Daryl Gardner and Lance Siska Blannin-Ferguson are both included in our Honour Roll, but the reality is that neither probably ever set foot on the district; their inclusion based on their father being based at Arthur’s Creek State School; the servicemen with their mother in what appears to have been an irreparable marriage breakdown.
Both were born with the family name of Ferguson, “Blannin” being their mother’s family name and seemingly added after the breakup. They served under the hyphenated family name.
The pair were killed at the Gallipoli landings within 13 days of each other – Lance in the first attack, 25 April, 1915, Daryl on 13 May. A third brother, Ackland also served, enlisting from Sydney on the same day as his Daryl and Lance, but omitting “Blannin” from his family name.
“… the name of my second son appears with his address given as “Arthur’s Creek”. My boy resided at home … he and one of his two brothers, both of whom are serving at the front lived here at home with two of his three sisters and myself. He was never at Arthur’s Creek in his life, so I would like the error corrected as some of my friends might think that I was living there …” (excerpt of letter from Kate Blannin-Ferguson in Mount Martha to Base Depot).
Link to the history of Daryl Gardner Blannin-Ferguson
Link to the history of Lance Siska Blannin-Ferguson
Link to ozsportshistory.com downloads for WW1
