Patriotic Committee formed at Homebush

Homebush Lower was four miles north-east of Avoca. Today only the school building remains but it was still a small town during World War I. The towns of Homebush and Homebush Lower, also known as Lower Homebush, were founded on gold mining in the 1860s and in the 1880s were at their peak.

On 10 September 1914 a meeting was held at Homebush to discuss and raise funds for the Patriotic Fund.

HOMEBUSH, LOWER. (1914, September 16). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151625374

Messrs Samers, Deeble and Wood travelled from Avoca to address the meeting.

A Patriotic Committee was formed with Mr W. Miller elected the president and Mr C. H. Squires, the secretary and treasurer. Mesdames Garner and Barry were appointed to collect the funds for Homebush Lower and Miss M. Shiell for Upper Homebush.

Lennox, Lindsay & Gray, Stanhope (1890). Scarlet and blue. W. Paxton & Co. ; Melbourne : E.W. Cole Book Arcade, London

Patriotic songs were sung during the evening including:

• "Red, White, and Blue"
• "Scarlet and Blue"
• "Australia"
• the National Anthem, "God Save the King"

The "Red, White and Blue" was written in 1852, nine years after the very similar "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean", a United States patriotic song.

Britannia, the pride of the ocean, The home of the brave and the free, The shrine of the patriot's devotion, No land can compare unto thee: Thy mandates make heroes assemble, With garlands of glory in view, Thy banners make tyranny tremble, When borne by the Red, White and Blue. Refrain: Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue, Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue, Three cheers for the Army and Navy, Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue,

When war spread its wide desolation, And threaten'd our land to deform, The ark, then of freedom's foundation, Britannia rode safe through the storm: With the garlands of vict'ry around her, So nobly she bore her brave crew, Her flag floating proudly before her, The flag of the Red, White and Blue. Britannia, the pride of the ocean, And so of a truth shall she be. While true in her loyal devotion, To all that is noble and free: The fire that glows in her story, Still burns in the hearts of her sons, And her flag shall still lead her to glory, When duty shall march with her guns.

The "Scarlet and Blue" song was composed in 1890.

A visit to the cemetery

Yesterday was a glorious spring day. My husband, devoted dog, and I visited the cemetery at Avoca.

In July this year at the Ballarat and District Genealogical Society I heard an excellent talk about World War 1 commemoration in Ballarat cemeteries  by Barry Snowden, a trustee of the Ballarat Cemeteries Trust. To date over 940 men who served in World War 1 have been identified as buried or memorialised in Ballarat cemeteries. About 400 of their graves are maintained by the Office of the Australian War Graves Commission. Snowden's project which is expected to result in a book about the men remembered in the Ballarat cemeteries.

My visit yesterday was not systematic and did not cover all of the cemetery.

My exceedingly observant husband and I found the following men buried or memorialised at the cemetery:

• Hartigan, Clarence Victor. Killed in France aged 20 years.






The rifle is a Lee-Enfield .303, used by British troops from 1895 to 1957, in both the Boer War and the First World War.



The funeral of Clarence Hartigan's brother Michael was reported in the Argus:





FUNERAL OF A RETURNED. SOLDIER. (1901, August 13). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10566278



The memorial headstone was erected in 1903.





SOUTH AFRICA. (1903, January 20). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9815568




• Leersen, Albert Henry , 39th Battalion, died 6 September 1952. Area: Protestant Section: A 3 6 Grave: 643







• Lindsay, Frank, 9867, 22nd Battalion, died 11 August 1958. Area: Roman Catholic Section: D 3 5 Grave: 704

• Robinson, Robert Webster, 21st Battalion, died 14 April 1972.







• Wrigley, John Aloysius, 3300 58th Battalion, died 2 September 1948. Area: Roman Catholic Section: DD 2 3 Grave: 608

Some graves were erected and maintained by the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG), others were private. One was a memorial only. Nearly all the bodies of Australians who died overseas during World War I were not repatriated.

The OAWG erects and maintains graves where the death is attributable to war service. The Avoca cemetery has 21 graves for which the OAWG has arranged official commemoration. Of these 16 are for men who served in World War I. Two or three of these 16 probably are buried in Avoca, Tasmania rather than Avoca, Victoria. There are others of the 16 who were not associated with the Avoca district during the war.

Name		Service number	Year of death	Grave location
DRIVER	William Henry		1915	Area: Protestant
HENDERSON	Charles	6819	1955	Area: Protestant
MITCHELL	Thomas Trebilcock	955	1969	Area: Protestant
NICHOLSON	William G	3845	1920	Area: Protestant
LEERSEN	Albert Henry	1861	1952	Area: Protestant Section: A 3 6 Grave: 643
GREENWOOD	Harold James	1852	1930	Area: Protestant Section: A 7 14 Grave: 428
WILSON	George Lancelot	4641	1937	Area: Protestant Section: A 8 16 Grave: 487
JARDINE	William Edward	2772	1954	Area: Protestant Section: B 11 3 Grave: 540
BARNETT	Maurice	6712	1948	Area: Protestant Section: B 13 7 Grave: 605
HENDERSON	John Hamilton		1915	Area: Protestant Section: CC 1 2 Grave: 291
LINDSAY	Frank	9867	1958	Area: Roman Catholic Section: D 3 5 Grave: 704
WRIGLEY	John Aloysius	3300	1948	Area: Roman Catholic Section: DD 2 3 Grave: 608
HUMPHREY	William J	1721	1934	Area: Unden Section: C Grave: 486
BADKIN	Sydney	1792	1963	Unknown – maybe Avoca,Tasmania
PYKE	Henry James	5163	1966	Unknown – maybe Avoca,Tasmania
VINEY	Louis Gordon	25	1953	Unknown – maybe Avoca,Tasmania

Grand Patriotic Ball at Lamplough on 11 September 1914

The Grand Patriotic Ball at Lamplough was advertised on 9 September in the Avoca Free Press and held on Friday 11 September 1914.

Advertising. (1914, September 9). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved September 11, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151623123

There was a brief report of the ball in the Avoca Free Press of 16 September.

No title. (1914, September 16). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151625353

When the Avoca and District Patriotic Fund met later in the month, J. Curtis was present representing the community of Lamplough, and Lamplough was reported as contributing £3 13s 6d towards the district grand total of more than £300 raised overall. (AVOCA AND DISTRICT PATRIOTIC FUND. (1914, September 23). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 11, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151622483)

The Avoca and District Patriotic Fund had been formed at a meeting on 18 August. A committee was formed with the purpose of raising funds towards the Victorian Patriotic Fund organised for the relief of the troops. The Patriotic Fund was formed in Melbourne on 8 August by the Lord Mayor to enable men to do their duty without anxiety for their families. 

At the meeting on 18 August at Avoca, Councillor Paten was appointed chairman with Councillors Samers and Thomas as Vice-Chairmen; Mr J. H. Deeble was appointed secretary.

The following  ladies and gentlemen were appointed to the committee: — Mesdames A Snell, Brown, E Paten, Chandler, Samers, C Reed, J Reid, Currie, Robinson, Wood, Classen, Thomas, B Snell, Chellew, Deeble, A F Paten, Stavely, Hardy, Johnson, Misses Johns (2) and Grimmer, Messrs G T Wood,  J H Moyle, J Chandler, A G Cust, S G Mitchell, R Stavely, F Knuckey, A G Lalor, G. Downton, J C Wilson, A Wilson, J H Benjamin, J Hempseed, Jno Mackereth, A C: Henderson, C Wolfe, T Simmons, B D Snell, W F Hardy, A Ahpee, W M Chellew, F Wiltshire, Revs. Robinson, Reed and Currie, and Drs Johnson and Grimmer. (The War. (1914, August 22). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 11, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151623260)

Subscriptions were collected the following week, raising more than £50. The Australian Womens' National League (AWNL) made a contribution and also donated thirteen dozen handkerchiefs. Progress was reported in both local newspapers and also the Ballarat Courier.

ACTION IN COUNTRY. (1914, August 26). The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: DAILY.. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73317026

AVOCA AND DISTRICT PATRIOTIC FUND. (1914, August 26). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 11, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151621949

The £300 raised by the Avoca and District Patriotic Fund by mid September can be put in some perspective compared to the funds raised at the 1914 football semi final between South Melbourne and Carlton. More than 20,000 attended the MCG and the gate takings were £863 of which £252 went to the Patriotic Fund. (No title. (1914, September 23). Avoca Free Press and Farmers' and Miners' Journal (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved September 11, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151622490)

Joseph Dillon Hanly

Joseph Dillon Hanly, a bank clerk at with the Bank of Victoria at Avoca, enlisted at Maryborough on 18 September 1914. He was twenty years old.

Hanly had been born in Liverpool England. On his attestation form he listed his next of kin as father J. J. Hanly, Howard, Queensland, and mother W. M. Hanly of Jolimont in East Melbourne. (National Archives of Australia: Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920; HANLY Joseph Dillon : Service Number - 872/Lieutenant : Place of Birth - Liverpool England : Place of Enlistment - Maryborough VIC : Next of Kin - (Mother) HANLY W M.)

He had received his father's permission to enlist. (NAA, B2455, Hanly J D, pg 52)

Hanly sailed for Egypt as a private on 2 February 1915 with the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance on HMAT A51 Chilka.

In 1918 Hanly joined the Australian Flying Corps and he returned to Australia in 1919.

Joseph Dillon Hanly in 1918 as a trainee pilot with B Flight, No. 8 Training Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) at Leighterton, Gloucestershire, England. Australian War Memorial ID number D00127 retrieved from http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/D00127/

On Wednesday 23 September 1914 a farewell was held for Joseph Hanly, hosted by Mr J. H. Deeble, manager of the bank, and his wife. Afternoon tea, eatables, wine and cigars were served. Mr George Downton presided, proposing a toast. Among others, Councillor Paten and Mr G. Woods spoke at the function. The National Anthem and "Auld Lang Syne" were sung.

A full report of the farewell appeared in the Avoca Free Press on 26 September 1914.

Vincent Samers - enlistment rejected in 1914

Some men who tried to enlist in August 1914 were unsuccessful.

Vince Samers from Avoca, who was reported as applying for the Australian Expeditionary Force by both the Avoca Free Press and the Avoca Mail, appears to have been rejected because he was too short and his chest measurement was below the specified minimum.

The Avoca Mail 18 August 1914

While others who applied proceeded to camp at Broadmeadows, Vince Samers was referred for a further medical examination in Melbourne, which, it seems, he did not pass.

Series MT1486/1 in the National Archives of Australia contains applications to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. As well as successful applications it has records for men rejected for service. However, the series dates from 1915, and it appears early applications are not included in the series. The name Samers does not come up in the Archives' record search for that series.

However, on 7 September 1915, Samers' application to enlist was successful.

On his attestation form Samers indicated that he had previously been rejected because of his chest measurement.

National Archives of Australia: Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920; SAMERS Vincent Robert : Service Number - 2209 : Place of Birth - Shepparton VIC : Place of Enlistment - Melbourne VIC : Next of Kin - (Father) SAMERS William, page 1.

In 1915 his medical examination found he was 5' 5 1/2" with a chest measurement of 31 to 32 1/2 inches.

NAA; B2455, SAMERS Vincent Robert, page 3.

Of the men from the Avoca district who successfully enlisted in August 1914, their height and chest measurements from their medical examinations are below:

Gus Ebeling (Lieut.) 5' 11" chest 36 1/2" (from Boer War service record)
Matthew Rafferty (706) 5' 9" chest 37 1/2 to 40 "
Reg Johnson (679) 5' 6" chest 33 to 36 "
W French (670) 5' 6" chest 35 to 37 1/2 "
D Summers (635) 5' 6 1/2" chest 33 to 35 1/2 "

In August 1914 the standard for acceptance was a minimum height of 5 feet 6 inches with a minimum chest measurement of 34 inches.The standard was lowered in June 1915 to a minimum height of 5 feet 2 inches. From an advertisement in the Argus it seems the chest measurement standard was also reduced to 33 inches. During the first year of the war about one third of all volunteers were rejected. ("Enlistment Standards." Encyclopaedia. Australian War Memorial. <http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/enlistment/>.)

Display Advertising. (1915, June 30). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1528066

It seems that being too short by half an inch and a sub-standard chest measurement caused Vincent Samers to be rejected for service in August 1914.

First volunteers in Broadmeadows camp

MARYBOROUGH'S PART. 

DEPARTURE OF VOLUNTEERS. 

The second batch of volunteers for the Expeditionary Force for Europe from the Maryborough district left by the 10.25 a.m. train yesterday for Broadmeadows. They numbered slightly over 20, this tally bringing the district's total up to 45, which must be regarded as a fine contribution. Capt. Raitt saw this second detachment to their train, and they went off amid the hearty cheers of a large crowd that had assembled, and the playing of the West State school boys' bugle band. As was the case last week, the school boys paraded to the station along the principal streets, and all marched very creditably. From letters received by friends of the men in camp, it appears that they are doing well, though leading a strenuous life. Writing to a friend at Avoca, Lieut. Gus Ebeling says:-

" We got down to town all right, and are quite settled in camp. They are a splendid lot of men; the Avoca and Maryborough men who travelled together were the best behaved lot of young soldiers that I have had anything to do with, and I feel sure they will do credit to their respective districts. They are all well and happy, although they have had a very rough time."

(MARYBOROUGH'S PART. (1914, August 26). Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90601418)

Broadmeadows was a military camp established on 19 August 1914 at Broadmeadows, sixteen kilometres north of Melbourne city. Land for the camp was lent to the government by Mr R. G. Wilson. The government later bought it.

From the Embarkation rolls of October 1914, it appears that most of the men who enlisted from Avoca served together. There was a deliberate policy of keeping locals together. Gus Ebeling, Matthew Rafferty, Arthur Summerfield, William French, Dave Summers and Rege Johnson were all in the 8th Infantry Battalion, F Company. Ebeling was Lieutenant, the officer-in-charge of this company. Alfred Golder was assigned to 8th Infantry Battalion Headquarters.

Charles Willmott was assigned to the 7th Battalion and Ike Webster to the 6th.

The 8th Battalion was recruited from rural Victoria within the first two weeks of war being declared. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions were recruited from Victoria and formed the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Australian Imperial Force.

Group portrait of members of F Company, 8th Battalion. Although it is not possible to give names to faces, the Embarkation Roll for the 8th lists all the members of the company at time of departure from Melbourne. It is very likely that the three officers are: Lieutenant Gus Eberling , aged 43, a farmer and grazier from Avoca, Victoria, and a veteran of the Boer War (centre) and Lieutenant William Thomas Yates, aged 29, Dairyman of Newminster Park, Camperdown, Victoria, and 2nd Lieutenant Maurice Leslie McLeod, aged 20, a tailor of 405 Gregory Street, Ballarat, Victoria, on either side of him. McLeod was later killed in action at the landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.The F company embarkation roll lists the two buglers in the front row, far left as 635 Bugler David Summers from Moonambel, VIC and 636 Bugler Phillip Joseph Palmer from Mildura, VIC however it is not known which man is which. Summers was killed in action at Fleurbaix (Pozieres), France on 19 July 1916 and Palmer returned to Australia on 4 August 1915. AWM ID number DAX2563; Photographer Darge Photographic Company; Place made Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, Broadmeadows; Date made c 1914. Retrieved from http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/DAX2563/

William Henry French (1885-1972)

William Henry French (1885-1972) was one of the first men from Avoca to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force on 18 August 1914. He was a miner, 29 years 10 months old, and unmarried.  Born in Avoca, French had never served in the military.

He was assigned to the 8th battalion and given the number 670.

National Archives of Australia: Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920; French William Henry : SERN 670 : POB Avoca VIC : POE Surrey Hills VIC : NOK French James Henry. Page 1

William French was five foot six inches tall and weighed ten stone six pounds. He had blue eyes and his hair and complexion were described as "between".  He had a scar on the back of his head.

On 19 October 1914 he embarked for Egypt on HMAT Benalla at Melbourne. He had the rank of Lance Corporal.

Men of the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade walking down the Port Melbourne pier to embark on HMAT Benalla (A24) (right), and HMAT Hororata (A20) (left), for service overseas. 19 October 1914. Australian War Memorial ID number C02793 retrieved from http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C02793/

On 10 November 1914, less than a month later, he was discharged as medically unfit. On 28 November 1914 he was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Mena House Cairo with the cause listed as "accident knee".

The front entrance to the Mena House Hotel at Mena, ten miles from Cairo, which was taken over for use as 2 Australian General Hospital (2 AGH) photographed early in 1915. Retrieved from http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2010/03/02/tuesday-2nd-march-1915-diary-of-hv-reynolds/

The accident to his knee happened while he was on board the Benalla; a board of inquiry found he was "skylarking" on deck.

Two soldiers wrestling on board a ship. (World War 1) Australian War Memorial ID number  PS0089 retrieved from http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/PS0089/

The cause of hospitalisation is later described as "synovitis of knee". French was discharged from hospital on 1 February 1915, and spent three days with the Number 1 Australian Field Ambulance Hospital at the Pyramids at Mena.

NAA, B2455, French WH, page 25

French returned to Australia on the Kyarra from 5 February 1915. He disembarked at Melbourne on 11 March and was discharged as permanently unfit on 1 April 1915.

In 1923 ex-Cpl French was issued with the Victory medal and the British War medal.

On 10 July 1915 the Avoca Free Press reported that  French was present at a recruiting meeting at Avoca. Although he had been severely injured "at camp in Egypt", he stated he wished to return to his comrades at the front.

The name William Henry French is listed on the Avoca Soldiers' Memorial.