This photograph shows the Protestant Hall on Nepean Highway Cheltenham, which at the time of the photograph was used by the Returned Sailors' Soldiers' and Aimen's Imperial Leage of Australia (RSSAILA). The building facade, World War I memorials, fire station building and road plantation are also in view. The Protestants Hall was built by the Cheltenham Protestant Hall Company Limited in 1886. The hall has been used for a wide variety of purposes; in earlier times it served as the Sunday School for the Methodist Home for Children, and later as a schoolhouse when the Beaumaris School (now Cheltenham State School) No 84 met with overcrowding problems. It was also a popular venue for annual balls and regular dances held by church groups and sporting organisations. The City of Moorabbin purchased the building in the 1920's for use by the Returned Soldiers and Sailors League, in whose hands it remained until the late 1970s when it was taken over by a catering firm. During the 1920s, and right up to the late 1950s, it also served as Cheltenham's picture theatre. The three memorial columns, one from the South African War, one from World War I and one from World War II previously located in front of the hall were relocated when Nepean Highway was widened. The Protestant Hall still stands at 1261 Nepean Highway CheltenhamBlack and white digital image depicting three buildings. The right hand building bears a sign that reads RSSAILA. There are trees and a bench seat in the foreground. There is a World War I memorial pictured. world war i, world war ii, protestant hall, cheltenham, returned sailors' soldiers' and aimen's imperial leage of australia (rssaila), returned and service's league (rsl)

This document signed by the Mayor, Councilor's, Citizens and Bendigo Soldiers and Sailors Association on 22 4.1920 outlines the usage of the Soldiers Memorial Institute in Pall Mall Bendigo as a Rest Home for Returned Servicemen. Signed by, J.H. Curnow Mayor - A. Dunstan, W Beebe, Councilors - W Honeybone Town Clerk. Signed by Bendigo R.S.S.A by John Adams - Harold Robert Catford. Witnessed by George. F. Rolling, L. J. Beckerleg. Signed by, George Francis Cole, Alfred Morris Pool. Witnessed by G. Allen, W Beach. The Bendigo RSL/Bendigo District RSL Sub Branch still occupies the building which now is the home of the Bendigo Military Museum. Refer Cat No 800.2 for the opening of the Soldiers Memorial Institute in 1921. Refer Cat No 8048 for Harold Catford Bendigo R.S.S.A, Cat No 8022P for John Adams Bendigo R.S.S.ALegal record, blue paper, 5 pages of text all in black, one page with a sketch on half and the other is the front cover when folded by 3, pages held together by a green thin woven cord on the spine, pages have red lines as a border, there are 32 sub headings covering facets of the use of the building, there a few small notes added in the left hand column of some pages in blue pen.On the front folded cover underlined in some sections, "THE MAYOR COUNCILLORS AND CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF BENDIGO - with - THE TRUSTEES of the BENDIGO Branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers ASSOCIATION and the BENDIGO CITIZENS REST HOME COMMITTEE. (space) AGREEMENT AS TO THE REST HOME AND MEMORIAL INSTITUTE IN ROSILAND PARK At the bottom central, "Hyett and Hyett - Solicitors - Bendigo"brsl, smirsl, indenture 1920, legal

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

After reading an interview of Elizabeth Fiddian in the Age in 2003 about her time volunteering at the mission, Matt Blackwood and Csilla Csonvay contacted Nigel Porteous to offer to film a documentary. The filming was self-funded: they had a volunteer crew of three, pulled some personal favours to source the equipment, Csilla edited the film at her workplace’s edit suite out of hours. Nick Farnell provided the voice overs for reading out the letters. It was recorded in a week end, on Betacam. They interviewed six or more members, who talked about their experiences, and they intercut their interviews with archival footage from the Mission. The interviews took place both at the Mission as well as in some of the interviewees' homes. The film was premiered at the Mission, and where it was played on a dedicated TV for visitors on a DVD. In 2023, Matt send a digital copy in mp4.The producers met some of the surviving ladies of the Harbour Lights Guild who gave up their Saturdays and Sundays to arrange events and outings for lonely sailors arriving in Melbourne. Documentary including interviews, photographs from the MSTV archives, and reading of Lillie Duncan letters from Charlie.sadie wilson, annette wood, bernice kennett, rodney kent, jan lee, dennis lee, 2003, csilla csongvay, matt blackwood, beverley kent nee oliver, nigel porteous, charlie, lillie duncan, nick farnell, elizabeth fiddian

The photograph was taken to welcome home the Sunbury men who had fought in overseas battles during World War 1.Those who were not wearing their uniforms had been discharged as a result of injuries but they were eligible to be included in the Welcome Home functions that took place after 1918.Many men from Sunbury enlisted in the defence forces during World War 1. Sadly some did not return while others did come home.A non- digital black and white photograph of a group of men with one little girl seated and standing in four rows in front of a large screen. Most of the men are wearing army uniforms, one is in a sailor's uniform and others are in civilian dress. world war 1, defence forces, sunbury