House. Through his suggestion, a memorial arch was erected in Kiama and dedicated on August 25, 1925, by his eldest brother, George Warburton Fuller, then premier of NSW.
Colonel Fuller became a leading figure in the Shellharbour community and was known as the 'Old Colonel'.
