By KATH GANNAWAY
WHEN the armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, marking the end of World War I, it was a bitter-sweet victory for the families of the 47 men who didn’t return to their Upper Yarra homes.
Remembrance Day at Warburton on Tuesday, 11 November, paid particular tribute to those men, some of whom, RSL member Coral Reynolds said, had never had formal recognition in their own locality.
As veterans and their families, students from local primary schools, the Redwood Centre and other community members stood before the cenotaph, the names of the 47 who were killed in action or died of wounds or illness, were read aloud.
In a moving introduction to the roll call, Warburton Primary School students sang along to the song ‘Come on Home, Boys’ written and recorded by John Turner. As each name was read – from Albert Mendelsohn Anderson through to Francis Wilson, a bell was chimed.
Ms Reynolds said 151 men enlisted giving Warburton or Millgrove as their address, or that of their next of kin, but it is possible there are more with some men giving their training camp area as their address.
“These men were strong, young boys and men who stood up when needed to take on a battle in foreign lands, for the sake of our future,” Ms Reynolds said.
The loss of so many had a big impact on the communities.
“They were the future of many farming families here, some the sole provider for their own family, timber workers from the surrounding area, traders from our town, tradespeople, teachers, doctors … the list goes on.
“They became ‘Our Anzac boys,” Ms Reynolds said.
She said when local memorials and cenotaphs were built in most country towns, families were asked to contribute to have their loved ones’ service acknowledged.
Many could not afford to donate, and some had no family here, having come from other countries to make a new life in Australia, so their service has never been acknowledged.
A memorial wall to be built beside the Warburton RSL will acknowledge the service of all men from the area who died in WWI.
She also paid tribute to those did come back “ … to live with the horror and nightmares of their experiences (and who) carried the physical and emotional scars to their own graves.”
Students from Warburton, Millwarra and Wesburn primary schools, and from Redwood Centre, were among the many who laid wreaths and poppies.
Warburton RSL president Keith Thomas said he was delighted to see so many people attend.
“We don’t usually get a big crowd for Remembrance Day, but it is wonderful to see so many people come along on this special day to pay tribute,” he said.
