Garfield's Big Night. Welcome Home To the Boys.
It was a great night in Garfield on Friday, December 7, when an official welcome home was extended to discharged members of the services. The hall was crowded and the decorations of flags and bunting added to the gaiety of the scene. Cr. T. C. Whiteside, president of the Shire, was in the chair, and Cr. J. Fallon, who introduced the lads, and Cr. J. C. Anderson, were also present. An old Digger of the last war, Cr Whiteside paid a simple but sincere tribute to the courage and loyalty of the district men in the country's hour of danger. They were delighted to have them home again and proud of their achievements, he said. He hoped they would live long to enjoy the peace and prosperity so bravely won.
In memory of those who would never return, one minute's silence was solemnly observed.
Gladstone bags, initialled, were presented to the following, as well as certificates from the Shire of Berwick : W. Attrill, J. Field, L. Field, R. Gross, T. Giblin, A. Jennings, F. Kennedy, G. Pumphrey, I. Pumphrey, A. Starke, J. Sutton, S. Sutton, C. Terrill, F. Cox, E. Judd, E. E. Judd, H. Juers, J. Miller, J. Frawley, W. Green, H. Hampton, W. McKillop, E. Cotter, P. Holland and L. Holland.
Mrs R. Gross (A.W.A.S.) was presented with a case of silver teaspoons.
The boys got a great reception as they came forward, and the warmth of the welcome left no doubt of the sincerity of the sentiments voiced by the various speakers, on behalf of district residents.
Dancing was thoroughly enjoyed, and songs well sung by Miss Stewart, Mr Tom Baillie and Mr W. Toy were greatly appreciated and warmly applauded. The set supper was freely acknowledged to be the best ever served in Garfield hall, and that is saying something. Decorations were appropriate too, red, white and blue flowers being used with artistic effect. There were many willing helpers, all anxious to play a part in making the night a memorable one for the boys and their kith and ken. Arrangements for the unction were admirably carried out, reflecting great credit on the organisers.
(Bunyip and Garfield Express, December 14, 1945, see here)
Following are the names, service numbers, date of birth, next of kin and their local connection of the men and one woman who were welcomed home. You can read their full service record at the National Archives of Australia, www.naa.gov.au There were of course, many more men and women with a Garfield connection who enlisted. The Department of Veteran Affairs World War Two Nominal roll https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2 lists 212 people who served who were born in Garfield, lived at Garfield or enlisted at Garfield (plus many others associated with Iona, Vervale, Cora Lynn and Bunyip). I have included a photograph, if they have one at the National Archives.
Attrill, William James Chaston. RAAF 56916. William was born on June 4, 1923. He was a farmer and his next of kin was his mother, Elsie Mary Watts of Gleneyre, Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
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William Attrill
Cotter, Edward Jervis. Army NX69412. Edward was born on September 21, 1913. His father, also called Edward Jervis Cotter, of Garfield, was listed as his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Edward Cotter
Cox, Frederick Charles. RAAF 56625. Frederick, a carpenter, was born in Bunyip on September 29, 1922. His next of kin was his father, Ernest Charles Cox of Garfield; and later his wife Maureen. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Frederick Cox
Feild, John. Army V42196. John was born in Bunyip on May 30, 1917. His next of kin was his father, also called John, of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
John Feild
Feild, Thomas. Army V129139. Thomas, the older brother of John, was born in Garfield on November 8, 1915. His mother Annie Frances Field, was his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Thomas does not have a photograph in his service file.
Frawley, James Patrick Army V71945. James was born on September 23, 1919. James' parents, John and Margaret Frawley, owned the Iona Hotel in Garfield, and his two brothers, John and Kevin, were both Killed in Action during the War; you can read about the family here. See James' Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. James does not have a photograph in his service file.
Giblin, Thomas John. Army VX139427. Thomas was born in Iona on April 23, 1916. He was a farmer and his father, Thomas Giblin, of Iona was his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Thomas does not have a photograph in his service file.
Green, William Alexis. Army VX104338. William was a farmer from Vervale; he was born on June 26, 1897 and his next of kin was his wife Margaret. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. William does not have a photograph in his service file.
Gross, Robert Joseph. Army VX28046. Robert was born in Garfield on September 20, 1918. His next of kin was his mother, Elsie May Gross, of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Robert Gross
Gross, Mrs R. Army VF346914. This is Anne Schonewille, and when she enlisted in the Australian Women's Army Service, her father Hendrik Schonewille of Iona was her next of kin. Anne was born on July 18, 1923 in Scotland and she married Robert Gross (above ) in 1943. See her Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Anne does not have a photograph in her service file.
Hampton, Robert Henry. Army VX3940. Robert was born in England on May 19, 1906. His next of kin was his wife, Gladys, of Seven-Mile Road, Nar Nar Goon and her address was later changed to Main Street, Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Robert Hampton
Holland, Leo Joseph. Army VX23490. Leo was born in Scotland on August 3, 1906. His occupation was a milk carter and his next of kin was his mother, Agnes, of North Fitzroy. I assume he lived and worked in Garfield before he enlisted and he is certainly listed in the Electoral rolls at Garfield after the War. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
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Leo Holland
Holland, Patrick. Army VX23494. Patrick, the younger brother of Leo, was also born in Scotland, on November 17, 1914 and his occupation was also a milk carter and his mother Agnes of North Fitzroy was his next of kin. Again, he is listed at Garfield in the Electoral rolls after the War, so I assume, like his brother, he was living and working in Garfield before enlistment. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Patrick Holland
Jennings, Allan Stanley. Army VX82390. Allan was born on December 12, 1912 (so has the distinction of having a birth date 12/12/12). His next of kin was his wife, Jean Sophia Jennings, of Mont Albert Road, Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Allan does not have a photograph in his service file.
Judd, Edward Charles. Army VX35619. Edward was born in Pakenham on March 22, 1919. His next of kin was his father Edward Ernest Judd of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Edward Judd
Judd, Edward Ernest. Army V8017. Edward, born September 29, 1890 was the father of Edward, above. He was 49 when he enlisted, his occupation was a Council foreman, and his next of kin was his wife, Ethel May Judd, of Station Street, Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Edward does not have a photograph in his service file.
Juers, Hugo Martin. Army VX23073. Hugo was born on June 16, 1901. His next of kin was his father, Hermann Martin Juers of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Hugo Juers
Kennedy, Francis Michael. Army VX137119. Francis was born in Garfield on July 31, 1920. His father Michael Kennedy of Garfield was his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Francis does not have a photograph in his service file.
McKillop, William John. Army VX32810. William was born on November 23, 1914. His next of kin was his father, James McKillop, a farmer from Iona. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
William McKillop
Miller, J - possibly Lindsay Francis Miller. Army V285310. Lindsay was born on June 20, 1922. His father, James Alfred Miller, of Vervale, was his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Lindsay does not have a photograph in his service file
Pumphrey, George Alan. Army VX80036. George was born on August 4, 1914 in Ripplebrook. His next of kin was his wife, Edith Pumphrey of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
George Pumphrey
Pumphrey, Ivan Robert. Army VX41899. Ivan, the younger brother of George, was born August 7, 1916 in Longwarry South. He was a farmer and his next of kin was his father, Joseph Allan Pumphrey of Cora Lynn. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Ivan is listed on the Catani World War Two Honour Board, see here.
Ivan Pumphrey
Stark, Arthur. Army VX26111. Arthur was born in England on October 28, 1905. His next of kin was his wife, Primrose Alice Stark, of Iona. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
Arthur Stark
Terrill, Clifford Leslie. Army VX135600. Clifford was born on March 19, 1922 in Bunyip. His next of kin was his father, Thomas Terrill of Garfield. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here. Clifford does not have a photograph in his service file
Tutton, John Lang. Army V285782 (listed as Sutton in the article). John, a grocer, was born on October 2, 1914. His wife Agnes Maud Tutton of Garfield, was his next of kin. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
John Tutton
Tutton, Leonard Stewart. Army VX141585 (listed as Sutton in the article). Leonard, the younger brother of John, was a grocer's assistant, and was born on September 21, 1917. His father, Leonard Charles Tutton, of Garfield, was initially his next of kin, but this was later changed to his wife Florence. See his Service record at the National Archives of Australia, here.
This is the photo in Leonard Tutton's file, even though it has a different service number, but he does have the same profile as his brother, John, so we assume it is him.
National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au
World War Two Nominal roll https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2
Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com
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