Showing posts with label Modella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Modella. Show all posts

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Modella Great War Soldiers

This post lists the Great War soldiers who have  a connection to Modella, which is right on the edge of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp. It's  a work in progress, so if you know of any soldiers who should be included on this list, then please let me know. I have listed the  Service Number (SN) so you can look up each soldier's full service record on the National Archives website (www.naa.gov.au)

Modella began life as Koo Wee Rup East, the school started in 1903 and the name was changed to Modella in February 1905. The Public Hall was opened in 1924. 

Some of the information in this post comes from the book Modella : a brief history, 1904-1968 by Graham Utber (Published by the author, 1968)

A few Modella men who enlisted
Bunyip Free Press August 19, 1915  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129630757

Chambers, Michael James (Jim) (SN 64173)    Jim enlisted on  March 6 1918 at the age of 38. He lived in Modella and had a wife, Labela, and three children. Jim Returned to Australia on July 26, 1919 and on October 11 1919 a 'welcome home' was provided for him.  Jim had also served in the Boer War in the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles for 18 months. Their son, Ronald, was the Shire of Berwick Engineer from 1948 until 1973, and then the Shire of Pakenham Engineer until 1977. The family are the source of the name Chambers Road, Modella. The R.J. Chambers Reserve in Pakenham Upper is named for Ronald.

Corbin, William Osment  (SN 5114) William was 19 years old when he enlisted on February 11, 1916. He was a farmer and his next of kin was his father, William, of Modella. Lance Corporal Corbin Returned to Australia May 20 1919. After the War, William took up a soldier settlement farm at Caldermeade - you can see his file on the Battle to Farm website here 

Doran, Matthew John (SN 1376)   M. Doran is listed in the newspaper article, above, and I believe it is Matthew Doran although I can find no specific connection to Modella, however he did have his medical examination at Warragul, prior to his enlistment on August 3, 1915, so I believe I have the correct M. Doran.  Matthew was a 29 year old labourer when he enlisted and his next of kin was his mother, Mary Scanlon, of Heathcote. Matthew was Killed in Action on October 23, 1916 in France,

Esler, Gordon  (SN 534) Gordon was 30 when he enlisted on July 8, 1915. He was a 30 year farmer from Modella and his next of kin was his mother, Mrs Helen Smethurst of Yannathan. Helen died in November 1916 and his brother, Hugh, who was a Policeman, then became his next of kin. Gordon Returned to Australia April 13, 1919 and was granted a Soldier Settler farm in the Parish of Tongala, you can read his file on the Battle to Farm website, here.

Hughes, Ephraim  (SN 11763) Ephraim enlisted at the age of 31 on September 7, 1915. His next of kin was his father, Robert, of Modella. Ephraim Returned to Australia April 20, 1919 and was granted a soldier settlement farm of 77 acres at Modella (off Bridge Road, Allotment 93, Parish of Yannathan) You can read his file on the Battle to Farm website, here.

Lugton, John Archibald (SN 3193) Archie (as he was called) enlisted on October 19, 1916 at the age of 27. He was a farmer and his next of kin was his father, Charles Edward Lugton, of Northcote. Archie received a gun shot wound to the chest on August 8, 1918, whilst fighting in France, and died the next day.  Graham Utber wrote that  A memorial service was held in the school to pay homage to Arch Lugton. 
Two other brothers of Archie Lugton also served. Frank Leslie Lugton (SN 447) enlisted at the age of 21 on April 28, 1915. He was an Electrical Engineer. Frank was Killed in Action at Pozieres on July 29, 1916. Edward Charles Lugton (SN 9317) was a 29 year old carpenter when he enlisted on July 5, 1915. He Returned to Australia May 15, 1919. Another brother Harold William Lugton also lived and farmed at Modella  


Death notice of Archie Lugton
The Argus August 19,1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1410001

Marchant, John (SN 897) John was a blacksmith and he was 24 when he enlisted on August 21, 1914. His next of kin was his wife, Mrs J Marchant, of Modella. John had a bit of mixed military record, and was absent without permission on a few occasion which meant that a form had to be filled out, and on two occasions this paperwork had his 'General character' listed as 'Bad'. I'm sure he wasn't bad - perhaps just not suited to Army life. John Returned to Australia March 3 1916 and was discharged on medical grounds on May 14 due to 'leucoma right eye' - which is a dense, white opacity of the cornea due to an injury. John was granted a Soldier Settler farm in the Mallee, you can read his file on the Battle to Farm website, here.   

Norton, Noel Condah  (SN 4498) Noel was born at Koo Wee Rup and enlisted on September 17, 1914. He was 22 and his next of kin was his wife,  Ann May Norton, of Modella and they had three children at the time of his enlistment. He was discharged as medically unfit on November 19, 1914. Noel then enlisted again on July 29, 1915.  He Returned to Australia on April 29, 1919.  Noel also became  a Soldier Settler and you can read his file on the Battle to Farm website, here. His land was on McDonald Road, Catani (Lots 36A and 35B, Section V, Parish of Koo-Wee-Rup East, 96 acres in all)


John Ryan from Modella enlists
South Bourke and Mornington Journal September 19, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66194707

Ryan, John Joseph     As we can see from the newspaper article, above, a John Joseph Ryan from Modella enlisted in  July, August or September 1918 - I can't find  a record for him on the National Archives of Australia website, so I have no other details. 

Warren, George William  (SN 6716) George was 32 and  a farmer when he enlisted on January 11, 1917 at the age of 32. His next of kin was his father, also called George Warren, of Modella. George served in France and  Returned to Australia on February 7, 1919. George was granted a Soldier Settler farm in Mildura, you can read his file on the Battle to Farm website,  here.

Webb, William George (SN 78198) William enlisted on July 1, 1918. He was  a 35 year old farmer, his next of kin was his wife, Henrietta and they had three children. A farewell social was held in September 1918, but as the War had ended, William was discharged on December 24, 1918. I found out about William through the following two articles. 


W.G. Webb enlists


Farewell social for W. Webb
Gippsland Independent September 19, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120992300

Wilson, Joseph Daniel (SN 1869)  Joseph was born in Northern Ireland and was 26 years old and the teacher at Modella State School when he enlisted on September 11, 1915.  His next of kin were his parents, James and Minnie Wilson of Nicholson Street, South Yarra.  Joseph was awarded the Military Medal and he Returned to Australia on June 20, 1919. Before his return he married Ethel May Johnston of Dublin, in a Methodist service on January 8, 1919. After the War he resumed his career with the Education Department; in the 1921 Electoral Rolls their address in listed as 'Ăšpper Diamond Creek' and in 1922 they are listed at Newham, in the Lancefield / Kyneton region.


Joseph's Military Medal award
National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au
First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920



Modella Honour Board



Image: Heather Arnold

On Saturday, December 15, 2018 a new World War One Honour board was unveiled at the Modella Public Hall, by Mr Colin Teese, the President of the Bunyip R.S.L. The wreath was laid by Mrs Dorothy Goodman, the niece of  John Archibald (Archie)  Lugton and  Mr Wayne  Rogers, the grandson of  William Corbin. The original board had been destroyed when the hall burnt down in November 1976.The existing hall was opened in April 1979. The new Board was donated by Mrs Mavis Martin and the names were based on my list which I had researched in 2016, so William George Webb does not appear on the Board as I only 'discovered' him in December 2021.


A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years

Thursday, January 30, 2014

100 years ago this week - British Association Football

100 years ago this week - on February 4 1914, the Lang Lang Guardian published this article about forming a league for British Association Football or 'soccer'.  Mr Frank Garwood of Modella wanted to start the League which would cover the area between the two Railway lines - Koo-Wee-Rup to Lang Lang and Garfield to Longwarry.  There was already at least one team practically formed at Modella. Mr Garwood urged anyone interested in playing the English soccer game (NOT rugby) to contact him. 

I have no idea how it went, but I suspect that it was not successful.



In February 1914 Frank Garwood was appointed the Secretary of the Modella Cricket Club and at the Presentation night on April 15, 1914 he came second in the batting averages. I don't know anything else about him.