The Christmas Hills cenotaph was unveiled on 10 Dec 1921 by Captain Stanley Melbourne Bruce, who had served on the frontline at Gallipoli, and was to become Australia’s eighth Prime Minster (1923-29). The Eltham and Whittlesea Advertiser painted a vivid picture of the moving ceremony of dedication, and captured some of Bruce’s heartfelt speech, delivered […]
Tag: World War 1
The Anzac Story of William James Capewell
On 13 September 1915, local Eltham Butcher, William James Capewell, enlisted in the Australian Remount Unit 1, Squadron 2 which played an important and often overlooked role in the history of the Australian Light Horse Regiments. The following day, the local Eltham Blacksmith, Alfred Edgar Knapman followed in Mr Capewell’s footsteps, enlisting in the same […]
100 years later – Private Harold Underwood McDonald, Arthur’s Creek
The Melbourne Town Hall The Melbourne Town Hall was alive with music, Union Jack flags, excitement and speeches. The meeting was in August 1914 and the British Empire had just declared war. As a result, Australia also entered the First World War. The evening had been organised to garner support for Victorian men to enlist. Thousands […]
The Olney Family of Whittlesea
The Olney Family of Whittlesea – WW1 by Gayle Thwaites I am not sure if my great grandfather Allan Murdoch “Murdie” Olney had been allowed to enlist in World War One (WW1), whether or not I would be here today to tell this story. I take it as a blessing that he was not allowed […]
For Henry
It was a still night; cold and dark. From the distance, the orange glow of the fire barrels could be seen. Sparks shot up and danced as high as ten metres in the air. The crowds gathered round, absorbing the radiant heat to keep out the chill. A voice over the loudspeaker attracted attention. The masses […]
The Shire of Whittlesea: the Outbreak of War
According to the Municipal Directory of 1918, the Shire of Whittlesea comprised Arthur’s Creek, Bruce’s Creek, Bundoora, Doreen, Eden Park, Epping (population 625), Mernda, South Yan Yean (700), Merriang, Morang (South, 725), Nutfield, Scrubby Creek, Tanck’s Corner, Thomastown (283), Whittlesea (800), Woollert, Woodstock (275) and Yan Yean. All of the place names today remain with […]
A Gift from Egypt
In 1917, a young soldier on leave took a day trip down Port Phillip Bay in the excursion steamer Reliance. On the return trip, while there was a “sing-song” around the piano, he was joined where he was sitting apart, by a young girl to whom he’d been introduced earlier, “and we talked.” Sam continued, […]
World War 1 : Sister Olive Lilian Creswell Haynes
The discovery of Sister Olive Haynes’ post-war connection is largely based on Women Were There, Too, one of the contributions written by Liz Pidgeon for “Fine Spirit and Pluck”, an anthology of WW1 stories from Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea, published 2016 by Yarra Plenty Regional Library). Sister Haynes re-entered the spotlight as a result of […]
Writing the War Exhibition
Throughout August 2016 Yarra Plenty Regional Library hosted the Writing the War travelling exhibition from State Library Victoria at Eltham Library. The exhibition traces WWI through personal accounts from seven Australians. Nurse, bank clerk, farmer, sports master, journalist, artist, and activist and included archived diaries, letters, artefacts and visual materials relating to World War One. […]
Adeline’s World War One Story
My grandmother’s ring was very large indeed, so big it hung loosely on my mother’s thumb when she wore it to the jewelers to have it resized. The jeweler was intrigued but didn’t ask questions. My grandmother told me the story in her tiny, crowded kitchen many, many years ago when I innocently asked her why her left ring finger was always bent […]