MUIOOF Loyal Albert Lodge

Elizabeth Street, Moonee Ponds is on the far left of the MMBW plan dated 1904. Source:  State Library of Victoria, http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/125450

 

 

Members of the Loyal Albert Lodge of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows arranged a roll of honour of their members who volunteered for the war.  Although the whereabouts of the board is not known, it can be seen in the background of photos in the Essendon Hist. Society collection, taken inside the hall.  For the full list go here.

'Other rank' wounded in shelling

Ruins of a dye works at Erquinghem, December 1916, AWM H15704.

Private Arthur William Findlay of Kensington was wounded at Erquinghem, France, in 1916 while serving in the 22nd Infantry Battalion.  Rod Martin has traced his service from enlistment, through a sojourn in Gallipoli, then France, until being wounded in the jaw by a shell.  You can read Arthur Findlay's story here.

Ascot Vale Presbyterian Church - For God and Empire

The Honour Roll, pictured in a pamphlet published for the unveiling, in the collection of the Essendon Hist. Society Inc. The Honour Roll and the Church were destroyed by an arsonist in 2004.

The unveiling of the Ascot Vale Presbyterian Church took place on Wednesday 15 September, 1920. Corporal F W Edmonds gave an organ recital which included pieces composed by Handel and Mendelssohn.    Captain-Chaplain W Fraser said the first prayer.  Colonel Chaplain D Macrae Stewart gave the address, and Senator-Brigadier H E Elliott, CB, CMG, DSO, DM, performed the unveiling.

D Macrae Stewart was the minister of the Ascot Vale Presbyterian Church from 1881 to 1903, immediately preceding Chaplain William Fraser.  Stewart served as a Chaplain in Gallipoli and France, but returned to Australia in 1916 when appointed the Senior Chaplain of the 3rd Military District (ie, Victoria).

The honour roll was an opus sectile, beautifully crafted from tiles.  This one was unusual in that it had the colour patches of the AIF represented in a block of tiles just above the legend "The Great War".  Another church in the district with an opus sectile is St Thomas' Church of England in Moonee Ponds.

The boys were all very sorry.

Walter Mackley's memorial stone at the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval. Photo taken by Elizabeth Plummer, during  a recent visit.

Walter Mackley of Ascot Vale was a very youthful Sergeant when he was killed in November 1916 at the end of the Battle of the Somme, aged 19.  The Australian Red Cross made enquiries about the location of his grave in 1917, and one of his comrades stated that:

"He was very much liked and the boys were all very sorry.  He got his Sgt stripes in Egypt".

Wilf Young and the 7th Battalion

Sedate and sober troops marching from Mena towards Cairo. (AWM) PS0412

Private Wilfred John Young was amongst the first to enlist when AIF enrolment commenced in August 1914.  He was aged 27, a furniture fitter, and residing in Newmarket when he joined the 7th Infantry Battalion and embarked for overseas service.  Rod Martin gives a careful telling of Wilf's story.

Mothers of Men

Pte S M Memery is identified as being in the centre of this photo, taken prior to embarkation on 29 October 1915.  Given that the three brothers embarked on the same vessel on the same day, and one a sergeant,  it seems likely these are the three Memery brothers.

MOTHERS OF MEN.

The sacrifices madc by some women in sending their sons to serve the Empire are so notable that it seems fitting that they should be made known to readers of "The Argus."
It is therefore proposed to give on this page the photographs  of mothers who have sent three or more sons to the front. For this purpose I shall be glad to receive the portraits of such mothers, with their full name and the names of their soldier sons, together with particulars of their service.

From The Argus, 10 May 1916. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2099589

MRS. MEMERY.
Mrs. Catherine Memery, who lives at No. 8 Heritage street, Moonee Ponds, has three sons, all of them in the third reinforcements of the 29th Battalion. Sergeant Vivian Memery, aged 22; Private Samuel Memery, aged 25; and Private John Memery, aged 19. Her son-in-law, Private Edward Murphy, is in the 27th Battalion. She has also two nephews on service; Sergeant Ryan, of the 7th Battalion, was at the Gallipoli landing; Carlyle Ryan is in the A.M.C. Mrs. Memery had also a son who died on service in the Boer War, and a nephew who was killed in the Boer War.
The Argus 10 May 1916
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2099589

Private Charles Wigg who fell at Ypres

Charles Wigg, from the Australian War Memorial Collection

Rod Martin traces the path of Charles Ernest Wigg, a labourer, of Essendon, from his enlistment in September 1917 to his final days on the battlefield of Ypres in October 1917.