Local sportsman answers the call

Bill Liston of Lincoln Rd, Essendon answered the call for recruits to help in the Middle East.  While in France he was struck by the number of locals whom he saw.  "It is just like walking up Puckle-st here, at times: you run across so many chaps from Essendon way."  Rod Martin tells Bill's story, and the struggle of the 22nd battalion in the very bad winter of 1916-17 against trench feet in the wet and muddy trenches.

Company Quartermaster Sergeant Joel Reginald Eade

Private Joel Eade of Edward St, Essendon, soon impressed the AIF with his physical attributes, education and training and was promoted quickly to Company Quartermaster Sergeant.  He embarked for Egypt early in 1916, but things began to go wrong.  Read Rod Martin's account here.








A 1915 recruitment poster from the
Australian War Memorial Collection.