Remembering them: People of St George and the First World War

Mateship & Mercy

As part of the National Trust Heritage Festival, Hurstville Museum & Gallery hosted a talk on Monday 11 May 2015 to complement this year’s theme conflict and compassion. The presentation, given by Local Studies officer David Clarke, highlighted the compassion and camaraderie shown by the people of the Hurstville district during the trying times of the Great War. 
Through letters, diary extracts and correspondence the experiences of local service men and their loved ones came alive to paint a holistic picture of the impact of the conflict. Hearing such personal stories was an incredibly emotional and touching experience for the audience. 

Two stories in particular stood out for the remarkable way in which they intersected. 

The SS Barunga, a former German-Australian liner seized by Australia Government at the beginning of the war and repurposed as a transporter, was the common thread joining the experiences of Hurstville residents Mrs Margaret Edser and Hurstville servicemen William John Duffell. Following the death of her husband, Charles Edser, on the Western Front in 1917, Mrs Edser pursued a lengthy quest for the return of her late husband’s belongings, to be shipped home.  It happened that the belongings met the same fate as the gunner William Jon Duffell when the SS Barunga sunk after being struck by a torpedo in July 1918. Fortunately, William John Duffell was among the survivors who were rescued. He later remembered: 

"I managed to grab a pair of pants, a shirt and a pair of canvas shoes. I lost everything but my pocket book and the Bible I got from the church". (Hurstville Propeller, 4 October 1918, p.1).

Gunner William John Duffel was among the survivors who were rescued from the SS Barunga.
Image from Hurstville Honour Roll, No 1.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. 

Mrs Edser was not so lucky, left back in Hurstville without the belongings of her beloved, which had been lost at sea. 

Charles Edser, was killed in action in Belgium in October 1917.
Image from the Hurstville Honour Roll, No 1 .
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection.

Stories such as these put a face to the men and women whose lives were forever changed by the Great War. The audience joined together to pay their respects, concluding the talk with the words ‘Lest We Forget’.

Don't forget to visit our exhibition before it closes on Sunday 31 May 2015!

Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War 

Watch this video of descendants of First World War soldiers presenting their family memorabilia. 

Keepsakes: First World War Memorabilia

National Trust Heritage Festival 2015

The National Trust Heritage Festival started in NSW in 1980 to nurture & promote heritage related events in NSW. From the 11 April – 26 May 2015 join the National Trust in celebrating Australia’s cultural heritage, through talks, tours, exhibitions and events across NSW, the National Trust invites people to explore our heritage and find out what has shaped Australia.1 

To celebrate the theme of this year’s National Trust Heritage Festival Conflict and Compassion Hurstville City Library, Museum & Gallery will be hosting the following events:

We will start our program of events on Wednesday 22 April 2015 with a beautiful and informative tour of Oatley Park. You will be guided on a journey through the natural beauty of Oatley Park with Oatley Flora & Fauna Conservation Society Inc. This walking tour will explore the abundance of flora and fauna and significant sites relating to the heritage of the area. Yummy refreshments will be provided! 

More information.

Hurstville War Memorial c.1930

 Image: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection

Join us on Wednesday 6 May 2015 for a bus tour where we will visit some of the war memorials and places of commemoration throughout the Hurstville and surrounding suburbs. There will be time to view the Remembering them: People of St George and the First World War exhibition is included. Scrumptious refreshments will be provided. 

More information.

 
Image: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection

On Monday 11 May 2015 join Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery staff as they present the talk 'Mateship and Mercy' which highlights the compassion and camaraderie of the people of the Hurstville district during the First World War. Extensive research has been undertaken, finding a selection of published letters, diary extracts and correspondence, reflecting the experiences of both local service people and their loved ones during the conflict. 

More information.

Our final program for the National Trust Heritage Festival will be a film screening of 'Revealing Gallipoli' on Tuesday 26 May 2015. Revealing Gallipoli tells the story of the nine-month battle, which ended with the evacuation of all its troops in December 1915. The film was produced in 2005 and has been provided by the Commonwealth Department of Vetrans' Affairs. After the screening, talk some time to view the exhibition 'Remebering Them: People of St George and the First World War'.

More information.

Bookings are essential for all programs.

Remembering Them - People Of St George And The First World War exhibition runs from the 15 February to the 31 May 2015 at Hurstville Museum & Gallery.This exhibition commemorates the ANZAC centenary in 2015 showcasing the experiences of men and women of the St George area during WW1. Personal stories will come to life through soldiers‚“ diary and letter extracts. A highlight on display from the Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection will be the pictorial honour rolls portraying over two hundred photographs of soldiers.

Hurstville Museum & Gallery 

14 MacMahon Street Hurstville 2220

Phone: (02) 9330 6444 or museumgallery@hurstville.nsw.gov.au

Visit our Website for more information.

  1. Australian Council of National Trusts http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/nsw/Heritage-Festival

Remembering them: People of St George & The First World War

ANZAC DAY TRADITIONS

The landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1915 founded the events that were to inspire and sustain a potent Anzac legend. We remember this legend each year on Anzac Day, as we did 99 years ago on that first Anzac Day in 1916.

Looking back today, it is hard for us to truly empathise with what the first anniversary of the Anzac landing meant to those soldiers who had served in Gallipoli. Some light can be shed by the first-hand accounts of Australian servicemen who experienced Anzac Day with their comrades.

Memorials in Egypt

Extracts of letters written by the brothers William and George Simms, of Penshurst, paint the scene of Anzac commemorations in Egypt in 1916. Their correspondence was published in the Hurstville Propeller in June of that year. [1] According to the brothers,

‘Anzac Day, the day which needs no explanation as to its meaning and importance’, was marked in Cairo by a memorial service organised by Anzac troops and attended by 1500 persons. The emotion of the day was felt by all present. ‘What an awe-inspiring spectacle it was to witness hardened war-stained warriors and hopeful untested soldiers alike battling with an unconquerable emotion, which spoke of past glories of fallen heroes.’ Hymns were sung and the Last Post sounded ‘amid a death like and saddening stillness. For any soldier who has been in action, or had a dear comrade die, this call has sepulchral significance.’ 

Commemorative services have been held across the world on Anzac Day ever since. Traditionally, they take place at dawn; the time of the original landing in Gallipoli.

Gallipoli, Turkey. 25 April 1923. Buglers sounding the last post as the firing party loads during an Anzac Service at Anzac Cove. Image: AWM H12949. (Donor Miss M. Berkeley).

Anzac Day marches

In Egypt 1916, following the memorial service, the troops marched four miles through Cairo to the Military Cemetery, where floral wreaths were placed on each soldier’s grave to pay tribute to the ‘honoured heroes’. Though their families were far away, their brothers in arms tended to them. ‘The cemetery is splendidly looked after and a headstone marks the place of those who are buried there. These have been erected by their comrades.’

Unidentified Australian soldiers march through the Cairo's city streets on Anzac Day 1916 on their way to do honour to their fallen comrades at Old Cairo Cemetery. 
Image: AWM C00016.

The march in Egypt was but one among many Anzac Day 1916 marches all over the world. In London, over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets. In Sydney, accompanying the marching soldiers were convoys of cars carrying those wounded in Gallipoli. Though they had to be attended by nurses, these soldiers could not be prevented from honouring their fallen mates on this day.

First World War returned soldiers marching through the streets of Sydney during an Anzac Day march, c. 1938. The men hold their hats over their hearts at the Centotaph. 
Image: AWM A03638.

Fun and games

A day of sports and games was also held in the Australian camp in Egypt. Two-up was undoubtedly played, for the game was very popular among the Australian diggers in Gallipoli as they huddled in the trenches.

Spectators enjoy a boxing match between two contestants during the sports carnival that was part of the Anzac Day celebrations at Tel el Kebir camp in 1916. 
Image: AWM C00267.

.

The finish of a race at the AIF sports meeting, held at Duntroon Plateau on 
Anzac Day 1916. Image: AWM C04400.

Anzac biscuits

Originally called soldiers’ biscuits, Anzac biscuits were renamed after the Gallipoli landing and were a very popular food to send overseas to the Australian forces.

Try this Anzac biscuit recipe from 1926!

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tbls golden syrup

2 tbls boiling water

1 tsp bicarbonate soda (add a little more water if mixture is too dry)

Method:

Combine dry ingredients. Mix golden syrup, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda until they froth. Add melted butter. Combine butter mixture and dry ingredients. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto floured tray, allowing room for spreading. Bake in a slow oven.

Have you made Anzac biscuits at home? Please share your recipes and photos with us and tag us on facebook, twitter and instagram: #HurstvilleFamilyRecipes. 

A stack of ration boxes on the beach at Anzac Cove, 1915, arranged so that they form a shelter for the men responsible for its distribution. Can you see the man standing behind a stack of biscuit crates? Image: AWM C03393.

Do you want to find out more about the Anzacs? Come and visit our exhibition

Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War on show until 31 May 2015.

Follow our Commemorating WW1 and Anzac Day Pinterest board.

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[1] Hurstville Propeller, 16 June 1916, p. 3.

5000 Poppies

On Thursday 12 February 2015, the Wrapped with Love knitting group gathered at Hurstville Museum & Gallery among our Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War exhibition to participate in the 5000 Poppies project. This project was initially aimed at ‘planting’ “a massive field of handmade poppies in Fed Square Melbourne on Anzac Day 2015 as a stunning visual tribute to Australian servicemen and women for more than a century of service in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.”[i]  

Images: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery

The request went out far and wide for knitters and sewing enthusiasts to create poppies for the display. It wasn't too long before their aim of 5000 poppies double, tripled and quadrupled, with efforts coming in Australia wide and even around the world. There is now an estimated 140,000 poppies collected and that number is still growing!

Images: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery

The Wrapped with Love knitters were excited to contribute to the project and armed with red wool, buttons, knitting needles and patterns started the task of creating as many poppies as they could. The group made a fantastic effort in creating 191 poppies to be sent to join the rest of the poppies in Federation Square, Melbourne.

 Hurstville pictorial honour rolls displayed in the exhibition

 'Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War'.

Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection.

We have sent our poppies with our dedication, a poem from Anne McFarlane of Mortdale, which was published in the Hurstville Propeller, 16 March 1917.

When our boys come home

When the clouds are lifted
And this cruel was is o’er,
Will our boys be ever with us,
As they were once before.
In the silent watch at night,
My thoughts to them do roam;
Oh, won’t all things be bright,
When our boys come home.

Images: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery

For more information on the 5000 Poppies project please follow the link https://5000poppies.wordpress.com/.

For more information on any programs and events at Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery, check out the ‘What’s On’ section of our website.

The Wrapped with Love knitters are all volunteers and meet at Penshurst Branch library on the 1^st and 2^nd Thursday of each month between 1.30 – 3.30pm.
For more information on the Wrapped with love knitters please contact Penshurst Branch Library on 02 9330 6422.

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[i] https://5000poppies.wordpress.com/about/

Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War

Ahoy! Experiences on the way to war

Soon after the First World War broke out, recruitment for volunteers began across Australia, including here in Hurstville and surrounding areas. Many families farewelled more than one relative, as the several identical surnames on the honours rolls reveal. Not only men volunteered, but women also signed up for war service abroad as nurses. The service men and women were sent off with official proceedings, including farewell speeches, musical entertainment and outdoor games.

The enlistees awaited a several week journey by ship to reach their destinations at the training camps and war front. For many of them, it was their first time overseas.

Today, we can retrace the soldiers’ journeys with information from personal letters, diary entries, photographs and other archival documents and find out about their experiences abroad.

Hurstville boys on the SS Euripides

The SS Euripides was the largest Australian troop ship and could accommodate 136 officers, over 2,000 other ranks and 20 horses. Among the signatures on this photograph we can find those of George Henry Baker and William David Low. George was a young accountant who initially arrived in Egypt with other Hurstville district soldiers of the 13^th Infantry Battalion, in April 1915. George was relocated to England on board the SS Euripides in May 1916, where he was attached to the Australian Army Pay Corps. William, a clerk from Forest Road, had enlisted in January 1915, being assigned as a member of the 4^th Reinforcements, 13^th Battalion, departing from Sydney in March 1915. 

Photo of SS Euripides including soldiers' signatures.
Courtesy of Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection.

Conditions aboard

"The voyage was pretty rough the first night. Sleeping in the hammocks on deck was like sleeping on a clothes line … It is getting hotter every day in the Indian Ocean. We can see nothing but water.”

George Dunstan of Dora Street, Hurstville, St George Call, 25 December 1915, p.5.

Read the full newspaper article here.

Stowaway on a troopship

Maud Butler was a 16 year old girl from the Hunter Valley who desperately wanted to serve at the front. She cut her hair short, dressed in soldier’s clothing and stowed away on board of the SS Suevic in December 1915. Also aboard the Suevic was Alfred Bray, an 18 year old clerk from Hurstville, on his way to Egypt. He witnessed Maud being discovered by authorities on Christmas Eve, mainly because she wasn't wearing the right soldier’s boots. Alfred writes in his diary: 

“We had an Australian girl on board in uniform and her name was Maud Butler. She was thought a real heroine by all on board and a good collection was realised for her.”

Australian War Memorial: P02848.002

In this picture, Maud is surrounded by the ship’s crew and other soldiers after her true identity was revealed. Alfred Bray may be one of those watching on. Read his diary here.

Equator crossing ceremony

Accordingly to an ancient sailor’s tradition, 'Neptune’s journey' took place on each troopship for service personnel crossing the equator line for the first time. A soldier’s personal account on this ceremony can be found here.

Group portrait of unidentified seamen in fancy dress costume 
as Father Neptune and his entourage on board the destroyer HMAS Yarra, 
c.July 1917. Australian War Memorial: EN0379.

Sport carnivals aboard

Sports carnivals with boxing matches and games such as pillow fights and wheelbarrow races aboard the troop ships were popular activities for enjoyment and to ease the boredom of several weeks journey by sea.

This image is believed to have been taken in late 1916 aboard the troopship Port Nicholson, en route to England. Local Mortdale recruit, Hedley Mallard is said to be featured ‘keeping fit’ at the centre of the photograph. Hedley and two of his brothers, Basil Guy and Walter Lancelot, each served on the Western Front, the latter also surviving Gallipoli.

Boxing match aboard the Port Nicholson, 1916.
Courtesy of Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. 

Interested in more?

Come and visit our exhibition Remembering them: People of St George &the First World War on show until 31 May 2015.

Follow our Commemorating WW1 and Anzac Day Pinterest board.

Read our other exhibition post "From the LMG collection: First World War memorabilia".

Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War

From the LMG collection: First World War memorabilia

Hurstville Museum & Gallery commemorates the ANZAC centenary in 2015 with an exhibition showcasing the First World War experiences of men and women of the St George area and how 

we remember them today.

Personal stories come to life through soldiers' diary and letter extracts, and are also told through photographs and objects. Many of the objects on display are family treasures preciously kept for generations and generously loaned to the Museum & Gallery for this exhibition. 

Also included in the display are First World War related objects from the Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. Here is a selection:

‘Lest We Forget memorial’ honour rolls 

One highlight from the LMG collection are the pictorial honour rolls portraying over 200 photographs of soldiers who had an association with the Hurstville area. Honour rolls were one of the first memorials erected in the local community to register and honour the volunteers who signed up for military service.

In 1918, an effort was made to obtain a photo of every soldier who enlisted from Hurstville for inclusion in an honour roll. The public was called on for assistance in local newspapers to provide a photo of enlisted family members. The completed photographic honour rolls became known as the ‘Lest We Forget’ memorial and were initially installed in the vestibule of Hurstville Council Chambers in 1921.

 

Hurstville pictorial honour rolls displayed in the exhibition
 'Remembering them: People of St George & the First World War'.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. 

Postcards to the front

The pictured postcards were sent to George Herbert Baker while he was serving at war. The young accountant was mainly stationed in England and Egypt. The postcards are written by his father, David Baker. The Bakers lived on Forest Road, Hurstville. Through these postcards George would receive the latest news from home, as well as news of how friends and relatives at war were doing. The postcard images often depicted scenery of Hurstville and might have brought home a little closer for George. The postcards, among other memorabilia, were donated to the LMG by Barry Roffey in 2014.

 

Selection of postcards sent to George Herbert Baker during the First World War.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection.

‘The Peace of 1919’ medalets

To commemorate the end of the First World War, these medals were issued by the Defence Department to every child in Australia aged up to fourteen years, and up to sixteen years if the parents were in the armed forces.

 

Peace of 1919 medalets.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection.

A bible’s journey

This pocket bible belonged to Private Henry Mayer of Mortdale, born in England, who enlisted in July 1915. Bibles like this one were presented to New South Wales servicemen by Friends of the New South Wales Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Henry was killed in action on 20 July 1916 in France. Somehow, his pocket bible made it back to relatives in Stockport, England. About 90 years later, the bible was found by a Stockport resident, who sent the bible to Hurstville Museum & Gallery for safe keeping. Following this, some of Henry Mayer’s relatives living in Sydney were traced down. In 2010, Henry’s bible was taken back to his gravesite in France to mark the 94th anniversary of the First World War Battle of Fromelles.

 

Henry Mayer's pocket bible.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. 

Knitting for the soldiers

South Hurstville schoolgirl Jean Emma Gordon is pictured here knitting socks for Australian soldiers in 1916. Australia-wide, local organisations, schools, church groups, knitting circles and individuals got together to knit and sew socks, towels and vests to provide comforts to Australian troops. Warm clothes were especially needed at the Western Front during winter, where temperatures would often drop below zero degrees. 

This photograph is available from our Local Studies Photograph catalogue. 

 

Jean Emma Gordon is knitting socks for Australian soldiers.
Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection. 

Do you want to find out what else is on display?

Come and visit our exhibition Remembering them:People of St George & the First World War

on show until 31 May 2015.

Follow our Commemorating WW1 and Anzac Day Pinterest board.

JOIN US FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING AT HURSTVILLE MUSEUM & GALLERY

Sunday 15 February 2015, 2.00pm for a 2.30pm start

RSVP by 9 February 2015: http://www.trybooking.com/GQOB