Showing posts with label Vervale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vervale. Show all posts

Thursday, December 16, 2021

World War Two soldiers with a connection to Vervale

This post looks at the men who served in the Second World War (WW2) who have  a connection to Vervale. Vervale is a small town on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp between Cora Lynn and Iona. I grew up there on a potato farm, but even I will admit that calling Vervale a small town makes it sound so much grander than what it really is, which is a collection of paddocks. 

The World War Two Nominal Roll, see here, list fourteen men who have  a connection to Vervale, either through place of birth or residence on enlistment. Some of the World War Two records have been digitised by the National Archives of Australia, www.naa.gov.au

Burnett, John Thomas  (VX44163).  John enlisted in the Army in July 1940 and was discharged in October 1945. He was born in Garfield on December 28, 1916 and was the son of Thomas and Laura (nee Wheildon) Burnett. They are listed in the 1942 Electoral Roll, along with his brother Edgar, at Catani Road, Vervale. Catani Road is Pitt Road, the continuation of 13 Mile Road. The two boys are listed as labourers and Thomas as a Dairyman.  


John Thomas Burnett
National Archives of Australia
Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947

Costain, Colin Ramsey (V367934). Colin was born at Inverleigh on January 18, 1890. He enlisted in the Army in March 1942 and was discharged September 1945. His next of kin was his wife Edith (nee Jenkins). Colin was a farmer and they lived at Vervale. Colin's first wife Jessie, the mother of his two sons Ian and Ewen, died in December 1929.  His WW2 record has not been digitised, so we don't have his photograph. Colin had also served in the First World War (SN 12267), having enlisted in July 1915. He Returned to Australia April 5, 1919.

Damon, John William Frederick (VX1471, V367967). John was born June 21, 1917  in Glen Iris to Henry and Mary (nee Bath) Damon. He enlisted twice in the Army and served from November 1939 to March 1940, then March 1942 to November 1943. His next of kin was his father, Henry, of Walker's Road, Vervale. John's WW2 record has not yet been digitised. In 1946, Mr Damon wrote a letter to the Shire of Berwick complaining about the state of Walker's Road, which had not had any maintenance since 1930, well before the War.


Mr Damon's letter to the Shire of Berwick complaining about his road.

Davies, Albert Maldon (V506952, VX148225). Albert was born on February 12, 1916. The Nominal Roll says he was born in Vervale and enlisted in February 1944. His service record says he enlisted in March 1942 and he was born in Vervale and on other pages his place of birth is listed as Nagambie. He was discharged in May 1945. His next of kin was his mother Evelyn and she lived at Vervale. Albert's occupation was listed as 'building's labourer.'

Albert Maldon Davies
National Archives of Australia
Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947

Evans, Rupert Buller  (VX23604, VX58804). Rupert was born December 26, 1901 at Whittlesea. He enlisted twice from June 1940 to March 1941, then from July 1941. Rupert was a Prisoner of War and died from illness on March 14, 1945 in Borneo. Rupert and his wife Pearl and family lived at Vervale.

Rupert Evan's death notice


Rupert Buller Evans
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1709438

Folks, Eric Baden (VX 58158, V7362)  Eric was born in Boonie Doon. He enlisted in July 1940 and was discharged July 1941 and then enlisted again June 1941 and was discharged January 1943. I don't understand why he enlisted twice or why there is a discrepancy with the dates, however in July 1940 he put his birth date as May 25, 1900 and he said he was 40 and in June 1941 his date of birth was May 25, 1902 and he said he was 39 and a half. Eric was a farmer from Vervale and his next of kin was his wife, Eveline.

Eric Baden Folks
National Archives of Australia
Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947

Green, William Alexis (VX104338, V42090).  William was born on June 26, 1897 at St James, and was a farmer at Vervale when he enlisted in July 1942. He was discharged in June 1943. He had also joined the Australian Military Force in 1921 and served for a number of years. His next of kin was his wife,  Margaret. 'Billy' Green was a handy footballer as well as being inventive, as this article, below, attests. William's WW2 record has not been digitised, so we don't have his photograph.

William Green's invention

Land, Arthur Frederick Charles (VX25317). Arthur was born on October 29, 1905 in England. He enlisted June 1940. Arthur died in Ambon, Dutch East Indies of  illness on March 15, 1945. What was his connection to Vervale? The Nominal Roll has his locality on enlistment as Vervale. Arthur's WW2 record has not been digitsied, so we don't have his photograph and nor do we know his occupation at the time. Arthur's latest entry in the Electoral Roll was 1937 when he and his wife Kathleen were living in Cobden Street, Kew and his occupation was an agent, which seems an unlikely occupation for a chap who lived in rural Vervale. Kathleen is listed in the 1943 Electoral Roll at 12 Gordon Avenue, Kew, so I am wondering if the Vervale location in the Nominal Rolls is a mistake. We will find out when his record has been digitised.

Lennox, Keith (VX9720) Keith was born in Vervale on May 3, 1915. He enlisted in December 1939 and was discharged in August 1945. The Electoral Roll list his address as Cottonwood, Catani and his occupation as labourer.  Catani is just south of Vervale. Keith was the son of Robert and Eleanor (nee Forsyth) Lennox. His next of kin was his wife, Joyce, whom he married in 1942. Keith's WW2 record has not been digitised, so we don't have his photograph.

Keith Lennox's send-off.
Dandenong Journal, February 7, 1940 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216059623

Miller, Lindsay Francis (V285310). Lindsay was born in Yarram on June 20, 1922. He enlisted in Garfield in October 1941 and was discharged July 1944.
Miller, Stanley (VX41895). Stanley was born on March 20, 1911 also in Yarram. Stanley served from June 1940 until May 1943.
The boys were the sons of James Alfred Miller and his wife Maria May Wilson. In the 1949 Electoral Roll Lindsay and Stanley were both listed as farmers from Vervale; their parents address is 'Little Yannathan Drain, Iona'. Neither of the Miller brother's WW2 records have been digitised.

Sherwell, Benjamin Alex (V285314).  Benjamin was born at Tempy on April 11, 1922.  He was living at Vervale when he enlisted in October 1941 at Garfield and was discharged in November 1945. His next of kin was Robert Sherwell. In the 1937 and 1942 Electoral Rolls Robert George Sherwell has his address listed as 'off 13 Mile Road', Garfield.  Benjamin's WW2 record is another one that has not yet been digitised.

Stewart, James Gilbert (V42247). James was born in Vervale on October 17, 1918 and enlisted at Garfield in August 1940.
Stewart, John (V100332). John was also born in Vervale on June 3, 1915 and enlisted in Leongatha in May 1941.
For some reason the Nominal Roll does not list either of the brother's discharge dates and their WW2 records have not been digitised. The 1942 Electoral Roll lists John at Catani Road, Vervale and James at Vervale. They are both farmers. Their next of kin when they enlisted was their father, Laurance Mouat Stewart. His address in the 1942 Electoral Roll was 13 Mile Road, Vervale, which as we know is also known as Catani Road and Pitt Road.

Mr Laurance Stewart's death notice, listing his family of five girls and five boys. His funeral was held at the Presbyterian Church at Iona.

Another version of this post, which I wrote and researched, has appeared on my work blog Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years and other places.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Petrol tanker goes up in flames at Vervale - 1967

This dramatic truck fire occured in early February 1967. The J-Model Bedford was delivering fuel to Aub Goodman's farm on Pitt Road in Vervale and it just caught on fire. There were two 44 gallon drums of petrol on the back, which went up first, then the two tanks of diesel caught fire. The driver, Bill McCutcheon of Nar Nar Goon, escaped without injury. The truck was owned by I.A. Williams of Koo Wee Rup. Photos were taken by my uncle, Jim Rouse and my Dad, Frank Rouse. I found the report in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of February 8, 1967 of the incident.



Koo Wee Rup Sun, February 8 1967.


Image: Jim Rouse or Frank Rouse


Image: Jim Rouse or Frank Rouse


Image: Jim Rouse or Frank Rouse


Image: Jim Rouse or Frank Rouse

Image: Jim Rouse or Frank Rouse

 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Vervale

Vervale is a little known town or locality between Cora Lynn and Iona. I grew up in Vervale, although I often say Cora Lynn, because no-one has heard of Vervale. Most people haven't heard of Cora Lynn either, but it's slightly more well known. The Shire of Berwick Rate Books give us some idea of the development of Vervale. Ratepayers in the area were listed as living in Cora Lynn or Iona until 1916 when some of these same ratepayers had Clarke’s Post Office as their address. This had changed to Vervale in 1917. The area was also known as Kirwan’s after John Kirwin, who established the Post Office in 1907. Vervale was first written as Vere Vale. Vervale means “green valley”, a bit  ironic as  it is just flat Swamp land.

Vervale didn’t have a lot of facilities – there were no Churches, for instance. Until around 1960 Methodist and Presbyterian Services were held on alternate Sundays at the Cora Lynn Hall, or Presbyterians could attend the Iona Presbyterian Church. Catholics could attend St Josephs Church at Iona and those of the Methodist and Anglican faiths could attend Churches in Garfield. There were no Vervale sporting teams – you had to go to either Cora Lynn or Garfield to play sport.

Vervale General Store and Post Office, taken 1967 or 1969.
National Archives of Australia photograph. www.naa.gov.au

What Vervale did have was a General Store and Post Office, established in 1907 by John. Kirwan. According to the Shire of Berwick Rate Books it was sold to James & Edith McMannis in 1916. Mr McMannis died April 9, 1959, aged 90, and Mrs McMannis died June 4, 1967, aged 88, thus ending 51 years of store ownership. I only remember going there once, it must have been just before Mrs McMannis died and all I remember was that Mrs McMannis looked really old. Given that she must have been well into her eighties and I was only about seven, it's not surprising. Mr and Mrs McMannis are buried at the Bunyip cemetery.

Vervale also had a State School, and although it had three names it was never called Vervale. State School No. 3201 was established in 1894 as Koo-Wee-Rup North School, changed its name in 1899 to Bunyip South and changed its name again in 1905 to Iona. The School closed December 1993.

However, Vervale does have one claim to fame as it was the first place in Victoria in which asparagus was commercially grown. Thomas Roxburgh, who was a Shipping Agent, planted the first commercial crop of asparagus at his farm on Fallon Road,  Cheriton Park, though locally it was referred to as Roxburgh Park. The earliest reference I can find to this planting is an article in The Argus from May 8, 1912, page 6.


The Argus from May 8, 1912, page 6. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

It's a bit hard to read - so here's what it says.   Asparagus Culture.  Bunyip, Tuesday. - Mr Roxborough, an enterprising resident of Melbourne, who owns land on the Koo-wee-rup Swamp, has grown nine acres of asparagus at Iona, and a jam company has offered to erect a canning factory on the land if he grows 20 acres.

The jam company, was, I presume A.J.C., as the farm was later called the A.J.C farm. Even though it says Iona it was really Vervale, but as I said before, Vervale  wasn't used as a name until about 1917. You can read more about Thomas Roxburgh and asparagus growing, here.