Berwick Grammar School Avenue of Honour and War Memorial

There are three Avenues of Honour in Berwick which commemorate the service of local people in the First World War.  The City of Casey has produced a book on the Avenues in their region, including the three Berwick ones. You can down-load a copy of the book here.

The smallest of these Avenues is the one in Church Street in Berwick which commemorates the nine soldiers who were killed and who had attended Berwick Grammar School. This school operated from 1882 until 1928 and was located in the building on the corner of Church Street and Brisbane Street, in Berwick.

This is the memorial stone, in Church Street, which lists the names of the nine soldiers.

The Argus June 12, 1920

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1710870

We know the Avenue of Honour was planted in June 1920 and an Honour Board listing the names of the 66 'old boys' who joined up was unveiled at the same time and I presume the memorial stone in Church Street was also erected at this time.

Who are the nine boys, who were honoured by the Avenue in Church Street?  It is not always that easy to specifically identify the names on a memorial and in this case, as Berwick Grammar was a boarding school as well as  a day school, many of the students did not have a local address, so I was lucky to find the following article on Trove

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Berwick Shire News February 9, 1916

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92090882

As you can see the article lists a number of 'old boys' who had already joined up in 1916, some of whom are on the Avenue of Honour stone. Below is a list of the nine students and their Service Numbers (SN). You can access their full service records on the National Archives of Australia website, www.naa.gov.au

Brunn, E.D'A. This is Eric D'Arcy Brunn (SN 3357) even though his enlistment papers at the National Archives have his surname as Bruun, Eric was born in Seymour and was 38 years old and living in Woodend when he enlisted on June 18, 1917. He was Killed in Action in France on April 25, 1918. I am unsure whether Brunn or Bruun was the correct surname -  his sister, Alice D'Arcy Brunn enlisted as a nurse in 1915 and yet I have found them on the Electoral Roll as both Brunn and Bruun. 

Elmes, H. O.  Herbert Oliver Elmes (SN 1543) was born in Berwick and living in Tasmania when he enlisted at the age of 40, on November 30, 1914. He was Killed in Action in France on November 5, 1916. His father, Thomas, was the Doctor in Berwick from around 1870 until his death on 1893.

Gaunt, E.G.  I believe this is Edwin George Gaunt (SN 2604). He was born at Yarraville and enlisted at the age of 37 on July 7, 1915, in New South Wales. He was Killed in Action in France on July 19 or 20, 1916.

Hodgson, S. I can't work out who this is. On the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour there is  only one S. Hodgson listed - Sidney Hodgson (SN 3562)  who was born and enlisted in New South Wales. He was 18 when he enlisted on September 7, 1915 and was Killed in Action in France a year later on October 22. Was this our S. Hodgson? The history of Berwick Grammar School (citation below) has an incomplete list of students and it lists an S. Hodgison -  but I cannot find any Hodgisons who enlisted.  If you know who this might be, I would love to hear from you.

Hope, H.L.  Harry Leslie Hope (SN 61) was born in South Melbourne and was living in Elsternwick  when he enlisted  on June 4, 1915 when he was 30 years of age. He died of wounds, in France, on April 22, 1917. 

Kent, A.E.  Alfred Ernest Kent (SN 3336) was from Narre Warren and enlisted on  August 2, 1915. Alfred's parents, Anthony and Mary Kent had arrived in Narre Warren around 1875 and purchased Granite Park (which they re-named Oatlands). Alfred was married to Alice Webb, the daughter of Sidney and Ann Webb.  Alfred was 40 when he enlisted as was Killed in Action in France on May 5, 1916.

Lyon, C.H. Charles Hugh Lyon (SN 412) was born at Hawksburn and enlisted in Western Australia on September 10, 1914. He was 26  and his next of kin, his mother, was living at Harkaway. Lieutenant Lyon was part of the Camel Corp and was Killed in Action on November 7, 1917 in Palestine. 

Miller, A.H.  Lieutenant Alexander Henderson Miller was born in Berwick  and enlisted, at Beechworth,  on July 15, 1915 aged 29. He was Killed in Action in Belgium on September 25, 1917.

Robin, A. M.  Arthur Mervyn Robin (SN 2180) was born at Camberwell and was 21 years old when he enlisted on March 10, 1915.  He was Killed in Action in France on June 29, 1916.

The Avenue of Honour in Church Street, Berwick.

There is a  history of the Berwick Grammar School - The School that was: a history of the Berwick Grammar School, 1882-1928 by John Bellair. It was published by the author in 1992.

I have created  a list of newspaper articles about the Berwick Boys Grammar School on Trove, click here to access the list.

Les Cochrane - from AIF to MLA

Cochrane Park in Koo-Wee-Rup is named after Leslie James Cochrane.  Mr Cochrane died on April 25, 1972. His funeral was held on April 28 at the Presbyterian Church in Koo-Wee-Rup and attended by an estimated 1,000 people with another 700 people attending the service at the Springvale Crematorium. Mr Cochrane was a man who served his country in the Great War and then served the community after being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Victorian Parliament.


Leslie was born in Bentleigh in 1894 to David and Lucy (nee Burgess) Cochrane. The family moved to Caldermeade when he was eight. He enlisted in the First World War on May 2, 1916 at the age of 21. His Service Number was 2162.  He was in the 46th Infantry battalion and saw war service in France. He returned to Australia in February 1918 and in the December of the same year he married Ivy, the daughter of Harry and Sarah Wildes of Yannathan.  Leslie and Ivy moved to a soldier settlement block on the Pakenham Road.  After the war, as well as running the farm, Mr Cochrane began a life of community service. He joined the Cranbourne Shire Council in 1930, representing the Koo-Wee-Rup Riding until 1964 and was Shire President on four occasions. It was said he never missed a meeting.

This wonderful photograph belongs to the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society and shows Les Cochrane, Billy McGree and Bill Gilchrist and their 'Welcome Home' party in 1918.


Mr Cochrane also represented Gippsland West in the Legislative Assembly from May 1950 until May 1970 for the Country Party. He held various Parliamentary positions and was the Country Party ‘whip’ from 1961 until 1970. When he died, the Premier, Sir Henry Bolte; the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Clive Holding and the leader of the Country Party, Mr Ross-Edwards, each presented a short eulogy on Mr Cochrane in the Victorian Parliament. In fact, Sir Henry pointed out that Mr Cochrane was the last surviving member of this Parliament who served as a member of the Australian Infantry Forces during the First World War. Mr Cochrane was also the President of the Westernport Memorial Hospital Board and he was awarded a Life Membership for his work with the R.S.L. He was a Past Master of the Koo-Wee-Rup Masonic Lodge and an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and was awarded an O.B.E in 1971.


Leslie and Ivy had two children - Irene (Mrs Jack Haw who died in 2001) and Stewart who died in 2000. Mrs Cochrane was also involved in community organizations such as the Presbyterian Ladies Guild and attended the first Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross meeting. She was Foundation President of the Hospital Ladies Auxiliary and was awarded a Life Governorship of the Hospital in 1974. Mrs Cochrane died in September 1986, aged 91.

Cochrane Park was developed by the Apex Club in 1980 on Railway land. It was then taken over by the Lions Club who named it for Leslie Cochrane.

The two small photographs are from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun May 3, 1972 from a report about Mr Cochrane's funeral.

Sister Muriel Instone - Army Nurse

Sister Muriel Instone enlisted on May 5, 1915 as an Army Nurse and embarked on the Mooltan on May 18, 1915. She served in hospitals in England and France throughout the War and returned to Australia on the Konigen Luise in January 1920. Table Talk, a weekly Melbourne newspaper at the time, had a full page feature on Nurses who have recently left for the Front in their May 27 1915 issue, so we are lucky to have  a photograph of Muriel.

Table Talk May 27, 1915

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page17433776

Muriel's Embarkation record, from the Australian War Memorial,  is reproduced below. As you can see, her address at the date of her enrolment was Pakenham.  

 Australian War Memorial (click on image to enlarge it) 

www.awm.gov.au

To find out where she lived in Pakenham I went to the Electoral Rolls, available through the Ancestry Family History database. In 1914 Sister Instone was living at IYU, a large property at Pakenham. 

This is the entry for Muriel Instone from the 1914 Federal Electoral roll.

Source: Ancestry Family History database

The IYU run  in Pakenham was taken up in 1839 by Dr W. K. Jamieson. It was originally nearly 13,000 acres (about 5, 200 hectares).  In 1849, William Waddell took over the pastoral lease and after his death his widow, Annie purchased the pre-emptive right section plus other land. Mrs Waddell built a large brick house, pictured below,  on the property in 1858 and this would have been where Muriel was living when she was on the property. The property at that time was around 4,800 acres and some subsequent owners were George Watson, Steven and Samuel Staughton and  John Kitchin, who operated what is thought to be Australia's largest dairy farm on the property.

This is the IYU  Homestead. It was built in 1859 and destroyed by fire around 1929.

Photograph from: In the wake of the pack tracks, published by the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society.

According to the Shire of Berwick rate books, Robert and Constance Staughton took over IYU in 1913, which by then  was a mere 2,000 acres. I believe Robert was the son of former owner, Stephen Staughton. The Electoral Rolls indicate that  Muriel was in Melbourne until about 1914, so I am surmising that she took a job with the Staughtons - they had  four children between three and ten to look after and in March 1915 the entire family came down with ptomaine poisoning or food poisoning and needed medical assistance, so they were fortunate they had  an experienced nurse on hand. 

Dandenong Advertiser March 4, 1915
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88662306

Muriel Instone was born in Riverton, New Zealand in 1878 to Matthew and Emily (nee Brodrick) Instone, so she was 36 when she enlisted in 1915. Muriel was in Victoria in 1903 as she is listed in the Electoral rolls at the Homeopathic Hospital in South Melbourne. The Homeopathic Hospital was renamed Prince Henry's Hospital in 1934. Muriel's service record at the National Archives www.naa.gov.au  also indicates that she had experience at the Women's Hospital, that she had her midwifery certificate,  as well as experience in private hospitals and private nursing.  In 1909, Muriel and Daphne Instone were listed as living at 16 William Street, South Yarra. I am not sure of the relationship between Muriel and Daphne, but she was also a nurse. As I said before Muriel returned to Melbourne in 1920 but I cannot find any trace of her after that until her death on October 11, 1932 aged 54.

I was interested to find that when Muriel was still in England and still with the Australian Army Nursing Service that she undertook a three month motor driving and workshop course at Mansions Motor Training Garage in London and she made good progress and passed satisfactorily.  Many of our Army nurses were single women who had to support themselves and make their own way in the world and this training just supports this idea, so that when Muriel returned to Melbourne she could drive her own car and have a basic knowledge of the mechanics of it.

From Muriel's service record at the National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

Langwarrin Military Reserve

Before Federation each Colony was responsible for its own defence. The Victorian Volunteer Act 1854 allowed for the establishment of volunteer units. From 1860 many towns had their own Volunteer unit , including Dandenong which was the head quarters of the local volunteers.   From 1884, the Volunteer Forces were replaced by the Victorian Militia Force. The Militia forces were part-time like the Volunteers but they were paid.and they were obligated to attend a certain amount of training each year in the form of annual camps.

The Volunteers and the Militia  trained at various locations in Victoria, such as Werribee and Queenscliffe, but it became apparent that a permanent training ground needed to be established by the Victorian Government and,  in 1886, land at Langwarrin was set aside for this purpose. The land had gentle slopes, natural water supplies and  a variety of vegetation. The reserve eventually consisted of 549 acres or 222 hectares.

Encampment Langwarrin 1887

State Library of Victoria Image H90.90/77

The first Langwarrin camp was held at Easter  in  1887.  The first buildings at the Reserve were stores for the Commissariat Corp; other buildings included caretakers quarters and  stables. Roads, Parade Grounds, and a  rifle range were other structures erected.  Numbers at some camps were large - in the 1890s some camps had over 3, 500 men, plus hundreds of horses. Langwarrin was used to train contingents of Victorians who went to the Boer war (1899-1902).

This is part of an article about the first camp held at Langwarrin

Australasian April 9 1887  

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142178555

Originally, access to the Reserve was by trains which stopped at Frankston - after that troops, all supplies , horses etc had to be carted or travel down bush tracks to get to the Reserve.  An extension of the Frankston line was established and this reached the Reserve, with the station being called Langwarrin,  in October 1888.

Langwarrin Camp Ground 1897

State Library of Victoria Image H4457

There was, for  a short time, a School on the Reserve. It was the Langwarrin Railway Station School. No. 3023. This had opened in 1890 in the Presbyterian Hall and then moved to  a purpose built school in 1895 on  the south-west corner of the Reserve, near the corner of McClelland Drive and Robinsons Road. This School burnt down, around 1905 and children then attended the Mornington Junction  School which was built on the corner of McClelland and Golf Links Road , near the railway line. In 1919, the name changed to Baxter and it moved to its present location on the six cross roads in 1954. To be more precise, some children attended the Mornington Junction School, other children did not go to school, as this article from the Mornington  Standard tells us. The parents said that they are more than three miles from the school and thus not required to send their children to school,  unless they take  a short-cut through the Military Reserve, which is a bit dangerous on the days when rifle practice is carried out!

Mornington Standard December 16, 1905

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65825568

The Reserve was handed over to the Commonwealth Government in March 1901 and various training camps were held  intermittently  and in declining frequency until World War One. The Reserve was not used to train men in World War One but it was used to house prisoners of war or internees i.e. German, Austrian and Turkish nationals that were in Australia after war was declared, and the crew of any German ships.  The Internment camp was first occupied at the end of 1914  Huts were built, a gaol was built for those that were deemed to need it. Most of these internees were removed to Liverpool in New South Wales in August 1915.

Victorian Infantrymen in camp at Langwarrin

State Library of Victoria Image H4456

Langwarrin was then used to as a hospital for men infected with venereal diseases, as this was a problem amongst soldiers. At one stage, over 800 men were housed at the Langwarrin Reserve. The Hospital complex had an operating theatre, a dispensary, kitchen, engine house, dental surgery amongst other buildings.  The Langwarrin Camp was closed in February 1921. It was used occasionally for grazing, some training exercises during World War Two, the Frankston small bore rifle club had the lease of some of the land from 1960;  various sub-division proposals came and went and were never acted upon. In 1980 the Victorian Ministry for Conservation took over about 207 hectares of the land, in 1982 the remaining land was purchased and on December 11, 1985 the land became the Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve.

The location of the Langwarrin Military Reserve can be seen on 1938 map, prepared by the grandly named Australian Section Imperial General Staff.

Most of the information in this post comes from the book Australian Aldershot: Langwarrin Miltary Reserve Victoria 1886-1980 by Winty Calder (Jimaringle Publications, 1987)  The Library no longer has a lending copy of this book, we only have  a  reference copy in the Local History collection, which can be accessed by appointment

Hastings Western Port Historical Society has  copies for sale, if you wish to acquire your own copy of this interesting book.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings.htm

The patriotic Mr Rowe, baker, of Narre Warren

This is an interesting article from the Berwick Shire News of November 10, 1915 and illustrates  the fact that the whole community had to make sacrifices during the Great War. As the article says Mr D.H. Rowe, a baker, of Narre Warren,  has been considerably inconvenienced by the quick changes in his staff but he has shown his patriotism in recognising that the needs of the Empire should have consideration before his personal requirements. Donald Hartley Rowe is listed in the Shire of Berwick Rate books from 1912 to 1922. His shop was owned by Sidney Webb. 

Mr Rowe's patriotism.

Berwick Shire News November 10, 1915 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92090828

Here is the list of Mr Rowe's eight employees who enlisted and their Service Number (SN), if I could find it. As you can see I have only (fairly confidently) identified six of the eight, based on address or the occupation. 

Chitts, Vic. (SN possibly 1715) You would think with such a distinctive name that Mr Chitts would be easy to identify, but not so. There was a Clarence, a Hector and a Russell Chitts who enlisted - Russell was a painter from New South Wales; Clarence was a Dairyman from Sandringham and I have found him and his wife Alice in the Electoral Roll both before and after the War and there is no local connection. That leaves Hector Rudolph Chitts as the most likely, so maybe he was known as Vic. Hector  was nearly 20 when he enlisted on March 7, 1916, his next of kin was listed as his sister, Mrs Downs of East Malvern. His occupation was a farm hand. He Returned to Australia on February 2, 1919.

Currie, Reg (SN 1840)  Reg was the son of Donald Currie of Reserve Street in Berwick and he enlisted on November 6, 1915. at the age of 22.  His occupation was Horse Driver. He Returned to Australia April 13, 1919.

Forrester, George (SN 4810)  George enlisted on November 6, 1915, the same day as Reg Currie. George was born in Shepparton, and his next of kin was his father, Zephaniah Forrester of Taradale. His occupation was baker.  He Returned to Australia July 24, 1919.

Notice of Reg and George enlisting

Dandenong Advertiser, November 18, 1915 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88663150

Johnstone, Harold. I cannot identify this man. I have looked for Harold Johnson, Johnston and Johnstone and cannot find a man who enlisted with a connection to the area or to the bakers trade.

Lewis, Frederick (SN 3897) Frederick was 24 when he enlisted. His occupation was baker's driver. His next of kin was his father, Caleb Lewis, of Wilson Street, Berwick.  Fred Returned to Australia March 28, 1919. Fred is also on a list of Berwick Football Club players who joined up, read about them here.

Lyons, Charles Jack  (SN 1394) Jack enlisted on September 14, 1914 at the age of 27. He was born in South Melbourne and enlisted in Tasmania, but his occupation was baker, so this is why I assume that he was Mr Rowe's employee. His actual occupation on his enlistment paper was 'stud groom and baker' He Returned to Australia on May 12, 1918, suffering from rhuematism and 'bad feet'.

McGuire, Harry.  I cannot identify this man. I have also looked at any Harry or Henry Maguires, but to no avail.

Rooney, Alfred George (SN 481) Alf was born at Ballarat and enlisted at Ballarat on October 15, 1914.  I came across an article about Alf in the Berwick Shire News of March 28, 1917 and he was awarded the Military Medal for having carried ammunition and water under heavy fire in the desert fighting of August 9, 1916.  The article goes onto to mention that he was employed by Mr Rowe when he enlisted. He Returned to Australia on January 2, 1919.

Alfred Rooney's Military Medal

Berwick Shire News of March 28, 1917  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92090256

The Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance www.shrine.org.au has a series of lectures and activities  relating to different aspects of World War One and other conflicts. Some of the topics include our submarine heritage; the lost boys of ANZAC which looks at the men who died on April 25 1915 at Gallipoli and The Other ANZACS - a look at women who served in the war. The full schedule can be down-loaded at www.shrine.org.au/Whats-On
I attended one of these lectures, held at the Warragul RSL and heard Tim Whitford's talk on the Lost Diggers of Fromelles and it was fantastic, so based on this experience I can well recommend the series.

The Visitors Centre at the Shrine is being refurbished and will be opened in August 2014  and in November the new Galleries of Remembrance will open which will display exhibitions relating to Australian at War.

The Shrine of Remembrance

State Library of Victoria Image H30150/16

The Shrine was constructed between 1927 and 1934. There was a competition to design this memorial to the soldiers of the Great war and it was won by Philip B. Hudson and James H. Wardrop. It was built by the Company Vaughan and Lodge and was officially opened by the Duke of Gloucester on November 11, 1934. If you want to read about all the architectural features of the Shrine, click here to access the citation on the Victoria Heritage Database http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/

This is the headline in The Argus of November 12, 1934 about the opening ceremony of the Shrine - you can read the full report in The Argus click here on Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

Before the Duke of Gloucester dedicated the Shrine, the Premier of Victoria, Sir Stanley Argyle, read the Ode, written by Rudyard Kipling especially for the occasion. The ode was a stately and dignified tribute to the Australian soldiers according to The Argus

Kipling's ode written for the opening of the Shrine - click on the image to enlarge it.

This was published in the Sydney Morning Herald - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17138809

The Shrine is built of granite, quarried from Tynong. This was a fact that my grandma, who grew up in Tynong, was very proud of! The Visitor Centre which opened in 2003 was also finished in Tynong granite, sourced from a quarry close to the original one.

 The Argus of November 14, 1928 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3968930

This is a not very clear photograph of the Tynong Quarry - so here is a  transcription of the headline and caption. Click on the picture to get a better view.

Headline: GRANITE FOR AN EVERLASTING SHRINE.

Caption: Certain that the people of the State will approve fully, the National War Memorial Committee has now decided that the Shrine of Remembrance shall be built, not of freestone, which is subject to weathering, but of granite, the most lasting of structural materials. Beautiful silver-grey granite of an eminently suitable kind is available at Tynong, in Gippsland, and workmen are shown in the photograph hewing the blocks of granite from the hillside. Inset:-A fine heap of granite blocks ready for dressing. They measure from six cubic foot upwards.

Aerial of the Shrine of Remembrance, c.1946.

State Library of Victoria Image H2009.12/48

A life beyond the trenches by Mavis Martin

As silence descended over the battlefields of Europe the 11th November 1918, soldiers laid down their weapons to prepare for their homeward journey and civilian life. Henry Thomas Williams of the 38th Battalion was one of the thousands of soldiers whose return to civilian life was marred by the memories of the battle field.  This is a story of how he found solace and a new beginning in the rural tranquillity of Iona.

Henry in uniform

Henry Williams was the cousin of my grandmother, May Rogers, and he enlisted on the 26th January 1917 in the 38th Battalion, aged 33 years.  His unit embarked from Melbourne, on board HMAT Ballarat on the 19th February 1917 and returned to Australia 22nd August 1919. He saw action in France wading through the muddy trenches that ulcerated his legs.

Henry and his bungalow at Little Road, Iona

Henry, like so many soldiers, never spoke of his experiences as he returned to civilian life as a cleaner at Mrs Dauber’s hotel in Lygon Street Carlton. Henry and alcohol became inseparable partners as he tried to erase the memories of war. His decision to seek solace in the country and live with us was beneficial to him as the strongest brew he then drank was coffee. Although he could not reform from every bad habit as the interior of his bungalow was always haze of cigarette smoke.

 Henry like so many soldiers overcame the adversity of war and settled into civilian life. They never forgot the mates that they left behind on the battlefield just as we will always remember their sacrifice.

Henry died aged 78 in 1961 and is buried at the Bunyip Cemetery. Every ANZAC day and Remembrance day we commemorate his memory by placing a token of the soldier’s sacrifice, an Anzac badge or a poppy, on his grave.

Henry working on the farm with Dick Rogers.