Letter of sympathy to Mrs Seymour on the passing of her husband Gunner Barry SEYMOUR 19825Cream coloured paper letter with black type below letterhead and crest.The Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia dated 26/2/1941 and signed by State President G.W. Holland addressed to Mrs R. H. Seymour 29 Barnett Street, Kensington.rs&sila, barry seymour

Badges belonged to Victor Henry Evans No 418655 RAAF. Refer Cat No 1760.4.1) RSL membership badge from 1919-26. Enamelled white shield shape with blue circle and red banner, topped with crown. Centre has two figures of soldiers, blue circle has text "Returned Sailors, Soldiers Imperial League", red banner has text "Australia." .2) RSL membership badge from 1941-66. Same design as .1) but crown has blue enamel clip over with the figure "89" denoting financial membership 1989. .1) "A11526" .2) "V87093"badges, membership rsl

Sir Gilbert Joseph Cullen Dyett (1891-1964) was born in Bendigo, at the age of 14 he started working for J H Curnow Real Estate and Auction rooms. In March 1915 he was commissioned as Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion and was badly wounded at Lone Pine, Gallipoli. After the war he was prominent in many organizations including Anzac Remembrance Appeal, Ocean Road Trust, Returned Services League, Australian War Memorial, The British Empire Service League, Racecourse Licences Board of Victoria, Victoria Trotting and Racing Association (which was largely controlled by John Wren) He was caricatured as Captain Dwyer by Frank Hardy in his novel Power without Glory. HE was Knighted in 1934. Died in Fitzroy in1964 and is buried in Bendigo. Ref. Australian Dictionary of Biography. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dyett-sir-gilbert-joseph-cullen-6071 IAN DYETT COLLECTION: Black and white Image of Presentation piece to Sir Gilbert Dyett as the Federal President of the Returned Sailors & Soldiers Imperial League of Australia for presiding over the Seventh Biennial Conference held at Anzac House Melbourne from the 9th to the 13th of November 1934. In two sections with black frames probably joined by hinges resting on a black case in which the piece may have kept. Decorations on the piece include the Union Jack and the Australian Flag. The photograph in is mounted on grey card.gilbert dyett, seventh biennial conference of the british empire service league, anzac house melbourne

Letter from Roy Anderson of the Tramways Sub-branch of The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia, complimenting Sylvia Mitchell on her success and recording such a large sum is the largest single effort by an industrial organisation in the Commonwealth. Demonstrates one of many congratulatory letters and telegrams received by Sylvia.Letter - typed on quarto size on Tramways Sub branch RSSILA letterheadmost popular conductress, sylvia mitchell, tramways, red cross, rsl, tramways sub branch

For welcome and presentations to St Kilda's (1914) ANZACs on 4 December 1918. The event is described by John Butler Cooper in 'The History of St Kilda' (pp 263-264) as follows: 'On Wednesday evening, December 4, 1918, seventy Anzacs of St. Kilda who had returned were welcomed by the St. Kilda Patriotic Committee at the City Hall. The hall was decorated with an immense bouquet of red, white and blue flowers, depending from the centre of the ceiling, with floral and electric festoons leading therefrom. Anzacs shields in laurel wreaths and flags were displayed along the balcony of the hall. Over the stage the word "Anzacs," outlined by electric lights, was surmounted with the words "Patriotic Committee of St. Kilda heartily Welcomes You." As the returned soldiers marched into the hall, they were received with cheers, and an electric button being touched, the word "Welcome" flashed in light caught their eyes. The Mayor presented the 1914 soldiers with gold enamelled medals, bearing the arms of St. Kilda.' White paper, single sheet folded, printed on 3 pages in blue.wwi, world war i, st kilda patriotic committee, citizens welcome to anzacs

Annual reports of SIBI, including an illustrated booklet for the NSW Training Centre for Blind Soldiers. During and after the Great War, the services of the Institution were pushed to the limit by the rising numbers of blinded soldiers returning from the battle front.1 volume, illustrationsOn the inside of the cover is a signed affidavit relating to a will made in 1924. sydney industrial blind institution

The items relate to Joseph Frederick Gunston No 3077 38th Batt AIF. Refer Ca No’s1640, 1641, 1642. Item .1) was referred to as a "Sweetheart Badge" made from two uniform badges. .1) Badge, Rising sun lapel, blackened brass, soldered onto a "Australia" shoulder badge. .2) Badge, brass, circular with Rising Sun in centre and crown atop, "Returned from Active Service". 2 lugs on rear. .3) Button, brass, round with map of Australia with crown and "Australian Military Forces" around outside. 1 lug on rear. .4) Badge, RSL membership with 2 soldiers in centre. Returned Sailors, Soldiers Imperial League of Australia. 2 lugs on rear with brass plate..2) "21552" .4) "V64773"numismatics-badges-military, metalcraft-brassware, rsl, badges

The Returned Sailors and soldiers Imperial League of Australia was formed in 1916. Annual RSSAILA Balls (originally known as the Diggers Balls) were held to raise funds for those who returned fromconflicts especially those who were not eligible for war pensions.Socially , the ‘Diggers’ Annual Ball’ accomplished a great deal in bringing Returned Servicemen together. At this time, these functions were organised by self-appointed committees and proceeds were distributed among special causes – mainly to the RSSAILA members who were experiencing hardship.A rectangular card invitation to the Diggers' Military Ball, Monday 1st May 1939. Print is in black. The card is edged in gold. It is a Double Ticket - 7/6 RSSILAmilitary-balls r.s.s.i.l.a.

On 23 July 1922, Brighton City Council adopted the recommendation from a sub-committee that the site for a war memorial be at Green Point, Brighton Beach. Brighton Council invited designs, limited to returned soldier architects and 18 designs were received. The first prize of £30 was awarded to the architecture firm Irwin and Stevenson and the designs were exhibited at the Brighton Town Hall in 1925. The bronze casting, using lost wax technique, was executed by sculptor Mr. Paul Montford, to the design of the architect and the central assemblage was believed to be the largest bronze casting in relief carried out in Australia at the time. The Brighton War Memorial was unveiled by His Excellency the Governor, the Right Honourable Arthur Herbert Tennyson Baron Somers, K.C.M.G., D.S.O., M.C., on Sunday 24th April 1927 in the presence of 4,000 people. The memorial was originally constructed to commemorate those from the City of Brighton who served in World War One but has since been augmented to commemorate those from the municipality of Bayside who have made the ultimate sacrifice during official periods of hostility.War memorial consisting of a sandstone cenotaph, granite base and sandstone terrace situated at Green Point, Brighton. The cenotaph is a truncated obelisk with classical decoration in stone and bronze. The cenotaph bears the Rising Sun badge in bronze relief near its top with bronze lettering running down the cenotaph reading "ERECTED IN HONOUR OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919". A bronze relief assemblage of crossed weapons, a wreath, the lamp of valour and the Latin phrase "DUCIT AMOR PATRIA" (love of country leads me) sit above the base which is carved with the word "SERVICE". The terrace walls have bronze relief medallions with images of the head of an airman on the left and an infantryman on the right. The back of the cenotaph bears a torch in bronze relief near its top. On the sandstone wall behind the cenotaph are three large bronze plaques that lists the names of those from the City of Bayside who have served in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved. At the back of the sandstone wall is carved lettering reading "HISTORY GAVE THEM A COMMON FAME. POSTERITY A COMMON MONUMENT" with 1914 carved on the left and 1919 on the right.brighton war memorial, memorial, cenotaph, green point, war memorial, brighton, service, paul montford, irwin and stevenson, rising sun, wreath, weapons, lamp of valour, great war, world war one, honour roll, honour board, roll of honour, ducit amor patriae, brighton beach, city of brighton, leighton major francis irwin, roy kenneth stevenson

The President's Fund was created in 1932 by a donation from Legatee Walter W Berry from his late father's estate "to help temporarily embarrassed Melbourne Legatees" towards the end of The Great Depression. The aim of the fund was the give the President a way to help needy cases with discretion and without having to gain approval from committees. In many cases the money was repaid by the recipient. The letter dated 16 March 1935 was to the trustees of the Howard and Georgina Benevolent Fund outlines the way the fund was to be used at the President's discretion within the guidelines provided by Legatee Berry. That included members of Melbourne Legacy Club or Junior Legatees, or any returned soldier that couldn't obtain help anywhere else. From the pencil note it was never sent. This document was in a folder labelled President's Fund Origin and Authorisation with many other documents that included correspondence, receipts of donations and material about when money was given to help appropriate cases. The folder was marked with H40 which is part of an early archive project from the late 1960s and early 1970s.The President's Fund was a significant help to legatees and junior legatees who were unable to obtain help from other sources.White Legacy letterhead with black type, a letter from President Hall to The Trustees of the Howard and Georgina Berry Fund. Handwritten 'Letter never cent' in pencil and signed 'R M Hall' in black ink.financial help, presidents fund, walter berry

One photo from an album belonging to JB McLean, of his voyage home from World War 1 in 1920 on the Ceramic. The photo is of a group of four returning soldiers. Presumably JB McLean is one of them. It is the only photo in the album that is likely to contain an image of him. The Ceramic departed Tillbury, UK 12th March and docked in Freemantle on 27th April 1920 and then went onto Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The Ceramic was a transport vessel built in Belfast in 1913 for the White Star Line to transport frozen produce and apples from Australia to UK. It was taken over by the Australian Government for troop transport in October 1914 and could carry over 3,000 troops. This trip in 1920 there were 1467 on board, there were women and children as well as 439 soldiers returning home, one of whom was John 'Basil' McLean. Was with other World War 1 memorabilia that has come from Private John Basil McLean, 2nd Reinforcements, 37th Battalion, A.I.F. There was a large collection of postcards so he may have been collecting them as souvenirs. J.B. McLean (Service No. 13824) was from near Maffra, Victoria and enlisted on 22 January 1916. He embarked on 16 December 1916 for Europe. His full war record is available from AWM. He spent time with the Australian Field Artillery (Pack Section). At the end of the war he worked for a year at the A.I.F. Headquarters in London before returning to Australia on the 'Ceramic', arriving Portsea in 1920.A collection of items from John Basil McLean is in the archive. Kept as an indication of what founding legatees experienced in World War One and what they saw on the way home.Sepia photo of officers onboard the Ceramic glued to black cardboard in an album of photos from 1920.Handwritten caption 'On board the Ceramic' in white ink.souvenir, world war one, jb mclean, ship, ceramic, soliders

Photograph showing the Premier of Victoria The Hon. A.A. Dunstan unlocking the toll gate at Shelly Beach, with spectators, officials, and police on October 2, 1936. Under banner of "Returned Sailors and Soldiers Memorial, Great Ocean Road"toll gate. a.a. dunstan, shelly beach 1936, great ocean road, policeman harry mills, memorial

In 1924 Harry Baughurst, a returned WW1 soldier, in partnership with Mr Hefford, purchased a grocery and ironmonger business in Orbost. It was situated on the corner of Nicholson and Tarra Streets, Orbost. When Mr Hefford left the district two years later , Harry Baughurst purchased and managed the business. In 1927 Baughurst formed a partnership with Robert Gall And Herbert & Co.to form the United Bread Supply Company so that they could purchase flours etc in bulk and therefore sell bread products more cheaply.This item is an exam ple of the book-keeping of an Orbost business in the early 20th century. It is a useful research tool.A large white paper account with blue lines and handwritten black text from H. Baughurst to R.P. Cameron. There is a pink receipt with a yellow duty stamp from Baughurst & Hefford. baughurst-harry account book-keeping cameron-r.p.

Group Ladies R.S.S. & AILA Auxiliary c1940's R.S.S. was the RETURNED SAILORS & SOLDIERS AILA was the AIRMEN IMPERIAL LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA BACK ROW L-R unknown , Mrs McL WALKER, unknown, unknown Mrs CHATFIELD CENTRE ROW L-R: Mrs ANYON, Mrs FITZELL Miss FAWCETT Mrs ROEBY unknown, unknown FRONT ROW L-R: Mrs MORIATY Mrs LUGAR Mrs PICKERING Mrs NEWTON Mrs KINDRED unknown Mrs EGGINTONSEPIA PHOTOGRAPH ENCLOSED IN A COVER WITH A METAL BACK. Three rows of ladies with the front row seated. lady in the centre of the front row is holding an R.S.S pennant Photographs were framed this way in the 1940'sstawell, soldiers, sailors, airmen

Built in 1918-1919, this distinctly styled building was constructed with the needs of returned blind soldiers in mind by architects Anketell and Henderson. Matting tracks were placed in the single level floor and handrails on the wall to guide users around the building. In 1929, two stained glass windows were constructed and placed in the building to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth. (These were removed and transferred to Kooyong when the library moved its operations in 2002.) The building is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.1 x col. photograph of red brick octagonal buildingbraille and talking book library, tilly aston

Return to your families. They miss you and yearn to be near you. Reverse: Friends - Return ! Your families need you. They worry about your health and happiness. They know that you will die if you don't pay attention to their pleas. the Government also desires your return. Contact soldiers of the Republic or your nearest government officials. You will be well treated. You and your families will be helped immediately that you return to the National Government. don't delay any more - return immediately !!Return to your Families. They miss you and yearn to be near you. Picture of sad family on front. Vietnamese writing writing on back.pamphlet, psycological warfare, propaganda, nva/vc, viet cong, 7th battalion, 1st battalion, terry michael collie, 2790361, the royal australian regiment

The Returned and Services League of Australia (often abbreviated to RSL) is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). It was formed as the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia in 1916, became the Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmens Imperial League of Australia in 1940, and became the Returned Services League of Australia in 1965. The change to its current name was made in 1990 to reflect the organisation's concern for current as well as former servicemen and servicewomen. The patron of the RSL is Queen Elizabeth II. The current National President of the League is Rear Admiral Ken Doolan, AO RAN (rtd).[2] As of 31 December 2009, the League comprised 186,652 members from 1,306 sub-branches and 5,533 members of the League's women's auxiliary from 381 sub-branches. Membership levels have been declining for at least ten years http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Returned_and_Services_League_of_AustraliaWooden Plaque 15cm x 13cmRSL Australia

Albert Jacka VC was born in Layard, near Winchelsea Victoria, on 10 January 1893. He was the first person in the AIF to be awarded the Victoria Cross, which he received for the first of many acts of heroism in WW I. After the war, on 17 January 1921, he married Frances Veronica Carey at St Mary's Catholic Church, St Kilda. They settled at St Kilda and later adopted a daughter. In September 1929. He was elected to the St Kilda Council and became mayor in 1930. He died on 17 January 1932 of chronic nephritis. Nearly 6000 people filed past his coffin when it lay in state in Anzac House. The funeral procession to St Kilda cemetery was led by over 1000 returned soldiers and was flanked by thousands of onlookers. He was buried with full military honours in the Presbyterian section. Eight Victoria Cross winners were his pallbearers. A memorial plaque and sculpture for his grave was paid for by public subscription and £1195 was raised towards buying his widow a house. The photograph was taken during a St Kilda Historical Society tour of St Kilda cemetery on 26 November 1978Colour Polaroid photographBus Trip 26/11/78. Jacka's Grave. SKHS 00761.st kilda, st kilda cemetery, graves, albert jacka, wwi, world war i, war heroes

The photograph was taken on Easter Monday 1916 at the Easter Carnival. It is showing one of the exhibits at the Australian Natives Association's Fruit and Vegetable Exhibit, at the Mentone Recreation Ground. The Easter Carnival was a fund-raising event to assist and repatriate wounded WW1 soldiers returning home. The photographer is unknown.Black and white photograph. The photograph is showing two men, a horse and a carriage. One of the men is holding on to the horses' harness and the other man in standing on a platform on the carriage holding the horses' reign. The horse is harnessed to the carriage containing various fruits and vegetables elaborately displayed. Much of the fruit and vegetables are seen in boxes along the carriage and others are hanging along the edge of the carriage. Some of the fruit and vegetable clearly able to be seen are pumpkin, parsnip, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, grapes, various types of apples, oranges and lemons. There are also flowers meticulously arranged around the frame of the carriage and wheels. Front; A.N.A Exhibit / Easter Carnival - 1916 Back; Donated by / W.A.Follett / Heatherton ( written in ink ) Easter Monday CCarnival / at Mentone Recreation Ground / 1916 A.N.A ( written in pencil)easter carnival, 1916, photograph, australian natives association, fund-raising, world war i, ww1, mr w.a follett - heatherton, fruit, vegetable, mentone, mentone recreation ground

Framed collection of items relating to the life membership of General Sir Dallas Brooks awarded by the Frankston Returned Sailors, Soldiers & Airmen's Club dated 18th April, 1964. The frame contains the following items: a Life Membership card, a 'gold' key to the Frankston club, a RSS&A members badge of the day and an engraved label with a description of the presentation items. Sir Dallas Brooks was Governor of Victoria from the 18th October 1949 to the 7th May 1963. He and his wife retired to Frankston to live, he died in Frankston on the 22nd of March 1966 (aged 69).

Blue hard covered book with hand written reports from the Art Principal, H.H. Principal. Two letters are pasted into the front, one from Frank Tate of the Victorian Education Department. 26 April 1918 - Proposed pottery industry in Ballarat 31 May 1919 - Erection of pottery kiln, with Selkirk bricks. 28 June 1918 - Daylesford Technical Art School. 30 August 1918 - Resignation of C. Campbell, instructor of Photography. 25 October 1918 - Returned Soldiers Classes in Art Metal and Signwriting. 25 October 1918 - Herald Shield Trophy 28 July 1922 - Ragged Boys Home, Tennis Court 22 August 1924 - Letterhead of the Attorney General Victoria concerning the transfer of the Ballarat Supreme Court to the Ballarat School of Mines. 15 October 1924 and 20 May 1925 - Carvings of 24 panels decorated with Australian birds, animals and flora to form part of the decoratve scheme for the Villers Bretonneux school. 21 April 1926 - White Flat is available for the use of the school. 29 February 1928 - Donation of a linotype machine by The Courier. 27 June 1928 - Internal Sewerage to the Ballarat Technical Art Schoolballarat school of mines, ballarat technical art school, h.h. smith, returned soldier teachers, harold herbert, ponsonby carew-smyth, f.h. hoskin, carpentry workshop, donald i. johnston, herald shield, kenneth moss, hilda wardle, miss bell, margaret bell, millinery, j.y. mcdonald soldiers memorial, john rowell, repatriation building, stained glass classes, dressmaking fees, ballarat supreme court, m. baird, carvings, villers bretonneux school carvings, ethel kift, m.c. young, macrobertson scholarship, elvie ford, edwin robinson, annie hauser, robina mackie, e. quick, tennis court, w.e. gower, colin hunt, white flat, frank hall, effie holmes, mavis beacham, henry harvey, plaster casts, pearl frickie, w.r. dean, marjery henderson, sewerage, laura crouch, ballarat teachers' college, gertie gough, gwen nagle, lynda clark, jack walker, cyril gibbs, repatriation, donald johnston, ceramics, kiln, c. campbell, photography, jean maude, sylvia copperwaite, olga dulfer, may pollock, margaret bailey, stella clarkson, may norrie, nellie nicholls, nancy govan, edith curnow, kathleen windsor, betty johnson, edna pearson, elvie thege, gwen neagle, effie george, gwen tunbridge

Letter sent originally by sister but reg'n No. wrong so not delivered but returned 23 April 1918. Soldier KIA in June 1918. Linten Cypus Rogan see Cat No 6947A.Unopened letter - light brown paper, envelope, black print and handwriting, red one penny King George stamp.Return to Sender: No. 6884 Pte L. C. Rogan, 20th Reinforcements 22nd Battalion 6th Brigade Australian Imperial Force on Active Service Abroad.passchendaele barracks trust, unopened envelope, l.c. rogan, ww1

A letter sent to the Secretary of the trustees of the Bentleigh Recreation Reserve, from Lucy Wood, for the Bentleigh Soldier's Comfort League requesting the use of the Burgess Pavilion for the Leagues meetings. The Bentleigh Soldier’s Comforts League is but one example of many other organisations that made use of the pavilion. After the League’s inaugural meeting a letter was sent to the Trustees of the Recreation Preserve Bentleigh requesting the use of the pavilion to hold their meetings. The objects of the Bentleigh Soldier’s Comforts League were: 1. To provide comforts for Bentleigh boys on active duty 2. To ensure a suitable public welcome upon their return 3. To visit the sick and wounded ones at the Military hospitals A committee of local ladies formed a committee, An amount of 2s was allotted to each worker who endeavored by personal effort to increase that sum. A Gymkhana, in association with the Equestrienne Club, was held to raise funds to help the return soldiers and to send Xmas boxes to the soldiers on active duty abroad. Lucy Wood (1872 - 1956) was the wife of William Howard Wood (1868 - 1947). William and Lucy lived in Jasper Road opposite the recreational reserve. William was a poultry breeder and a local accountant, auditor, real estate, insurance and general commission agent.The efforts made by the citizens of the Shire of Morrabbin to send comforts to the troups overseas during WWI, and to welcome home the soldiers.A hand written letter wwi, city of moorabbin, lucy wood, burgess pavilion, bentleigh recretional reserve, william burgess, fundraising, xmas boxes, bentleigh soldier’s comforts league, bentleigh, moorabbin

Full date of event not given. It may refer to the St Kilda Carnival of 6-13 December 1919 which raised funds for the Returned Nurses Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Hall and Seaside Club Fund. White paper discoloured with age, printed on one side in blue.luna park, st kilda carnivals

A file copy of a letter sent from Legatee Rob Allison to Robert Bowring (6th November 2000) in answer to a request regarding the origins of the first Dawn Service. Legatee Rob Allison signed himself as the Chairman, Advisory Tradition and History Committee. To research his response he consulted the AWM and summarised the content in the letter and enclosed four articles. Unfortunately the four articles sent to Robert Bowring are not included here. L/- Rob Allison makes reference to information obtained from Dr Richard Reid (historian at the Australian War Memorial and then the Commonwealth Branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs). Also Rob Allison makes reference to Lyn Witheridge (Australian War Memorial and later with the Centenary Federation Secretariat). He was addressing the rumour that there was a Dawn Service held in Albany WA in 1914 when the first convoy in WW1 from Australia was about to sail from Albany. The letter also makes reference to a gathering at Toowoomba QLD on Anzac morning 1919, however that rumour suggest that flowers were placed on returned soldiers graves, L/- Allison cast doubt about the placing of flowers on graves of returned service personnel, because only Major General Bridges and the Australian Unknown Soldier were the only two WW1 troops killed in action, to be returned to Australia.A record that members of the public approached Legacy with questions about military and post war history. Legatee Allison made an effort to research and base his reply on evidence.White paper with black type, a facsimile of a letterTelephone No 61395620309 top right.research, world war one

The design for the Shrine of Remembrance was selected by competition among Australian artists and architects. Eighty-three designs were submitted and the winning design was by two Melbourne returned-soldier architects, Philip Hudson and James Wardrop. The inspiration for the external outline came from one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the mausoleum at Halicarnassus to Mausolus, King of Caria in South West Asia Minor. Although the country was faced with frightful unemployment and financial difficulty in the late 1920s and the 1930s, so great was the gratitude of the people that the huge amount required to build the Shrine was raised or promised within six months from the opening of the appeal in 1928. (https://www.shrine.org.au/About-Us/History) Lodge Bros were commissioned to build the Shrine of Remembrance in St Kilda Rd in the late 1920s. In 1947, Lodge Bros were manufacturing a further stage at the Shrine of Rememberance, that being the carving and fixing of the bluestone servicemen on the top of the 1939-1945 War Memorial at the Eternal Flame. When funding became available for the new undercroft development at the front of the Shrine in 2001, the Shrine Trustees were eager to explore the possibility of the original stonemasons who built the Shrine, to complete the new development. This came to fruition in 2002-2003 when Lodge Bros constructed all the exterior walls of the undercroft development. Phil Luchetta (Managing Director) was able to source and secure the use of the same granite from Tynong Victoria that was used in the original works of the 1930s.Photograpic image of Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance.shrine of remembrance, melbourne, war memorial, lodge brothers, world war one, remembrance

Two page document recording anecdotes about Melbourne Legacy Presidents, including Bill Cremor, Syd Birrell, Ray Hall and Cyril Smith, written by Ray Hall's successor in 1935, H.G. Brain. According to his account relationships were not always smooth; not only did Hall chair a fractious Board in 1934, but in 1931 insults were hurled during a meeting (by no less than Stan Savige) which resulted in the immediate resignation of the then President Smith, later retracted. Brain himself upset Mildura Legacy when he put forward his view to the Mildura Annual Dinner that 'the returned soldier section of the population was big enough ... to carry its own welfare activities, and that it ought not to pound the general populace too hard.' He had inadvertently broadcast his ideas over the national network, thinking that the microphone was only for local hearing assistance. More amusingly Brain also tells a story about Cremor when he ran against Harold Holt for the the House of Representatives seat of Fawkner 'in 1942 (?)', and one about Birrell showing a group of the Women's Nationalist League (a conservative women's organisation established in 1904 to support the monarchy and empire) members around the Flemington Saleyards. The handwritten notation at the end references the funeral of 1949 President Syd Birrell, who died in 1966.Eyewitness account of early Melbourne Legacy presidents, which is indicative of the times and attitudes.2 typed sheets, black on white'Birrell funeral' handwritten in blue ballpoint, tick beside the final paragraph on each sheet.past presidents, history

Date is approximate. William and May Palstra were married in 1920; 60 Guildford Road was their first and only home. William was with the university when he joined the Australian Flying Corps in WW1. He went back to university on his return from the war but in 1926 when the RAAF was formed he joined it as he had enjoyed flying. He took his family to England while he did 2 years training at the Imperial College in London under Air Vice-Marshall Jones. He was chosen as the Australian representative on a special flight of an experimental airship designed to fly over long distances. The test flight was destined for India, then on to Australia. Its passengers were high level British officials including the UK Secretary of State. It struck bad weather after crossing the Channel, clipped a hill and crashed in France. Some of the crew survived but William Palstra was killed. Mrs Palstra did not receive any compensation; only a small allowance, then cut during the Depression. She was given some support from the Returned Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's association. Donor, Margaret Thornton was a daughter of William and May Palstra; one of her daughters, Julia Thornton still lives in the house in 2009. Donation form signed by Julia Thornton. Margaret and Jocelyn had a brother, also William. The house remains in 2009 with extensions to the rear and side.Black and white photo of William and May Palstra and 2 of their children in the garden of their home. William is in the uniform of the RAAF. He is holding Margaret's hand; Jocelyn is in her mother's arms.guildford road, raaf, australian flying corps, uniforms, william palstra, may palstra, margaret palstra, margaret thornton, jocelyn palstra, julia thornton