Gordon Anderson 1917 albums, 10th ASC

 

 

I have just loaded up two albums of photos taken by Gordon Roy Anderson of Buckley Park, Essendon.  At that time Buckley Park referred to a farm on the west side of Hoffmans Rd, Essendon, in an area that is now Niddrie.   Gordon arrived in England at the end of 1916 and was probably claimed by his older brother, James Grant Anderson, to serve with him in the 10th Army Service Corps.  A third brother, Donald Clarke Anderson, was also in this unit, though is not included in these albums.  During 1917 Gordon and Jim were in training camps on the Salisbury Plains, the photos being mainly taken at Codford and Windmill Hill.  If your relative served with 10th ASC in 1917, you might find him in one of the photos.

Norval Dooley and St Thomas' Harriers

St Thomas' Harriers pre 1914

Following up the many sportsmen from the Essendon area in Winners, as mentioned in the previous post, I had a look to see if Norval (Pat) Dooley who features in the ABC Drama Anzac Girls, had a mention.  And he did!  It turns out Pat was a notable walker with the Melbourne University Athletics Club, and he was also a member of St Thomas' Harriers of Moonee Ponds.  I wonder if Pat is in the photo above, which probably dates to 1913?  Pat Dooley of course went on to marry the Anzac Girl Sister Olive Haynes.

Trove is a Winner!

I'm loving a new entry into the digitised newspapers on Trove - a Melbourne-based sports newspaper called Winner.  I have never heard of it before, but it turns out to be a treasure trove indeed of material about enlisted sportsman.  For example, Lieutenant Alfred John May, of the Essendon Harriers, who appears to have been running Essendon's war handed single-handedly until his enlistment in 1916. 

Mentioned in Top 50 Blogs for 2014

From Inside History Magazine

"The list was judged on a number of criteria: such as originality, quality of content, historical accuracy, use of photographs, useability, interaction with audience and sheer passion. They are presented in alphabetical order, rather than in terms of merit".

'The Empire Called and I Answered' is listed at 42, which as everyone knows is the Meaning of Life!  

Coool!

Francis Williams, underage soldier

2005 Pte Francis Williams, 46 Inf Bn.

What is the Army's duty when a clearly underage boy presents for enlistment?  Rod Martin examines the lack of process when Francis Williams, aged 16, enlisted in 1916.

Bita Paka Commemoration 11 September

Staff of the Royal Australian Naval Brigade, Australian Navy and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF), after the operations against the Germans, September 1914. AWM A04003.

The Battle of Bita Paka, the first engagement of the Great War, will be commemorated in Papua New Guinea on Thursday 11 September, and the ABC TV will broadcast the ceremony live from PNG at 8 am (AEST).

New Zealand Service Records online

Archives New Zealand and the National Library have made available individual WW1 records of their servicemen and women.  A centenary website gives you all the links to the relevant records. 

A handful of men from Essendon and Flemington joined the NZEF, and you can find them using the tage NZEF on the Empire Called website.