Trooper Woods

The Drummoyne War Service Record has a striking title page of coloured vignettes based on actual war-time photographs.

The illustration of a Light Horse soldier is based on a photograph which first appeared in the Sydney Mail, 7 October 1914, and has an interesting local connection. It shows Trooper William Harry Rankin Woods (on the right) at Roseberry Park Camp, near Merriwa, NSW. Trooper Woods died of wounds received at Gallipoli on 15 May 1915. He was an active member of the Sydney Rowing Club at Abbotsford and is commemorated on the Five Dock War Memorial.

The connection of the image on the title page with a local serviceman is almost certainly a coincidence rather than by design. The original caption under the photograph in the Sydney Mail simply read, ‘For the Empire : NSW Troopers of the Australian Light Horse.’

Trooper Woods’ story appears in the new book Five Dock RSL Sub-Branch, 1918-2015 by Mike Davis. The Drummoyne War Service Record is currently on display at Concord Library.

A proud tradition of service

For 97 years the Five Dock RSL Sub-Branch has been committed to serving ex-servicemen and their dependents.

The Five Dock RSL Sub-Branch is one of the oldest clubs in Australia, having been issued with its Charter in 1918, two years after the RSL movement began in Australia.

To coincide with the Centenary of Anzac, a history of the Five Dock RSL Sub-Branch has been published to record the club’s proud tradition of service. Despite the scarcity of remaining records, the author Mike Davis has managed to piece together the stories of those who have contributed to making the club such a special part of our community.

A particular feature of the book are the fascinating stories behind the names on the Five Dock War Memorial, of those who gave their lives in the First World War. The book is a fine tribute to those who served.

Anzac Remembrance under the stars

‘Anzac Remembrance under the stars’ is a special Youth Week activity organised by the City of Canada Bay Library Service.

The event will be held at St Alban’s Church grounds, Five Dock on Friday, 17 April, 6-9.30pm. The evening will showcase a selection of videos produced by local students as part of the ‘More than just a name’ project, followed by the film War Horse.

It’s quite appropriate that the event should be at St Alban’s which has an honour roll listing the names of over 200 local men and women who served in the First World War. The honour roll has an ecumenical flavour. It included relatives of parishioners as well as their friends, so it lists people from other denominations, such as Methodists and even a member of the Plymouth Brethren.

The Reverend John Boardman of St Alban’s served as a Chaplain during the First World War. His son, Harold Boardman, served in the 18 Battalion.

Postcards released

To coincide with the display at Five Dock Library and the Centenary of Anzac, a set of seven postcards have been released.

The postcard images are those used in the light boxes on display at Five Dock Library and were subjects of the ‘More than just a name’ video project.

The postcard, above, is of Sergeant Francis McGraw of Five Dock who enlisted in March 1916. He served in France and was awarded the Military Cross. He died of gas poisoning on 25 April 1918, aged 28 years (Australian War Memorial photograph H06524). Other postcards show Stephen Grimsley, Stanley Watson, the Seabrook brothers, Eric Stutchbury, Walter Broooks, Harold Henley and Thomas Henley.

The postcards are available free from Five Dock and Concord libraries.

Yaralla Open Day

The City of Canada Bay Heritage Society once again will be hosting an open day at Yaralla on Sunday, 26 April 2014.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a guided tour of the stables, dairy, squash court and gardens of the Yaralla Estate. There will also be a display of historic photographs, Vintage Cars and a petting zoo for children. Bookings are essential.

During the First World War, Eadith Walker, the owner of Yaralla, was a great supporter of the Red Cross and injured soldiers. In April 1917 she loaned her other residence, Shuna at Leura in the Blue Mountains, as a convalescent hospital for soldiers with tuberculosis. The photograph shows a wounded lieutenant at a Yaralla garden party in 1918.

Illuminating their stories

To coincide with the centenary of Anzac, Five Dock Library is displaying photographs and memorabilia of local soldiers who served in the First World War.

A highlight of the display are videos produced as part of the ‘More than just a name’ project which can be viewed on the touch top table in the Young Adult area. The videos were prepared by local students from Five Dock Public School, Concord Public School and Concord High School. The Young Adult area has photographs of some of the soldiers in light boxes. The mixture of formal studio photographs and informal images are complemented by panels which tell their stories.

The display continues at Five Dock Library until the end of April. The ‘More than just a name’ videos can also be viewed online. Some of the videos will also be shown, along with the film War Horse, at Anzac Remembrance Under the Stars, at St Alban’s Church Grounds, Great North Road, 17 April 2015, 6-9.30pm.

Keeping in contact

Postcards and letters with news of home were important for soldiers during the First World War. Likewise, those at home treasured messages received from their loved ones on active service, as demonstrated by the album kept by Margaret Jeffery, in which each piece of correspondence from her two sons and nephew was lovingly preserved.

On the back of one postcard, Private Henry (Harry) Jeffery writes to his family in Five Dock,’I have not had any letters for sometime now. We all feel glad when we come off parade and find a letter on the table for us. If a chap does not get a letter and sees one of his mates with one, he says lucky beggar’.

The humorous postcard, above, sent by Harry has a more serious and touching note on the back,’Keep the home fires burning. Be of good cheer. Don’t worry I will be allright (sic). I am trusting in the Lord to come through.’

Dear Mother

The Jeffery Album contains a fascinating and touching series of letters from Tom Evans to Margaret Jeffery at Five Dock.

Tom was a friend of Harry Jeffery and served with him in France. In October 1917, he wrote ‘we had an arrangement that if something happened to me Harry was to write to my people and vice versa. Little did I think as we both were writing each other’s address down that it would fall to my part so soon.’

While the first letter was addressed formally to ‘Mrs Jeffery and family’, it was not long before Tom was addressing Mrs Jeffery as ‘Mother’ and he continued to send letters and cards until the war ended.

The photograph show Tom (marked with an X) in Queen Alexandria Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth in January 1919.

Don’t applaud, throw money!

During the First World War, those at ‘home’ did what they could to show support for the soldiers on active duty.

There were a variety of fundraising activities, such as the Grand Patriotic Carnival at Five Dock. Money raised would often be used to provide ‘comforts’ (little gifts) for the soldiers. Women and girls would knit socks for the soldiers, often including notes of support and encouragement to the soldiers. Bob Jeffery of Five Dock received a parcel at Christmas 1916 which included a pudding, jam and chocolates. Bob wrote back to nine year old Ethel Elliot who had sent the parcel and they continued writing to each other for the rest of their lives, although they never met until 1972.

The photograph, above, is a rare image of a concert held at the Five Dock School of Arts to raise funds for the Red Cross. Ena Jeffery (sister of Bob) recalled that as a young girl she sang, ‘Won’t you buy my pretty flowers’ at the concert. ‘I threw flowers from my basket to the audience and they in turn threw money on to the stage to help the Red Cross.’

War games

It is not surprising that during the First World War young boys would play at being soldiers.

The photograph shows George Jeffery playing soldiers in the backyard of his home at Rodd Road, Five Dock, about 1916. He was undoubtedly emulating his older brothers, Private Henry (Harry) Jeffery and Private Robert (Bob) Jeffery who served in the First World War. His brothers were not much more than boys themselves. Harry Jeffery first enlisted when he was 17 but was discharged due to pneumonia and being underage. He re-enlisted when he was 18. Bob was even younger. He was only 15 years and 8 months when he joined up.

Another photograph in our digital collection, ‘Canada Bay Connections’, shows the young son of the Grace family of Abbotsford House on his rocking horse apparently pretending to be a Light Horse soldier with an emu plume in his hat, ‘lance’ and flag.