From the till collectionTHE TILL COLLECTION SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT|The significance of the Alwyn Till Collection is that Alwyn was born in Mitcham in 1921. He attended Mitcham Primary School and Box Hill Boys High School. He served his Community mainly through his activities within the Christ Church Anglican Church Mitcham. He joined the Royal Australian Airforce in World War II in September 1939. He trained as a Pilot in Australia and Canada, was posted to England and saw action in Europe. He was shot down over France and rescued by and then joined the French Resistance and while fighting with them was fatally shot. A Baron fighting with him wrote to his mother to inform her of his death.|Alwyn's parents were Evaleen Victoria Till (nee Maggs) and Sydney Norman Till who first lived in Creek Road Mitcham, before moving to 573 Whitehorse Road Mitcham. His father served in World War I where his eyesight was damaged and he was taught by the then Blind Institute in suitcase making of which we have two examples in this collection. He died in 1931. Alwyn took over responsibility for his mother and sister Alison. We can understand how devastated his mother and sister would have been at the news of Alwyn's feeling that he must serve his country in World War 11.|His letters home were so precious to them that they carefully kept all his correspondence, notices of death and condolences from friends. After Alison's death in 2007 her relation Joan Walker transcribed each of Alwyn's letters home into two bound volumes. The executors, Joan Walker and Anne Drew deposited the original letters with the Whitehorse Historical Society. Due to their significance as historical documents of one serviceman's complete correspondence with his family the Whitehorse Historical Society Committee after consultation with the donors deposited the original letters with the State Library of Victoria. The Whitehorse Historical Society retains the copies.|Alison and her mother kept many family memorabilia and personal items which make up this significant collection as they show how people lived, worked and served in the local community and municipality.|This collection represents the love and devotion of the women to their families during the course of two world wars. The father was disabled as a result of World War 1 and died an early death and a son who thereafter took on the responsibility as head of the family at an early age. This young handsome charismatic son served his community in peace time and gave his life in World War 11. This mother and sister were devoted to his memory.Brown paper covered small book with Alison Till written in inkAlison Tillbooks, school/educational

Photograph of Sydney Till carrying Alison Till near some trees. Both are dressed in their 'best' clothes.gorsuch, peter, fry, judith

Group of 7 airmen in uniform Four in front row three at front Alwyn Till Front rank right.Photo is signed by on rear of photo and their place in the crew eg navigator, rear gunner etcRear Row G Goring (Engineer)|J Ross (WOP /MG) Machine gunner|F R Holledge (Rear Gunner)|J M Morgan (Mid Gunner)|Front Row R> Pedrazzini (Navigator)|Eric Firth (Pilot)|Alwyn Till (Air Bomber)alwyn till, air crew, r a a f

Photocopy of Luther College Year 10 History assignment telling the story of Alwyn Terrance Till who died on 21 August 1944 in Germany and is buried at Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium.Luther College Year 10 History assignmenttill, alwyn, war memorial lilydale, war memorial mitcham, war memorial box hill, war memorial blackburn, royal australian air force, hotton war cemetery, belgium, world war, 1939 - 1945

Alison Till with an older girl and dolls. On a rocking horse. At front gate with a dog.alison till, till family

Black & white studio photograph of Alwyn Till standing in front of a wooden chair.clothing and dress, till alwyn

Coloured photograph of the home of Evelyn and Sidney Till in Clive Street, Mitcham, showing the development of the garden over time.clive street, mitcham, till family

Black and white photograph of the Till house in Clive Street, Mitcham. Picket fence, unmade road and a small boy at the gate.clive street, mitcham, till family.

A black and white photograph of a family group on the verandah of a weatherboard house.till

Black and white photograph of three woman and a female child seated on the ground in front of a hedge.till

Black & white Kodak print of a young dark haired girl in a white dress sitting with a doll and teddy bear on the wall of a verandah.till

Coloured photograph of Alison Till holding a photograph of her brother Alwyn in airforce uniform. Sitting beside a table covered in Christmas cards.till alison bertha

Coloured Photograph of three women & two babes in arms. Background a lawn and hedge.Inscription Mrs Till, Alison and Foster child and her child.till clothing

Black and White photograph of a house surrounded by bush, with a large tree on the left and hills in the distance. The house belonged to the Till family and was situated in Clive Street, Mitcham.till family, mitcham - 1930s, mitcham, clive street

Phonograph record, black shellac, no cover. Burgundy Regal label. Side A: Till the Boys Come Home March. Side B: Heroes All March. The Silvester Stars Band.Reference No. G 7157

Sepia photograph of a woman with a goat and a duck in a farm setting. Wooden two bar fence in background.Inscription. Feeding Time. Dec 1934. Aunty Evelyntill, evelyn

Black and white print of partially destroyed househouses, till

Black and white underexposed Ilford print of two young boys standing in a vegetable garden 1956till, alwyn

2 black and white studio unmounted photographs of a young dark-haired man wearing suit and tie. (2 copies)till, sydney

Black & white photograph (post card)of a soldier in uniform.till, sydney

Black & white Kodak print. Female child and rocking horse in a garden with a wooden fence and with trees in background.till, alison bertha

Black and white photograph of three women standing behind one man..till, clothing and dress

Black and white photograph of 7 airmen seated in uniform Alwyn Till third from left. Photo is possibly crew of his plane or group from Empire Air Training Schemealwyn till, royal australian air force, empire air training scheme canada

Black and white photograph of two children in fancy dress. Girl with wand; Boy, Alwyn, in a morning suit and top hat.till, alwyn, clothing and dress

Black & white photograph of a young man on a bicycle. Background, a street scene with shops and trees.mitcham, till, alwyn

Sepia photograph - an enlargement of inscription at cenotaph at Clarence River. TILL.S.N.war memorials, till, sydney

Black & white Kodak print of two children sitting on a lawn with a dog.till, alwyn, alison bertha

Black & white photograph of an elderly woman wearing a white blouse and dark jacket and skirt. One male child wearing a white shirt with bow tie and dark trousers. A female child wearing a white apron over a dark dress. They are standing in front of a garden and corrugated iron building.till, alison bertha, alwyn

Gramophone cylinders, black, 6 grooves on interior stored in cardboard round container with detachable lid. Edison Record, made and sold by National Phonograph Co. at Orange N.J. U.S.A. 9199 Duet God Be With You Till We Meet Again.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, gramophone cylinders, edison record,, national phonograph co., god be with you till we meet again.