Gillies and Judd Family History
In 1916 a new word entered the English language – ‘conchies’ – a derogatory term used by the press and the public in referring to conscientious objectors – those who for conscientious reasons refused to pick up arms and kill others in war. I am currently reading New Zealand conchy Archibald...
When the First World War began, Britain’s Minister for War, Lord Kitchener, placed Major General William Birdwood in command of the Australian and New Zealand forces bound for Europe. Before they reached England, however, the ANZACs, as they would soon be known, were ordered to disembark for training in Egypt....
My great great grandfather Peter Migan was discharged from the 58th Rutlandshire regiment of the British Army in 1853, having assisted in the transportation of convicts from England and fighting in the ‘Maori Land Wars’. Having decided to remain in New Zealand rather than return to Ireland, Peter eventually settled on...
Several of my extended family participated in the two World Wars. Letters to and from Government Ministeries, War Departments and AIF /NZEF Base Records help to crystallise the terrible pain and anxiety many at home endured. Frank Johnson was the son of Thomas and Jessie Johnson of ‘Nyora’, 5 Myrtle Rd, Camberwell in...
To help American servicemen orientate to Aussie ways during the second world war, the US Army produced the following instruction booklet in 1942. Some highlights include the dictionary of Australian Slang on pages 51-54 : Their everyday speech is just about the slangiest of all the brands of English. ‘Bastard’ (pronounced ‘Barstud’) ...
TO ‘SUNBEAMERS’ Sunbeam Certificates will be awarded young readers for good puzzles, riddles, drawings or original stories or verses. The Purple Certificate equals four marks, Blue three marks. Red two marks and Orange one mark. When you have a total of 10 marks, post the Certificates to Cinderella. In...
It was my 63rd birthday recently. The following article appeared in Melbourne’s Argus newspaper on the day I was born, in 1952. When do we see Television? O you’ll have to be content with your radio set for a long time yet, because television has been pigeon-holed for the time being...
OUR COLORED SUPPLEMENT – ROBBING A BEE TREE Aboriginal races seem to become more and more interesting as they gradually die out or are swept from off the face of the earth by the ever advancing wave of European civilisation. To the antiquarian, the ethnologist and philosopher they present an inimitable field...
SKETCHES NEAR WARBURTON Since the opening of the railway to Lilydale the progress that the small townships farther out are making has been remarkable. Places the name of which a few years back were scarcely heard of outside the limits of their district, have suddenly blossomed out as holiday resorts,...
TRAGIC INCIDENT AT PARK – CHILD NEARLY DROWNED CALLOUS INDIFFERENCE OF STRANGER Three boys, a youth, an infant and an adult were the human elements in an episode which nearly ended tragically at Prince’s Park on Saturday morning. The three boys were strolling through the park guessing as to the age of a swan on...
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