Better Farming Train

The Better Farming Train was established in 1924 by the Victorian Railways and the Department of Agriculture. The train travelled around Victoria, stopping for a day or so at various country railway stations, and provided lectures and demonstrations to farmers to improve farming techniques and therefore raise agricultural production. If agricultural production was raised then the Railways would also benefit as nearly all produce was moved by rail. The train made 39 tours of country Victoria between 1924 and 1935 and stopped at over 390 towns. Over 250,000 people attended these lectures. Most of the trips were made before 1930, and due to the Depression, only one trip per annum was made after that. During World War Two the carriages were converted to recruiting trains.  (1).

Better Farming Train poster from the Victorian Railways

State Library of Victoria Image H28737/1

The train initially consisted of fifteen carriages and three extra carriages were later added; it was very distinctive as it was painted a bright orange-yellow colour (2). Once the train arrived at the Station the various displays were set up. Each carriage contained information and exhibits about different areas of agriculture such as potatoes, dairy, bee keeping, poultry. The train actually carried livestock, cattle and pigs, enabling a hands-on approach to the subject. There was also a pasture carriage, which had various plant varieties growing. The train had expert lecturers from the Department of Agriculture and the Education Department  to provide information on various topics and demonstrate new techniques (3).

Carriages were also provided for lectures and demonstration to women on cookery, needlework, child welfare and home nursing (4). Between April 1925 and November 1929 the women's section of the Better Farming Train operated separately. To maximise the audience these carriages were attached to regular trains, either passenger or goods, and taken to  a town where they might stay for a day or two and then be moved on by another train to the next location.  An additional carriage, the Public Health Car, was later added and this was staffed by members of the Public Health Department. The Mothercraft and Child Welfare carriage could seat 80 people and the 'Domestic economy' car, could accommodate 60 people. (5).

The Better Farming Train at Bunyip

Dr. A. E. V. Richardson, Sup't. of Agriculture (Delivering Inaugural Address on 

"Better Farming" Train at Bunyip). Victorian Railways photographer.

State Library of Victoria Image H31183/4

The inaugural stop was at Bunyip, where the train arrived at 9.20am on Monday, October 13, 1924. It was met by the Berwick Shire President, Cr J. Dore and other members of the Council. Also present was the Prime Minister, Mr Stanley Melbourne Bruce, and the Railways Commissioner, Mr Harold Clapp, who was reported as saying that it was better than anything of the kind done in America. The Prime Minister said -
This train has supplied what has been  wanting in Australia -  a practical demonstration of how to bring science to bear in farming and to enable the  farmer to set the fullest possible use of his land. The importance of the work that this train will do cannot be too strongly stressed. I hope the Press will give the fullest publicity to this effort for better farming. 

"It gives farmers, particularly small farmers, a wonderful chance of education in the application of the most modern scientific methods to their industry. Similar efforts of the sort have been made in America and Africa, but none of them nearly so complete as this one, made by the Railways Department and the Department of Agriculture. 

I have taken the opportunity of inspecting the train at its first stopping place. I cannot speak too highly of the manner in which the train has been made up nor of the immense value of the work it will do."(6).

Combined Staff from the Agricultural, Education and Railway Departments, more than likely taken at Bunyip on October 13, 1924, as two of the ladies are wearing the same clothes in this photo and the one above.   

Dr Richardson, is third from right at front and Sister Peck, on the right. 

The photograph also appeared in the Weekly Times of October 25, 1924, here.

Photo: private collection.

Better Farming Train at Bunyip.

Caption: All on Strike - Farmers at Bunyip suspended work when the Better Farming Train arrived. They are seen listening to a lecture on modern farm implements.

The Sun News-Pictorial, October 15, 1924 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article274431590

It was reported that 1000 people at Bunyip inspected the train and listened to various lectures including  - Horse Breeding Act, Examination of stallions; Jersey and Red poll cattle; Friesian and Ayrshire cattle; Grading cows; Pigs; Herd testing; Milk grading; Grasses and top dressing; Feeding cattle; Bees and honey; Feeding pigs and Potatoes. For the women, there were demonstrations in needlework and lectures on mothercraft and child welfare. In the evening, Amalgamated Wireless Limited had a set attached to the train and district residents had the opportunity of hearing Dame Nellie Melba in Grand Opera (7). 

The Better Farming Train at Bunyip, October 1924.

Crowd of farmers viewing exhibits at Bunyip Railway Station

Weekly Times, October 25, 1924 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223555515

After Bunyip, the train continued east to other Gippsland locations - Neerim South, Warragul, Yarragon, Mirboo North, Morwell, Maffra, Bairnsdale, Kilmany, Traralgon, Moe and Drouin returning to Flinders Street on October 23. (8) There were photographs of the train at Bunyip and Neerim South in the Weekly Times of October 25, 1924, here.

The inaugural Better Farming Train timetable

The Argus, October 8, 1924 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2046990

The Better Farming Train on first trip. K.109 touring Gippsland. 13th to 23rd October, 1924.

Victorian Railways photographer. State Library of Victoria image H1077.

This is an interesting account from The Argus of November 21, 1924 (9) of the first stop at Bunyip and the value of the Better Farming Train to the women who attended -

The "Better Farming Train" - What it Means to Women.
If there be any one with doubts as to the necessity for or the success of the "better farming" train which recently returned from its second tour into the fastnesses of Gippsland, let him talk with Sister Peck (10),  superintendent of the training school of the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association (11), who, with Miss Pell and Mrs Storer, of the Education department, conducted the women's section on the train. "It was most thrilling the whole way through," she said on her return this week. "Every department in the train was a great success and none more so than ours."

"It is amusing now to remember," Sister Peck continued, "our feelings when we started off on the first tour. We were all very excited and at the same time wondering how things would go. As the train pulled in to Bunyip, our first port of call, there was not a soul in sight. Then I saw an old shandrydan (12) carrying a father, mother and baby. Three people anyway, someone said. Then she saw two women standing near a goods shed. That was five between the whole train. Then she came round the edge of some big sheds, and saw a great crowd waiting on the station to receive us. We were greeted with cheers, and simply overwhelmed by the warmth of our reception. And that sort of thing went on all the time, particularly at the small centres, where often the people had travelled 30 and 40 miles over shocking roads, having had first perhaps to rise at dawn to get necessary work finished before leaving home."

"Of course, you know that ours is the most completely equipped train of its kind in the world. The average attendance was 800, while in the women's section alone we reached 200 on the last tour, the first one having averaged about 150. On the first trip we shared the one carriage for cookery, serving and infant welfare, but the crowds were so great that on the second time I was given the use of the agricultural department's electric car during the daytime which has seating accommodation for 80 and standing room for 120. As all the women wanted to attend the welfare lectures and demonstrations as well as the sewing and cookery, classes, we altered the arrangement on the second train to sewing and baby welfare in the morning, and cooking and baby welfare in the afternoon. I stayed in the carriage all day, just taking a hurried lunch, because the women were so keen to take the utmost advantage of the wonderful opportunity the Railway Commissioners and the Department of Agriculture had given them. They were there when the train arrived, and did not leave until they must."

In her audience were young mothers and old mothers, mothers with large families and mothers with their first babies, and perhaps most appreciative of all of the opportunity for obtaining sympathetic advice were the young expectant mothers. A great many of the women were the English wives of soldiers, who were worried by climatic conditions with which they did not know how to cope. And what Sister Peck could tell them of the care of milk, of the many uses of the kerosene tin, including the admirable little cooler, of how to prevent and how to treat summer diarrhoea, and what to do to combat the deadly fly, interested them intensely. She carried practically all the equipment of a baby health centre, and the Railways department had  printed for her posters carrying the slogans of the association. These were set up around the lecture hall and it gave Sister Peck such pleasure to know that while the men sat at their lectures at night these slogans were all the time before them. (13)

Beautiful Gippsland Babies.
Sister Peck speaks most enthusiastically of the splendidly healthy babies that were brought to her from all parts of Gippsland. It was easy to see the result of fresh air and sunshine and good food. As a matter of fact in nearly every case where the baby, was a little out of sorts it was due to over feeding to too rich milk, from which both bottles and breast fed babies suffered. And the mothers easily learnt how to remedy this trouble. It was interesting to find that everywhere we went there were mothers who had written to me, perhaps years before for advice about their babies. One woman had driven 30 miles to show me her three-year-old baby, about whom she had first written to me when he was three months. Many of the bush nurses also visited the train, and from that they and other people told me there seems no question as to the value of the infant welfare training for the bush nurse.

While Sister Peck had most to say, naturally, about the work of her department she emphasised the fact that the domestic economy centre was equally successful and appreciated. Both she and her colleagues realised what the coming of this train meant to the women, in the isolated places. Although frequently they experienced very bad weather, as, for instance, at Mirboo North, it did not keep people away. The train was always crowded. As it came in to some of the wayside stations the scene resembled, Sister Peck says, a great picnic or country fair in each place there was a local committee to make arrangements, and there were always large boilers to supply hot water. The people came in all manner of vehicles, motor-cars, milk waggons, drays, and buggies. It was not uncommon to see a milk waggon fitted up with kerosene boxes and carrying mother, father, and five or six children.

One morning, while Sister Peck was preparing for her lectures, 10 little boys came into the carriage exploring. They were particularly interested in the milk cooler, and she had to explain how it was made while they all determined to "make one for mother." The little felt slipper made from an old hat also interested them, and they asked for patterns, which they carefully hid away. Since her return this week Sister Peck his had several letters from women who visited the train expressing their gratitude for the help they had received and asking for patterns of the little garments which she had recommended. Altogether the experience has left her and her colleagues in the train with very happy memories. "Although at the end of each day we were nearly always too tired to accept the hospitality that was offered us everywhere, it was a most satisfactory tiredness." (14)

Here are a few other local accounts - 

The train was at Pakenham on Friday, October 21 1927. The Pakenham Gazette of October 28 reported on the visit -

'Time well spent' was the opinion of district residents in regard to their inspection of the Better Farming Train at Pakenham railway station last Friday. Practically every town within a radius of a dozen miles was well represented in the crowd.....There was on board something of special interest to every section of the farming community....The dairyman and grazier found much to interest them in the prize sheep and cattle, the fodder, samples of wool, models of helpful devices, specimens of disease affected organs and tissues and suggested remedies, and the stock demonstrations. There were also lectures on calf rearing, pig breeding, potato culture, and for the orchardists a lecture on fruit culture. Once again the women were entertained by cookery demonstrations, needlework, home nursing lectures amongst other activities. The Gazette ended the report by saying the visit of the train was decidedly a success and much benefit should be derived from it (15).

The Potato Section of the Better Farming Train

Victorian Railways Photographer. State Library of Victoria Image H28737/5

The Better Farming Train was at Koo Wee Rup on November 14, 1927. This was reported in The Argus newspaper. The main topics of agriculture discussed were potato growing and dairying. As the article pointed out, the Koo Wee Rup region produced one fifth of Victoria’s total potato production with Carmen being the principal variety grown with yields of five tons to the acre (16).  The potato lectures covered seed selection, storage, cultivation, manure application and disease control. The other focus of the visit was dairying and The Argus reported that 600 cans of milk were sent daily from Koo Wee Rup (17).

At Koo Wee Rup, over 100 women attended the Better Farming Train demonstration on cookery and needlework, clothing design and an infant welfare nurse was also available to examine babies (18). The Women's Section of the train had also visited Koo Wee Rup on February 8, 1926 (19).

The Better Farming Train coming to Koo Wee Rup

Koo Wee Rup Sun, November 10, 1927, p. 1

The Weekly Times had a full page of photographs of the visit of the Better Farming Train to Koo Wee Rup in November 1927. Three are shown below, see them all here.

General View in Station yard, Koo Wee Rup.

Weekly Times, November 19, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224378200

Women residents of Koo Wee Rup outside Cookery and Needlework cars waiting for lectures to begin.

Weekly Times, November 19, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224378200

The Koo Wee Rup Sun also reported on the visit of the Better Farming Train -

Better Farming Train Visits Kooweerup

Thousands of farmers have not had the privilege of attending agricultural colleges or experimental farms, with the object of securing the latest scientific results of research work, therefore, the ideals of the Agricultural department in collaboration with the Railways department in sending expert lecturers and demonstrators to the country is a highly commended action. This is performed per medium as what is known as the Better Farming Train. Every centre visited by this train attracts large attendances, which amply demonstrates that the rural population appreciates the short course of training.

On Monday the train, composed of 17 cars and trucks, equipped with wonderful exhibits and accompanied by trained demonstrators, visited Kooweerup, and a large number of farmers and their families displayed keen interest and delight in the lectures and exhibits. The lectures were delivered in a tent pitched on the reserve. The first lecture was delivered on “Stock Feeding” by Mr J.M. Kerr, senior dairy supervisor. He pointed out the merits of the composition of various produce and their action in production of flesh and milk. Mr W.J. Yuill, senior dairy supervisor, next dealt with “Herd Improvement,” and emphasized the value of breeding from the purest stock, also the benefits derived by having herd testing associations in dairying districts. 

At 1.30p.m., a stock demonstration was held, and the splendid animals exhibited were greatly admired. Mr  J.T. Ramsay, potato expert, gave an address on “Potato Culture,” and showed the wonderful improvements effected by following up-to-date scientific methods. He stressed the value of proper seed selection, correct storage, treatment for the prevention of disease, grading for market, etc. The value of top dressing was next demonstrated by Mr Ryan, followed by an edifying lecture in “Pig Breeding” by Mr R.T. Archer, senior dairy supervisor. 

For the womenfolk very educational addresses were delivered as follows – Sister Peck, “Mothercraft” and “Home Nursing,” Miss N. Cader, “Cooking.”

In the evening Mr Pederick had a large audience for a discourse on “Poultry,” and he showed many defects which are committed by poultry keepers. He also by means of lantern slides copiously illustrated his points and strongly urged careful selection and packing in sending birds to the market. Afterward the exhibits in the cars were examined and admired by many persons who were unable to attend during the day. (20)

 A group of residents at the train at Koo Wee Rup

Weekly Times, November 19, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224378200

Other visits to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp area - Lang Lang on November 10 1924 on way to South Gippsland and Cranbourne on Saturday November 15, 1924 on the return journey (21). 

The Better Farming Train visit to South Gippsland, including Lang Lang and Cranbourne.

The Age November 10, 1924 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155530518

The Better Farming Train visits Cranbourne on November 15, 1924.

Koo Wee Rup Sun, November 13, 1924, p. 2

It went to Berwick on Friday July 3 1930, where 1,000 people inspected the train including students from the local State Schools and Dandenong High School (22). The train stopped at Clyde on Tuesday July 21, 1930 and the next day at Yannathan and then continued on to South Gippsland (23). The Argus reported that over 700 people attended the visit of the Better Farming Train at Clyde. They came from Cardinia, Dalmore, Tooradin, Devon Meadows, Lyndhurst and Cranbourne (24).

The Better Farming Train at Clyde

The Argus, July 22 1930 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4101028

The Koo Wee Rup Sun had a short report on the Yannathan visit -
The Better Farming Train was on view at Yannathan on Tuesday, the 22nd inst., and attracted a very large crowd. The officials on the train were welcomed by Mr Thwaites, owing to the unavoidable absence of Mr Bennett, M.L.A. Later in the day Mr Bennett arrived and apologized for not being able to attend earlier, but thanked Mr Thwaites for acting in his stead. He congratulated the Yannathan people in being fortunate enough to have a visit of the train. With the able lecturers and interesting addresses he felt sure that the visit would prove of great value. Mr J. de C. Talbot responded on behalf of the staff, and Mr Mullany on behalf of the railways.

Lectures and demonstrations on top-dressing and dairying were largely attended. Mr Yuille emphasized the need of herd testing. Valuable information on pig breeding was given by an expert, who urged farmers to keep pigs as a profitable investment. The women’s lectures on dressmaking and needlework by Miss McAlister were interesting and of valuable assistance. A cookery lecture by Miss Killeen was also good and intently listened to. Sister Peck gave lectures on home-nursing and mothercraft. The school children were keenly interested in the exhibits and demonstrations. Visitors were present from all the surrounding districts. (25)

There may well have been other visits to the region, I was going through reports on the train in The Argus trying to pick up any mentions of the tours, and that reminded me just how extensive the Rail network was in the 1920s and 1930s and thus how many small towns could have been visited by the train. There is a great website with maps that show the rise and fall of the Victorian Railways http://www.vrhistory.com/VRMaps/

This is an interesting aspect of our history and reflects the importance of the railway in people’s life at a time when most people didn’t have a car and, until the 1960s, nearly all the farming produce - milk, potatoes other vegetables and cattle - from the area was dispatched by train to market.

Better Farming Train, a lecture on Child Welfare. 

Victorian Railways Photographer. State Library of Victoria Image H28737/18

Footnotes
(1) Harrigan, Leo J Victorian Railways to '62 (Victorian Railways, 1962), pp. 265-268.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.

(6) Harold Clapp quote - The Weekly Times, October 25, 1924, see here. The Prime Minister's speech - The Herald, October 14, 1924, see here.

(7) Reports of the inaugural trip of the Better Farming Train are in The Herald, October 14, 1924, see here; The Argus, October 14, 1924, see here and The Age, October 14, 1924, see here.

(8) The Argus, October 8, 1924, see here.  

(9) The Argus, November 21, 1924, see here.

(10) Sister Peck - Muriel Anna Peck (1882-1947) Read her obituary in The Herald, May 21, 1947, here;  Gippsland Times of June 5, 1947, here. Sister Peck was also  instrumental in the establishment of Baby Health Centres, I have written about this here. I have also written about her in connection to the Lady Talbot Milk Institute, here.

(11) Victorian Baby Health Centres Association was established May 31, 1918 and their aim was to safeguard the health of mothers and babies. The first baby health centre had actually opened in June 1917 in North Richmond, operated by Sister Peck (see previous footnote). Read about the history of the movement in All the Children: the story of Victoria's Baby Health Centres 1917-2017 by Heather Sheard (MCHN Inc 2017)

(12) A shandrydan - an old fashioned chaise or light, open carriage; a rickety vehicle

(13) The Argus, November 21, 1924, see here.

(14) The Argus, November 21 1924, see here.

(15) Pakenham Gazette, October 28, 1927, p. 3

(16) The Argus, November 15, 1927, see here.

(17) Ibid.

(18) Ibid

(19) The Argus, February 9, 1926, see here.

(20) Koo Wee Rup Sun, November 17, 1927, p. 1

(21) The Age, November 10, 1924, see here   

(22) The Argus, July 4, 1930, see here.

(23) The Age, July 5 1930, see here.

(24) The Argus, July 22 1930, see here. 

(25) Koo Wee Rup Sun, July 31, 1930, p. 1

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, has appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past, and the Koo Wee Rup Blackfish and the Garfield Spectator.

Nar Nar Goon and the Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Boards and other Nar Nar Goon Great War soldiers

There are 51 soldiers listed on the Nar Nar Goon Honour Board and 15 soldiers listed on the Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Board. Eleven men are on both the Honour Rolls, thus 55 different men are honoured by having their name on the Honour Rolls.  The Nar Nar Goon Honour Board is at the Nar Nar Goon Community Centre. It was originally unveiled on April 22, 1921 on the occasion of the opening of the Nar Nar Goon Soldiers' Memorial Hall. You can read about this, here. The Nar Nar Goon North State School Roll is at the Nar Nar Goon North Public Hall. The Nar Nar Goon North School, No, 2914, opened in April 1889 and closed on October 12, 1951 when it was amalgamated into the Pakenham Consolidated School (1).

There are 55 different men listed on these two rolls, and there are another fourteen men (2) with a Nar Nar Goon connection that are written about here, although they are not on these Boards. 

Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Board

Photograph courtesy of the Casey Cardinia Remembers website

www.caseycardiniaremembers.org.au

Nar Nar Goon Honour Roll

Photograph courtesy of the Casey Cardinia Remembers website  www.caseycardiniaremembers.org.au

Here is  a list of the soldiers with their Service Number (SN) so you can look up their full service record on the National Archives of Australia website, www.naa.gov.au

Aalto, Atolf Aleksanter (SN 3676)  Listed as Alto on the Honour Roll. Atolf was born in Nystad in Finland, he was a 21 year old miner, he was Naturalised on July 6, 1915  and he enlisted at Bendigo on July 29, 1915. His father, who lived in Finland, was his next of kin. Atolf  was awarded the Military Medal and he Returned to Australia May 4, 1919. What is his connection to Nar Nar Goon? He obviously spent some time there after his arrival in Australia  and before he enlisted at Bendigo. I can't find him in the Electoral Rolls after the War but there is a Adolf Aalto listed in the United States Federal Census, living in Michigan. He is the right age and arrived in the U.S in 1919. Is this the same man?

Blackwell, Gilbert Darlow (SN 4137) Gilbert enlisted July 12, 1915 at the age of 18. He was a farm labourer. Gilbert Returned to Australia on July 4, 1919. He died in 1973, aged 77. 
Blackwell, Bernard Robert (SN 53566).  Bernard enlisted on October 2, 1916. He was 18 years old and  a farm hand.  He had 'Bronchial Asthma' and was considered unfit for Military Service and was discharged in March 1917.  Bernard died in 1989 in Queensland. 

The boys, both born in England, were the sons of William and Primrose (nee Darlow) Blackwell who are listed in the Electoral Rolls at Nar Nar Goon in 1914. William was a boot maker.

Brent, Frank Thomas (SN 168) Frank enlisted on  August 20, 1914, he was 25 years 11 months old and a clerk; his address on the Embarkation roll was Nar Nar Goon.  He had been born in England and his next of kin was his mother, Margaret, who lived in England. Frank reached the rank of Company Sergeant-Major and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. On October 4, 1917 he married Agnes Lucy Nellie Etherington in Beckenham, Kent. he Returned to Australia May 10, 1919. After his return they lived in Springvale, then Northcote and they returned to England in the 1920s. Frank is not listed on either Honour Board.

Brown, Arthur Ernest (SN 2115 and 21239)  Arthur, a motor mechanic, enlisted as a 19 year old on July 13, 1915. He Returned to Australia December 4, 1915 and was discharged on medical grounds in May 1916, with an enlarged thyroid. Arthur enlisted again, when he was 22 on September 5, 1918 and joined the Sea Transport section and embarked on the No. 2 Hospital ship, Kanowna on September 17 and has no return date listed and I can find no other information about his life after the War.  

Brown, Thomas James (SN 3765)  Thomas was a 25 year old clerk and he enlisted on April 18, 1916. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in May 1918, but was injured - gun shot wound knee - and Returned to Australia December 18, 1918. Again, I can find no other information about his life after the War. 

The boys were the sons of  William and Mary Ann (nee Branson) Brown. They had seven children, the last three of which were born in Nar Nar Goon - Thomas in 1890, May in 1893 and Arthur in 1896. On enlistment both boys had their address as  Arcadia, 6 Droop Street, Footscray, the same as their father who was their next of kin. Arthur and Thomas are not listed on either Honour Board.

Cahir, Joseph Keith (SN 960) It seems that he was known as Keith by his family, so that's what we will call him - Keith enlisted on October 1, 1914. He was a 24 year old striker (a blacksmith's assistant) and his next of kin was listed as his sister, Stella Maris Cahir, of Mt Ararat house, Nar Nar Goon. Keith was reported missing in August 1915, held as a Prisoner of War in Turkey and not released until the end of the War in 1918. Keith had malaria in prison and then caught Spanish Influenza when he was released. He Returned to Australia on December 2, 1918. He died in 1960, aged 69. Keith is on both Honour Rolls. Keith was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file from the Public Records Office of Victoria here. 

Carter, George Henry (SN 2314)   I had no idea who this was and there were 32 G. Carters who had enlisted so I started going through their records to find a Nar Nar Goon connection and on the 20th one I found George! George enlisted on June 30, 1916. His occupation was a trapper, he was born in Yorkshire and his next of kin was his friend, Samuel Batten of Nar Nar Goon. He was Killed in Action, in France,  on April 5, 1918. However on the Honour Roll, George was not listed as dying in the War, so I am now unsure whether this is the correct G. Carter, but having gone though all the G. Carters I still have no-one else with any local connection, tenuous though this one is. As  a matter of interest, George was only 18 when he enlisted and he claimed both his parents were dead, however it turns out that his father lived in Oakland, California and he didn't find out that his son had enlisted or been killed until 1919.

Castle, Frederick William (SN 1213) Frederick enlisted on July 26, 1915 at the age of 22, he was a saw miller and his address was Nar Nar Goon.  His next of kin was his mother, Frances Castle (nee Woodburn), also of Nar Nar Goon. His father Frederick had already died.  He Returned to Australia May 29, 1919. After the War, Frederick became a policeman and was stationed at Orbost when he died September 25, 1945, aged 52. 

Chatfield, Frederick Norman (SN 62) Frederick enlisted on February 25, 1916, aged 21, and he was a 'chaff cutter feeder'. His next of kin was his mother, Mary Chatfield of Nar Nar Goon. He was discharged from the Army on April 19, 1920.  Frederick was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file from the Public Records Office of Victoria, here. Fred married Dorothy Mabel Stubington in 1929 and they raised their family on the farm on Convent School Road. He died in 1972, aged 77.

Childs, Albert George (SN 2599) Listed as Child on the Honour Roll. Albert enlisted in Melbourne on July 9, 1915, his occupation was Dairyman. He was 29 years old, born in England, his address on the Nominal Roll is Primrose Park, Beaconsfield, however he is listed as living at Nar Nar Goon in the 1914 Electoral Roll. Albert Died of Wounds on August 5, 1917 in France.  Albert is also honoured on the Beaconsfield War Memoria, see here.

Collett, Ebenezer Wesley (SN 4998) Ebenezer enlisted in Brisbane on December 6, 1915. He was a 23 year old labourer. He was born in Tyabb in 1892 to Henry and Annie (nee Thomson) Collett. Annie and Henry, a farmer, are listed in the Electoral Rolls at Nar Nar Goon from 1913 until 1918. Ebenezer, who attained the rank of Sergeant, Returned to Australia January 14, 1919.  He moved to Queensland, where he married Grace Brown in 1920 and where he died in 1968. Ebenezer is not listed on either Honour Board. 

Davis, Oscar Harry (SN 4099)  Oscar was 36 when he enlisted on October 12, 1915. His occupation was a mechanic and his next of kin was his mother, Blanche Davis, of Wilsons Road, Nar Nar Goon, the same address as Harry. Oscar Returned to Australia June 4, 1919. Blanche and Harry appeared to move frequently - Oscar was listed in the Electoral Roll at Nar Nar Goon in 1916, occupation Agent. In 1913 Harry and Blanche were at Diamond Creek and his occupation was an orchardist. In 1914 they were living in Railway Crescent in Elsternwick and his occupation was Insurance Agent. In 1922 they were in Malvern and his occupation was a Mechanic. Oscar (born 1878) was the youngest of the three boys of  Alfred Edward Davis and Blanche (nee Binge). Alfred was a dentist who died in November 1898. Harry married Edith Edna Gillott in 1924, and she died in January 1933 aged only 40,  in the family home at Stanley Parade, Caulfield. She left behind three little children - Meryl, Valerie and Travers. Harry lived to the good age of 96 and died in 1974. An interesting fact about Harry is that he listed his religion as Hebrew i.e. Jewish; a rare religion in Nar Nar Goon at the time. Oscar is not listed on either Honour Board, not surprising given his fleeting connection to Nar Nar Goon. 

Dore, David (SN 2637a) David was born at Nar Nar Goon and when he enlisted on July 20, 1915 his next of kin was his 'second eldest half-brother', Mr J. Dore of Nar Nar Goon. He was 18 years old, and a farmer, and was an orphan. He was Killed in Action in France on August 9, 1918. David was the last child of John Bernard Dore (1850-1905) and his second wife Mary Foster. John's parents, John and Elizabeth (nee O'Connor) Dore had arrived in Melbourne in September 1841 with four children and another six were born in Victoria. In 1844, John Dore and Michael Hennessey took up the Mount Ararat Run at Nar Nar Goon of 1,900 acres. The partnership existed until 1855. Hennessey then moved to Dandenong and built the Bridge Hotel and later took over the Eumemmerring Hotel. In the 1860s, Dore purchased the 640 acre Mt Ararat pre-emptive right. He later purchased another 387 acres and his son Thomas 300 acres so they held a total of 1,300 acres. The property was later bisected by the railway line when it was built in 1877.  David is on both Honour Rolls. 

Death notice of David Dore

The Age, August 31, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155132461

Doyle, Frank Bertram (SN 4165) Frank enlisted in July 22, 1915. He was a 19 year old packer and his address was Gardenvale.  He Died of Wounds in France on December 16, 1916.
Doyle, John William (SN 1910) John was 32 and a labourer, living at Pakenham Upper,  and enlisted on March 28, 1916. Whilst he was in England he married Edith Minnie Wood on May 12, 1919 and Returned to Australia July 26, 1919. John and Minnie lived at Pakenham Upper. John died in 1954, aged 70.
The boys were the sons of John and Georgina (nee Kirk) Egan, whose children were born in the Ballarat region. They were separated and when Frank enlisted Georgina was living at Hill View, Pakenham Upper and later at Gardenvale. John, a railway employee, was living at Nar Nar Goon and was listed as the next of kin of both the boys. It appears that the only connection to Nar Nar Goon the boys had was that their father lived in the town for a time and they are not listed on either Honour Board.

Private Frank Doyle

Dandenong Advertiser, January 11 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88661106

Drummond, Walter Neil (SN 2571)  The only W.N Drummond I could locate was this Walter, he was a Blacksmith, 18 years old, was born in Eskdale and was from Officer, which is only two railway stops west of Nar Nar Goon, so this could well be our man. He was the son of  William and Margaret Drummond, of Pinehurst, Officer. Walter enlisted June 28, 1915. He Returned to Australia on April 13, 1919. Walter died in 1962, aged 65. There is a W. Drummond listed on the Officer Honour Board, which may be Walter or his brother William, see here. 

Edwards E.S -  I cannot confirm who this is. The only E.S Edwards I can find is  Ernest Samuel Edwards (SN 1465 /1346) born  in Walhalla, lived in Walhalla and enlisted in Walhalla and his next of kin was his mother, Mrs Fanny Edwards, of Walhalla. Ernest enlisted on October 13, 1914 at the age of 19 and he was a  stoker and blacksmith.  Ernest Returned to Australia February 22, 1917 and was discharged on medical grounds due to  a gun shot wound right knee joint. He died in 1964, aged 68.  I believe this is the man on the Honour Board, I just can't find his specific connection to Nar Nar Goon.  There is also an Ernest Edwards (SN 5327) who was a blacksmith from Longwarry (just four railway stops east of  Nar Nar Goon). There was a John Edwards who was the Station Master at Tynong from 1914 to 1917, so was E.S Edwards connected to him? There was also a Thomas Henry and Christian Edwards in the Electoral Roll at Nar Nar Goon from 1912 - was E.S Edwards connected to them?  Christian Edwards was the sister of John King Lawson, see below.  

Egan, Daniel Francis (SN 3017) Daniel was born in Nar Nar Goon in 1886 to James and Ellen (nee Garvin) Egan.  he lived at Nar Nar Goon, until around 1912, when he moved to Woodleigh Vale (near Loch), which is here he was living when he enlisted on July 26, 1915. He was 29 years old, a road contractor and his next of kin was his brother,  Francis, of Nar Nar Goon. Daniel attained the rank of Sergeant and was awarded the  Distinguished Conduct  Medal.  He Returned to Australia January 25, 1919 and married Margaret Ethel Murnane in 1921 and they lived at Woodleigh Vale. Daniel died December 13, 1956, aged 70. It is surprising that given the Egan family connection to Nar Nar Goon from the mid-1880s, that Daniel is not listed on the Honour Board; and not for the first time it makes me wonder how the names were selected for these community memorials. 

Daniel Egan's death notice

The Argus, December 14, 1956 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71771303 

Ferguson, Alexander  (SN 798)  Alexander was 24 years old, and a farmer when he enlisted on June 27, 1917 and his next of kin was his wife, Nina Grace Lambert Ferguson (nee Heeps)  of 456 High Street, Prahran, however she is listed in the 1914 and 1917 Electoral Rolls at Nar Nar Goon.  Alexander Returned to Australia on April 27, 1919. The marriage did not survive and in 1929 Nina, who was a piano teacher,  filed for divorce on the grounds that Alex had deserted her.

Alex Ferguson leased out his farm before enlisting.

Pakenham Gazette May 25, 1917. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92153109

Alex Ferguson's divorce

The Argus, November 12, 1929 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4049611

Gaskett, Albert James (SN 1481) Albert was 19 year old farmer, when he enlisted on November 9, 1915. He Returned to Australia on July 17, 1919. Albert died in 1973 in Queensland. 
Gaskett, William John (SN 1830) William enlisted on February 28, 1916, when he was 21. He was also a farmer.  He Returned to Australia on July 21, 1917. He was discharged on medical grounds - Nephritis. William died in 1963, aged 68.

William and George are brothers from Nar Nar Goon and were the sons of George and Levina (nee Collins) Gaskett. Levina died in 1914 at the age of 42. George is listed in the 1914 Electoral Roll as a saw miller. Albert and William are listed on both Honour Rolls.

Harris, Leo  (SN 3132)  Leo enlisted on July 20, 1915. He was a 20 year old farm labourer, born at Kyneton. His next of kin was his mother, Josephine Harris, of Nar Nar Goon, however, his father W. Harris, also signed the letter agreeing  to Leo enlisting, as he was under 21. Leo was Killed in Action, in France, on August 9, 1916. There is some interesting correspondence in Leo's Attestation file regarding his grave. Parents of soldiers who were killed or died on service could have an 'emblem of faith' inscribed on the grave - a Cross or Star of David, depending on whether they were Christian or Jewish. Mrs Harris had asked for a Star of David, and when Base Records queried that because Leo's stated religion was Presbyterian, Mrs Harris wrote back saying I was under the impression that the Cross was Roman Catholic and Star of David protestant faith, so I will not have either emblem inscribed. That letter was dated September 2, 1920, but she wrote again on October 11, 1920 asking for the Cross to be inscribed. 

Correspondence from Mrs Harris regarding the 'emblem of faith' to be inscribed on her son's grave.

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

Heffernan, William  There are nine W. Heffernans who enlisted, all called William, so we can be pretty sure his name is William - but I cannot find a W. Heffernan with a local connection. William is on  the Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Board , so I presume he went to school there - no William Heffernans are teachers, so he didn't teach there. Any help appreciated.

Holcombe, Archibald Jones (SN 68586)  Born in Wales and he was the son of Francis Holcombe of Nar Nar Goon. He enlisted on July 1, 1918 when he was 19 and embarked on October 22, however the troop ship was recalled to Australia due to the end of the War, so Archie did not see any active service, not through the want of trying it seems. There is a Statutory Declaration signed by Archie on July 1, 1918 stating that his mother and father refused to sign the verification paper, stating that he could go if he wished, but that they would sign nothing! Archibald also enlisted in World War Two, serving in the Australian Army from November 1941 to April 1944. Archie died in 1973, aged 74.

Archie Holcombe's Stat Dec saying his parents refused to sign his papers.

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

Huby,  Walter Percy Clarence  (SN 11351) He seems to have been known as Clarence, so that's what we will call him. Clarence enlisted on June 6, 1915 and he Returned to Australia on November 7, 1919. Clarence was born in York, England and his next of kin when he enlisted at the age of 22, was his mother also from York. He married Ada Hollick, in England on October 16, 1919. Clarence's occupation was sawyer on his Enlistment papers and 'mill labourer' in the 1914 Electoral Roll when he was living at Nar Nar Goon. In the 1924 Electoral Rolls he and Ada are living at Gembrook, where he is commemorated in the Avenue of Honour. Clarence enlisted for service in World War Two in January 1940 and was discharged in March 1948. He died in 1954, aged 61. 

Clarence Huby's death notice

The Argus, April 26, 1954 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26605144

Jefferies, Ernest John (SN 7019) Ernest was born in Bristol in England and was living in Nar Nar Goon when he enlisted on October 19, 1916. He was 22 years old, a labourer and his next of kin was his father, also of Bristol. Ernest was discharged from the AIF in London on September 5, 1919.  Ernest is not listed on either Honour Board.

Jones,  Arthur Alfred Charles   (SN 5117) Arthur enlisted on January 4, 1916. He was 21 and a baker.  He was living with his aunt in Northcote at the time, but his next of kin was his father, Robert Jones on Nar Nar Goon. He Returned to Australia on September 6, 1919.

Arthur Jones

Northcote Leader October 26, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126179668

Keddie, Bert John (SN 4833) Bert was a School Teacher, born in Stratford and his father who was his next of kin lived at Murrumbeena. When he enlisted on January 1, 1916, he was 20 and was teaching at Ouyen State School and had received leave from the Education Department to enlist. He Returned to Australia on September 25, 1919, but before he returned had married Jean Hamilton on April 16, 1919 in Scotland. Bert died in 1968, aged 73
Keddie, Thomas Lee Heard (SN 856) Thomas, like his brother Bert, above, was born in Stratford and was also a School Teacher. He was at Byaduk State School (south of Hamilton) when he enlisted, at age 24, on August 18, 1914. He was discharged on December 12, 1915 as he was medically unfit after suffering a gun shot wound on April 25, 1915. He then re-enlisted on June 19, 1916 and was discharged on medical grounds on August 1, 1916. Thomas died in 1954, aged 64.   

Bert and Thomas are on the Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Board. So what was the connection of the Keddie boys to Nar Nar Goon? Their brother, Richard James Keddie, was a teacher at Nar Nar Goon in in 1909-1910 - is he the connection? The boy's parents are James and Jane - James is listed in the Electoral Roll as being a Railway employee - did he work at Nar Nar Goon and the boys went to school there? 

Thomas Keddie

The Argus May 17, 1915 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1517298

Kelly, John  Patrick (SN 5388)  John was born at Nar Nar Goon and enlisted on March 10,  1916 at the age of 36. His next of kin was his wife, Mary Kelly, of 71 Keppel Street, Carlton and he was a  rubber worker. He died of disease in England on October 26, 1918, just eight days after his father, James Egan Kelly,  who died October 18, 1918.  John is listed on the St Patrick's Catholic School Honor Roll (see here), but is not listed on either Nar Nar Goon Board.  John's parents, James and Ellen (nee O'Brien) Kelly had a property, Garryowen at Nar Nar Goon.

Bereavement notice for John Kelly's mother.

The Advocate, July 25, 1908, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169898503

Kidd,  James Edward  (SN 64477) James enlisted on May 21, 1918. He was a 20 year old coach trimmer. He was the son of James and Margaret (nee Keane) Kidd of Nar Nar Goon. His father, James, was a blacksmith. James Returned to Australia on July 3, 1919 and he died in Mount Gambier in December 1953. 

Margaret Kidd's obituary

Dandenong Journal September  18, 1946 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214795605

Lamb, Charles Hargrave (SN 3092)  Charles was the son Joseph and Annie Lamb. Joseph Lamb was listed in the 1909 and 1914 Electoral Rolls at Nar Nar Goon, his occupation was a boot maker. Charles,  a blacksmith, was 18 when he enlisted on December 4, 1914. He Returned to Australia in March 1916 to recover from a gun shot wound to the neck. He re-enlisted on  February 2, 1917 and was Killed in Action, in Belgium, on October 4, 1917. When he enlisted in 1917, his father was deceased and his mother, Annie, lived in East Brunswick. Charles was honored with a tree in the Memorial Grove at the Tynong State School which was planted in 1917. Read about this here.

Charles Lamb's return home due to being wounded

Dandenong Advertiser May 4, 1916 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88658511

Lawson,  John King (SN 729) John enlisted on July 6, 1915, he was 22 years old and his had the twin occupations of a machinist and a musician. John Returned to Australia June 10, 1916 and was discharged on medical grounds in the November due to Epilepsy.  His connection to Nar Nar Goon was that his next of kin was his sister, Mrs T.H. Edwards, who lived there. This was Christian, the wife of Thomas Henry Edwards, a farmer, and they are listed at Nar Nar Goon in the Electoral rolls from 1912 until at least 1954. John is not listed on either Honour Board. John died tragically at Macknade (near Ingham) in  Queensland on February 25, 1925. He and a companion, William Harris,  were stabbed to death by an acquaintance, you can read about it here. The killer was found to be insane. 

John King's In Memoriam notice

The Age, February 25, 1926 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155774792

Ledger, John  (SN 4666) John enlisted on September 9, 1916 as Francis George Moore. He said he was 19 years and three months old, was a farm labourer, was born in Nar Nar Goon, he said he was an orphan and his next of kin was his Guardian, Mrs R.E. Smith of Nar Nar Goon. He Returned to Australia on July 7, 1919. There is a statutory declaration in his file, signed September 23, 1919 which says that he enlisted under the assumed name of Francis George Moore as at the time he was under eighteen years of age. He requested that all the records be amended so that his correct name was listed. Another statuary declaration in his file, dated April 1, 1944  notes that he was born in Nar Nar Goon on November 1, 1900 and that Mrs R.E. Smith was his foster mother.  There is a Rosalie Emma Smith listed in the Electoral Roll at Nar Nar Goon in 1914, so she existed, and he obviously had some contact with Nar Nar Goon as he was recognised on the Honour Roll.  If the birthdate of November 1900 is correct then he was still only 15 when he enlisted;  ironically, when he returned from active service, he was still only 18 years old, not even old enough to enrol to vote!  John married Florence May Stevens in 1926 . They were living at 29 Camden Street, Balaclava when John died in October 1949.

Lia,  Matthew (SN 471) Matthew enlisted in Lithgow, N.S.W, on January 2, 1916 at the age of 25. He had been born at Bolwarrah in 1890 to Joseph and Christina (nee Crombie) Lia. Eight of their nine children were born in that town from 1885 to 1900 and their last child was born in Nar Nar Goon in 1908. His next of kin was his father, Joseph, of Nar Nar Goon.  Matthew was awarded the Military Medal. After the War he was granted leave for 'non military employment' at A.C Carson Artificial Flower Manufacturing Company  and was discharged on June 7, 1920. Matthew died in July 1958, aged 66.

Liston, Thomas (SN 1514)  The Honour Board has a C. Liston  listed, but the only Liston  I could find with a Nar Nar Goon connection was Thomas. Thomas was 29 (thus born c. 1885) when he enlisted on November 10, 1914. He was a farm labourer and his next of kin were his parents of 'Kutmundrah' Street, Brunswick. The Embarkation Roll lists the address as 'Kutmundrah' Street,  Footscray. There is no street by that name in Brunswick and Footscray in a 1912 or 1916 street directory; but there is a David and Emma Liston in the Electoral rolls at this time at Cooraminta Street, Brunswick. I am not convinced that his Attestation paper contains the full story (truth) about his parents, perhaps he just didn't have  a good relationship with them or perhaps he was a bad speller.  However his next of kin was later changed to his wife Sarah, of Duncans Road, Werribee, whom he married in 1918. Thomas enlisted at Tynong, the Attesting Officer was William Carney, Shire of Berwick President and his medical examination was held in Nar Nar Goon. He Returned to Australia on June 23, 1919. Thomas was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file from the Public Records Office of Victoria, here. His application dated August 23, 1919, states that he has two children from a former marriage who are 11 and 13 years old; he later had a son, Robert David, with Sarah, born in 1920. In November 1922 his Soldier Settlement lease was cancelled due to non compliance. There are various letters and statutory declarations  in his service records which date his locations after the War - 1932 Charlton; 1939 Albury; 1953 Albury and 1961 Ardlethan in NSW. The 1953 Statuary declarations lists his birth date as November 11, 1890, five years younger than his enlistment papers; this may be correct however as his  children were born around 1906 and 1908, that makes him a very young father, just another inconsistency or maybe he was just bad with dates. There is the death of Thomas Liston in the District of Young in 1968, I believe this is our Thomas.

Madden, Frank (SN 1798) Frank enlisted on January 13, 1915 at the age of 19. Frank was awarded the Military Medal and he Returned to Australia on April 8, 1919. Frank died in 1969, aged 73. 
Madden, Thomas William (SN 2232) Thomas' address on the Embarkation Roll is Nar Nar Goon and he was 25 years old when he enlisted on April 1, 1916. Thomas Died of Wounds on October 18, 1917 in Belgium. 

Frank and Thomas are brothers and they were both wool sorters by occupation. When Frank enlisted in January 1915 his next of kin, his mother, Grace Madden, was listed at Nar Nar Goon; when Thomas enlisted a year later, his next of kin, his father Thomas was listed at 9 Caroline Street, Clifton Hill. In 1917 a Memorial Grove was planted at the Tynong State School and Trooper Madden was reported as being honoured with  a tree, who I believe it is either Frank or Thomas. You can read about it, here.

Death notice for Thomas Madden.

The Argus November 5, 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1661100

Matthews, Frederick George Gladstone  (SN 2272)  George, was a 22 year farmer and he enlisted on July 24, 1915. He was the son of William Thornburn and Mary Jane (nee Phillips) Matthews of Nar Nar Goon.  Frederick Returned to Australia on July 22, 1917 and was discharged from the Army on medical grounds due to a gun shot wound to the left knee. Frederick died in 1973, aged 82. 

Frederick Matthew's death notice

The Age, August 27, 1973, p. 18 newspapers.com

McCarthy, Daniel Patrick  (SN 10447) Daniel enlisted on August 10, 1915. He was 23 years old farmer from Nar Nar Goon. His next of kin was his brother, Edwin (incorrectly listed as Edward), of Koo Wee Rup, later of Nar Nar Goon. Daniel was the son of Edwin and Catherine (nee McCarthy) Sterry; his brother William Edwin was born in 1899 and was registered with the surname McCarthy. Catherine sadly died in childbirth, presumably Edwin was no longer around and Catherine's family raised the boys and Daniel adopted the McCarthy surname. (3)  He Returned to Australia on May 20, 1919. After the War, Daniel continued farming at Nar Nar Goon, until the 1940s when he is listed in the Electoral rolls at Pakenham South. He died in 1959, aged 68.

Menzies, John McDermott Loxton (SN 31613) John was a 26 year old farmer of Nar Nar Goon, when he enlisted on February 28, 1916. His next of kin was his father, John, of 94 Queen Street, Melbourne. John Returned to Australia August 19, 1919.  He later lived in Goulburn in New South Wales and died in 1972.

Moore, Francis George (SN 4666) See John Ledger.

Moore,  Walter Frederick (SN 79636) Walter enlisted on September 18, 1918. He was a 21 year old farmer.  Walter did not get to serve overseas as the War ended. Walter is on both Honour Rolls. Walter, born in Vermont, was the son of Arthur Charles and Alice Louise (nee Plumridge) Moore of Nar Nar Goon. Walter died in 1977, aged 80.

Walter Moore and Henry Richardson enlist.

Pakenham Gazette September 20, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92152230

Mortimer, Thomas Ernest Gregory (SN 6900)  Thomas enlisted on August 17, 1917. He was born in Longwarry and he was a 21 years old school teacher. Thomas was the son of George and Sophia Georgina (nee Snell) Mortimer, of Nar Nar Goon. He Returned to Australia on July 23, 1919. In the 1922 Electoral Roll Thomas is listed as a teacher at Nambrok and the 1924 Rolls at Patho, near Echuca. He died in 1980, aged 84. 

Nash, Walter Horace (SN 250)  Listed as H. Nash on the Honour Board, so I presume he was known as Horace, so that's what we will call him. Horace was 33 years old and a Labourer when he enlisted on January 14, 1915.  His next of kin was his father, Walter Thomas Nash of Box Hill, later Brighton. Horace was Killed in Action at Pozieres on July 31, 1916. I had a lot of trouble identifying this man, then I saw a W.H. Nash in a Casualty list, so investigated further in the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, decided our man was most likely Horace, but it was only confirmed by the on-line Melbourne Grammar War Service Records, here. His entry mentions that - he was farming at Wandong for a while, but moved to Nar Nar Goon before he enlisted in January 1915. 

Noel, Herbert William Baptist  (SN 1782) Herbert enlisted on May 10, 1916; he was a 36 year old orchardist from Nar Nar Goon. His wife, Elizabeth (nee Davis, formerly Lawrence), was his next of kin and her address was initially Nar Nar Goon, but she later moved to Elsternwick. Herbert Returned to Australia October 19, 1917 and was discharged on medical grounds in January 1918. They did not return to Nar Nar Goon and are listed in the Electoral rolls in the Malvern area and his occupation was Inspector (I am not sure what he was an Inspector of.) Herbert died February 16, 1960, aged 78. Herbert is not listed on either Honour Board. 

O'Brien,  James Arthur (SN 2737) James was born in Nar Nar Goon and enlisted on May 3, 1916 at the age of 23. He was a hardware assistant and his next of kin was his father, Daniel O'Brien of  Yarroweyah (between Strathmerton and Cobram), however James was listed in the 1915  Electoral Roll at 36 Airlie Street, South Yarra, with his sisters Helen Mary and Emily Kate. Their mother, Mary Jane O'Brien (nee Eves) was also at the address.  James Returned to Australia on October 20, 1918, having suffered a serious gun shot wound to the head.  James died in 1980, aged 87.  James is listed  on the Nar Nar Goon North State School Honour Board.   

Report of James Arthur O'Brien being wounded

The Argus July 20, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1407455

O’Brien, James Joseph   (SN 1876) James was born in Nar Nar Goon and was 18 when he enlisted on July 20, 1915. He was a farm labourer. His next of kin was his mother, Elizabeth Mary (nee Whelan) O'Brien of Seven Hills, Nar Nar Goon. James Returned to Australia November 25, 1917 and was discharged on medical grounds, as he had a gun shot wound to the left leg 'involving the joint.'  James is on both Honour Rolls. James' father was Patrick O'Brien who died in December 1912. James died in 1982, aged 85. 

O’Brien, Daniel Francis (SN 2379)  This man is in the notice, below, as having gone into Camp and he is listed as F. O'Brien, so I feel he may have been known as Francis, so that's what we will call him.  Francis was 24 years old, a grazier and born in Nar Nar Goon. He enlisted on August 16, 1916. His next of kin was his sister, Katherine O'Brien, of Nar Nar Goon. Francis Returned to Australia on  February 15, 1918 and was discharged on medical grounds, due to a gun shot wound to the left leg. I believe that Francis was the son of Michael and Johanna (nee Mulcahy) O'Brien. They were both deceased, Michael having died November 1915 and Johanna in March 1914. Daniel died in 1947, aged 56. 

Fred Chatfield, William Gaskett, James Smith and Francis O'Brien go into camp.

Dandenong Advertiser May 4, 1916 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88658511

Patrick O'Brien, Daniel O'Brien and Michael O'Brien were brothers, the sons Nar Nar Goon pioneers, Daniel and Bridget (nee Walsh) O'Brien.  This means that James Arthur O'Brien, James Joseph O'Brien and Daniel Francis O''Brien  were first cousins. There is more information  about the family in footnote 4. 

Charles Olsen

Australian War Memorial Photograph DA13462

Olsen, Charles Christian (SN 3898) Charles was a 20 year old sawmill worker when he enlisted on July 14, 1915. He had been born in Nar Nar Goon and lived in Nar Nar Goon. Charles was Killed in Action on June 12, 1917.
Olsen, Richard Henry (SN 3026) Richard was born in Williamstown, and was 24 years old when he enlisted in South Australia, on June 8, 1915. He was a Labourer. Richard Returned to Australia on March 23, 1919. After the War, Richard returned to South Australia; he married Gladys Sharrad in 1922 and died there in November 1984, aged 83. 
Charles and Richard are sons of Andrew and Martha (nee Warren) Olsen, of Nar Nar Goon.  The boys are on both Honour Rolls. 

Ord, Albert Leslie (SN 3889) Albert enlisted on August 7, 1915. He was 22 years old and  a labourer.  He was the son of Frederick Thomas and Margaret (nee Leishman or Leichman) Ord. Their address on Albert's Attestation papers was Nar Nar Goon, however they were at Tynong in the 1914 Electoral Rolls. Albert Died of Wounds in France on September 25, 1916 - he was accidentally shot in the hip by another soldier who was cleaning his gun. Albert's Roll of Honour Circular at the Australian War Memorial said that he attended Tynong State School.  Albert was honored with a tree in the Memorial Grove at the school which was planted in 1917. Read about this here.

Harry Pepper

Australian War Memorial  Photograph H06683

Pepper, Harry Higham (SN 2744) Harry enlisted on August 2, 1915, at the age of 22. He was a farmer. His next of kin was his mother, Mary Ann (nee Banks) Pepper of Nar Nar Goon. Harry was Mentioned in Despatches and was Killed in Action in France on August 9, 1918. It appears that Mary Ann had separated from her husband, Henry, as a letter in Harry's Attestation file said Henry was living in Molong in NSW.

Perry, Silas Cole  (SN 1337)  Silas was born at Nhill in 1890 to James and Emily (nee Cole) Perry.  In 1913, Silas was listed in the Electoral rolls as a contractor of Nar Nar Goon.  He enlisted on November 2, 1914 when he was 26 and his occupation was a farmer.  His next of kin on his enlistment paper was his father, James whose address was Nar Nar Goon.  Silas Returned to Australia on February 2, 1919 and after the War he farmed at Berriwillock. He died in 1980, aged 89.

Pettman, Isac William (SN 2419) Isac (unusually spelt with only one a, but that is how he signed his name) enlisted at Tynong, on May 31, 1915. His next of kin were his parents, Isaac and Ellen (nee Sneddon), who were from Bunyip; he was labourer and 19 years old. He Returned to Australia on July 1, 1919. In 1919, Isac married Doris Augusta Blackwell, the sister of Gilbert and Bernard, listed above. He died in 1953, aged 57.  Isac's brother George Edward Pettman also enlisted. George (SN 3908)  was born at Garfield and enlisted at the age of 18 on August 7, 1915. He  Returned to Australia February 9, 1919. Sadly he was only 29 when he died in 1928. He left a wife, Lily, and four little children - Edith, Willie, Betty and Jack.

Prior, James Stanley Glenth (SN 31721) Mr Prior enlisted using only his middle name Stanley.   He was a Compositor, born in South Melbourne to James John and Agnes (nee Neven) Prior and enlisted in Claremont, Tasmania on October 16, 1916 at the age of 25.  His next of kin was his father of Braeburn, Nar Nar Goon. Stanley Returned to Australia July 1, 1919, he married Mavis Hurlestone Cadle in 1933. Mavis was a talented musician - she successfully undertook Trinity College of Music, London examinations and Conservatorium of Music examinations. Mavis' mother Jane Cadle (nee Ruddock) was heavily involved with the Methodist Church in Dandenong as well as the Women's Christian Temperance Union; she was a Probation Officer and a Justice of the Peace and sat on the Dandenong Magistrate's Court Bench. You can read Mrs Cadle's obituary in the Dandenong Journal of October 11, 1944, here.  Back to Stanley - he lived to the ripe old age of 102, passing away in 1992. 

Reid, Kenneth Sutherland  (SN 14065) Kenneth was 18 when he enlisted on March 17, 1916. He was the son of  William Alexander and Sarah (nee Gordon) Reid of Nar Nar Goon and was a Medical Student at the time and had already spent a year with the Melbourne University Rifles. He Returned to Australia on February 28, 1919. According to the Electoral Roll he later became a research chemist; he married Agnes Beatrice Strahan in December 1926, but sadly the marriage did not last and in April
1936, he was granted a divorce on the grounds of her desertion. He died in 1984, aged 88. 

Kenneth's death notice. 

The Age September 20, 1984, p. 24 newspapers.com

Richardson, Henry Christopher (SN Depot) Henry enlisted on September 16, 1918. He was a 20 year old labourer. He passed the Light Horse riding test, but did not get to serve overseas as the War finished. Henry married Alice Veronica Hirst in 1928 and died in 1940, aged 42. 

Richardson, Walter Sidney (SN 3227) Walter enlisted on July 14, 1915. He was 19 years old and a driver. Walter Returned to Australia on August 8, 1919, but when still in England he married Ida Mary Sanders Noyce on May 31, 1919.  The couple  lived in Dandenong and Malvern, and he was a brick layer. Walter died in 1975 aged 79. 
The brothers were the sons of Christopher and Jessie (nee Beaton) Richardson of Nar Nar Goon.

Henry Richardson's death notices

The Sun News-Pictorial September 16, 1940 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article278181633

Rogers, Vaughan Arthur  (SN 1275)  The  Honour Roll has a T.A Rogers listed, but I am pretty sure that it should be V.A Rogers and I cannot find any T. Rogers with a  Nar Nar Goon connection. Vaughan enlisted on July 20, 1915. He was 19 years old and a driver. Vaughan was the son of William Henry and Alice (nee Cahill) Rogers of Nar Nar Goon. He caught Rheumatic Fever and was sent home to Australia from England in October 1916 and discharged from the Army on February 16, 1917. Vaughan is on both Honour Rolls. As a matter of interest Vaughan's birthplace in his Attestation file is Nar Nar Goon, but on the indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and marriages it is Numurkah. Vaughan married Florence Amy Purss in 1960 and he died five years later on December 27, 1964 aged 69. 

Death notice of Vaugh Rogers

The Age, December 28, 1964, p. 9 Ancestry.com

Rowe, W.   A Private W. Rowe is also listed in the newspaper report as having been honoured with  a tree in the Tynong Memorial Grove, see here, but I have not discovered who this is. There are number of W. Rowes with a Gippsland connection but no-one with a specific Tynong or Nar Nar Goon connection. There is a William Rowe in the Shire of Berwick Rate Books listed at Tynong, occupation farmer, around 1914;  a F.H. Rowe of Tynong  wrote  a letter to the Berwick Shire in September 1916 complaining about drainage - so Private Rowe may well be connected to either of these men. 

Smith, James Francis  (SN 2563) James was born and lived at Nar Nar Goon, he was the son Marmaduke and Kate (nee Mulcare) Smith. He enlisted on April 19, 1916. He was 23 years old and  a farmer. James was Killed in Action in France on February 14, 1917. James is on both Honour Rolls.

Death notice of James Smith

The Argus, March 8 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1602078

Spencer, John Henry (No SN) John was born on September 2, 1900 to John Robinson Spencer and his wife May Charlotte Ann (nee Oram).  He was 18 when he enlisted on November 4, 1918, but did not serve due to the end of the War. At the time of his enlistment he was a store-keeper assistant at Nar Nar Goon, in the store owned by his father, John, and his uncle Ernest Oram (who later operated the Tynong store). John married Annetta Georgina Mortimer in 1924 and they continued at the store in Nar Nar Goon until the 1930s when they moved to Koo Wee Rup to operate a store.  He died in Koo Wee Rup in 1959, aged 58. Annetta was the first cousin of Thomas Mortimer, listed above, in fact a double first cousin as two Mortimer boys had married two Snell girls -  her father John was married to Kate Snell. John is not listed on either Honour Board.

Obituary of John Spencer

Koo Wee Rup Sun, March 11, 1959 p.1

Startup, Rupert Walter. Rupert was a bit of  a mystery as there were no  Startups who enlisted in the First World War according to the records at the War Memorial and the National Archives. However, via Ancestry, I found his name listed at the National Archives in England in the 'Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Index of First World War Mercantile Marine Medals and the British War Medal' so he was in the Merchant Navy during the War. Rupert, born in 1896, served in World War Two. He was in the Army from December 1940 until January 1942; then the Air Force from September 1943 until October 1945. Startup is a very well known Nar Nar Goon name - John Startup and Edwin George Kettle took up the Mt Ararat run in 1854. It was 17,000 acres in size and was said to extend from Pakenham to Drouin. Rupert is the grandson of John Startup (5). 

Taylor,  William David (SN 4530) William, born in Perth, enlisted January 31, 1916, he was 30 years old,  a labourer  and living with his wife, Celia in Nar Nar Goon. William had married Celia  May Jones in 1911 and they had four little boys - William Arthur (born 1911), David Charles (1912), Clarence Roy (1913) and Lawson Robert (1915). William was Killed in Action in France on March 27, 1917. As you might expect it was a hard life for  a widow with four children and in June 1919 Celia married Jorgen Ingwald Jorgensen, who was a butcher at Nar Nar Goon.  They had a little girl, Astrid, in 1919.  Celia wrote a letter in February 1923 notifying Base Records that she had received the Victory Medal and asked  Have they not found my Husband's grave. I sent a verse a couple of years ago now  to be  put on the Head Stone and was to get  a photo of it. I have heard nothing so far but will have to live in hope.  The marriage to Jorgen was not a  happy one, they were divorced in 1934 and they both claimed the other had deserted the marriage. Celia died in 1984, aged 91.

Celia Taylor Jorgensen's letter

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

Wade, A   I don't know who this. There is an Arthur Wade on the 1914 Electoral Roll at Nar Nar Goon - his occupation is a groom. but if he did enlist I cannot work out  which of six Arthur Wades he might be (if any) as none have a Nar Nar Goon connection. I have checked the fourteen A. Wades who enlisted and once again none have an obvious Nar Nar Goon connection and neither do the other 128 Wades.

Warren, Robert James (SN 5099) Robert was 18 and an orchardist when he enlisted on February 2, 1916. He was born in 1897 to Robert  Charles and Catherine 'Kate' nee Quinn Warren and they farmed at Nar Nar Goon North.  He Returned to Australia on April 1, 1919 and returned to the farm. He married Margaret Madden in 1925 and died on July 14, 1966, aged 69. Robert is on both Honour Rolls.

Death notice of Robert Warren

The Age July 15, 1966, p. 18 newspapers.com

White, Sydney Pleno (SN 3638)  Sydney enlisted on July 12, 1915 at the age of 31.  He was born in England and his next of kin was his father in England and he was a coachsmith. His address on his Embarkation papers was Toorak however there is a Sydney Pleno White on the 1914 Electoral Roll at Nar Nar Goon (occupation farmer) so I presume, with that unusual middle name, that they are the same person. Sydney Returned to Australia on July 4, 1919. He was in Pakenham in the 1924 Roll, occupation orchardist and in Berwick in the 1931 Roll, occupation Dairy farmer. He died in Berwick on July 3, 1954 aged 70. Sydney has three Soldier Settlement land files at the Public Records Office of Victoria, you can read the, here, here and here.

Sydney White's death notice

The Age, July 5, 1954  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205691749 

Whyte, Aubrey Arnold Albert  (No SN) Aubrey was born in Nar Nar Goon in March 1890 to Henry and Rosina (nee Callanan) Whyte and was 28 when he enlisted on May 15, 1918. He was living in Daylesford and his next of kin was his wife, Elizabeth, of Duke Street, Daylesford. Aubrey was discharged in the June as unfit, due to rheumatism. He died in 1952, aged 63. Aubrey is not listed on either Honour Board.

Wilson, Robert Charles Percy (SN 685) Robert enlisted in January 3, 1917 at the age of 26.  He and his wife, Rachel, lived in Nar Nar Goon where Robert was the Station Master. He was part of the 1st Australian Light Railway Operating Company and was  awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.  Robert Returned to Australia on May 11, 1919. After Nar Nar Goon, Robert was the Station Master at Mont Albert, Canterbury and Bendigo. (6).  Robert had married Rachel Ann Thomas in 1914 and he died in September 1970, aged 80. 

Robert Wilson's death notice

The Age September 26, 1970, p. 50 newspapers.com

Sources - Embarkation and Nominal Rolls at the Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry; Family Trees on Ancestry.com;  Family notices in the newspapers;  Genealogy SA https://www.genealogysa.org.au/; Ryerson Index https://ryersonindex.org/; Sacrifice and Patriotism: a World War One walk in Pakenham Cemetery (Narre Warren and District Family History Group, 2016); Early Settlers of the Casey-Cardinia District ( Narre Warren and District Family History Group, 2010).

Footnotes

(1) Vision and Realisation: a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, edited by L.J. Blake. Published by the Education Department of Victoria, 1973.

(2) Thank you to Glen Turnbull for providing the names and information on some of these fourteen soldiers. 

(3) The Sterry/McCarthy family information comes from Sacrifice and Patriotism: a World War One walk in Pakenham Cemetery (Narre Warren and District Family History Group, 2016) 

(4) O'Brien Family, Nar Nar Goon.
Information is from
Early Settlers of the Casey Cardinia District by the Narre Warren & District Family History Group, published 2010
From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen: a brief history of the Shire of Berwick (Historical Society of the Berwick Shire, 1962)
Solid Bluestone Foundations and other memories of a Melbourne girlhood, 1908-1928 by Kathleen Fitzpatrick (Penguin 1986). Kathleen Fitzpatrick was the great grand-daughter of Daniel and Brigid O'Brien

In the 1860s, Daniel and Brigid (nee Walsh) O’Brien built the Limerick Arms Hotel on the corner of Wilson Road and the Gippsland Road (now called the Princes Highway) at Nar Nar Goon. Daniel, Brigid and their one year old daughter, Ellen, had arrived in Melbourne in September  1841 on the Forth. Also on the same ship were the Dore family  - John (c. 1808 - 1895) his wife Betty (nee Elizabeth O'Connor, c. 1808 - 1876) and their children Edward, Thomas, Patrick and Ellen, six more children were born in Victoria.  In 1844, John Dore and Michael Hennessey took up the Mount Ararat Run at Nar Nar Goon of 1,900 acres. The partnership existed until 1855. Hennessey then moved to Dandenong and built the Bridge Hotel and later took over the Eumemmerring Hotel. In the 1860s, Dore purchased the 640 acre Mt Ararat pre-emptive right. He later purchased another 387 acres and his son Thomas 300 acres so they held a total of 1,300 acres. The property was later bisected by the railway line when it was built in 1877.

Back to the O'Briens  - Daniel was a builder and the plan was to work in Victoria for four years save enough money and then return home, as it was they never did return to Ireland. The family first went to Waurn Ponds near Geelong where Daniel worked as a builder. They then  decided to buy some land  - Waurn Ponds being too dry looking they decided to buy in Gippsland and brought a farm called The Swamp at Mt Ararat or Nar Nar Goon, perhaps they were influenced in this decision by the Dores.

The O'Brien's  had more eight children - Michael James born 1843 at Saltwater; Patrick Francis 1845, Jeremiah Gerald 1846,  Johanna Mary 1848, Catherine, 1853 - these last four were born when they were at Nar Nar Goon. Bidelia Amelia 1853, Mary Ann 1856 and Daniel 1859 were born in North Melbourne.

Because the children needed an education the O'Briens moved back to town and built a house in North Melbourne so the children could go to school.  Daniel was again working as a builder but  his business partner stole the proceeds of the business and this forced the family to move back to Nar Nar Goon where they opened the Limerick Arms. This was  a success  as the Gippsland Road went as far as Sale and there was lots of traffic; it was also a Cobb and Co Coach stop.   The hotel also had  a reputation for being spotlessly clean and offering good meals. Every six months  a Priest would visit, and conduct a mass and also baptise any babies that needed  that sacrament.  The services were either held at the Limerick Arms or the Dore's House. 

A succession of tutors were employed by the O'Briens until they settled on Daniel Ahern. The O'Briens and the Dores also built a school on Mt Ararat Creek for their own children and the the neighbouring children and Daniel Ahern was the teacher. Mr Ahern later taught at Eumemmerring State School, later called Hallam State School from 1870 to 1890. Daniel was the father of James Joseph Ahern, Shire of Berwick Secretary from 1906 until 1948.

Daniel died in 1886 at the age of 82 and Brigid in 1888 at the age of  77. The Limerick Arms was delicensed in 1908 and the building has been demolished. The son of Daniel and Brigid, Michael and his wife Johanna (nee Mulcahy) opened the Nar Nar Goon Hotel in 1883.

The O'Brien family also inserted a number of informative death notices into the newspapers, which helped me sort out who was who.

Death notice of Patrick Francis O'Brien from 1912

The Argus December 9, 1912 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10522112

Death notice of Michael O'Brien from 1915

The Argus, November 8, 1915  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1577894

Death notice of Daniel O'Brien from 1921

The Argus, April 16, 1921 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1748235

(5) Startup family - John Startup (c. 1822-1905). He married Emily Tolhurst in 1852 and they had the following children - John (born 1854), Susannah (1856),  Fanny (1857),  William (1860),  Rosetta (1863),  Herbert Walter (1865),  Leila (1866). You can read John Startup's obituary in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal of July 12, 1905, here.  Herbert married Catherine Damyon in 1895 and they were the parents of Rupert Startup, listed on the Honor Board. 

I found this notice of the dissolution of the partnership between John Startup and Edwin Kettle, it is the first time I have seen Mr Kettle's given names, all other sources I have seen  just refer to him as Kettle. 

The Argus March 27, 1856  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4834077

(6) Rigg of the Railways: Station Masters of the Victorian Railways by Tom Rigg (published by the author in 2001)

A version of this story, which I first wrote and researched in 2015, appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years