Despite being the highest ranking and the oldest serviceman connected from Whittlesea to die in service during the Great War (and the only full-time soldier), Robert Garrick Wilson for some reason does not rate a mention on any of the Memorials erected around the Shire. Even more surprisingly, his considerable contribution to Australia’s war effort […]
Tag: First World War
The White Family of Northcote : At War
The First World War provides us with many rich and varied stories, but rarely do these little scenarios spread across three conflicts. For the White family of Northcote, the curtain opens with an article in the Northcote Leader, 18 August, 1900 : “My husband is out on active service in South Africa and I won’t […]
1918 : Northcote Under attack!
During the First World War, there were many references in the local Leader newspapers to the 54th Merri Infantry Battalion and the Volunteer Forces unit base at the Drill Hall in Simpson Street in what was invariably referred to as Westgarth. There was no secret that the Battalion encompassed companies of volunteers from Northcote, Preston and Heidelberg, the latter then […]
Last Survivor of the 14th Battalion
Maurice Gerald “Gerry” Hevey, one of the last surviving members of Jacka’s Mob – the 14th Battalion, Ist A.I.F. and pioneer archer passed away in Ivanhoe, Victoria on Tuesday 21 June 1994. He was aged 95 years. As a young man Gerry had been very keen to join the fight. “I, like many others, went […]
A Local Diamond Creek Boy
Friday, 24 April, 2015 was a beautiful sunny day, the wind a little chilly, but the view from the paddock of Sutherland Homes in Diamond Creek was beautiful and peaceful, the soft rolling hills of Plenty, and the view looking towards the Kinglake Ranges was breath taking. It was to be a memorable day; the […]
Not Forgotten
The Bell Boys of Kangaroo Ground – WW1 By Gayle Thwaites As a parent how does one sign a piece of paper authorizing the government to allow their son to be part of the AIF, how does one hand over a life to be used as a tool to fight somebody else’s war. I don’t […]
Called from the Shadows
The news that the United Kingdom had been at war with Germany in 1914 had stirred a rather similar response here in Victoria to that in England in 1852 with the arrival of news that gold had been discovered here in Victoria awaiting those prepared to set sail and dig for it; those responding to […]
Private John Valentine Wilson
19 October 1914, Port Melbourne Pier. Men of the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade board the HMAT Benalla (right) for service overseas. Amongst them was a young Christmas Hills farmer Private John Valentine Wilson, son of David and Elizabeth Wilson. Just eight months later on 3 June 1915 Private Wilson aged 25 was killed in action […]
Searching for the Searcher
Often when searching history you learn about the people involved, their personalities, likes, dislikes and life achievements, other times just about the achievements. In researching the life of Stanley Simpson Addison it was somewhat easier to find out about his achievements than Stanley, the person. Whilst born into a modest farming family at Aldinga, near […]
Memories of the Great War
by Susan Webster The Heidelberg Voice, August 1, 1979 page 6 Modern memory encompasses two world wars. In those two battles we saw the shift from the importance of armed men to military machines. Yet in any war, no matter how much technology is deployed, the human element of man fighting man will still be […]