Information from research by Mabel Rogers from the first meeting in August 1939 – 1969 Notable Events of the CWA The document contains information about meetings and events and numbers of members who attended. December 2013 – a selection of some of the items of interest have been extracted by Wendy Barrie NOTABLE EVENTS Page 1 1938 August 10th 1938 Minutes of inaugural meeting of Melton Branch Country Women’s Association. Cr Coburn introduced Mrs Toose, Ballarat G.P. [Group President] 42 ladies were present, including visitors from Bacchus Marsh and Smeaton Branches. September – Miss A Raleigh was elected Magazine Secretary October- 26 members present. Penny Collection for Million Members Fund November December – Mrs Swan gave demonstration of basketry, using stringy bark, Eucalyptus bark and reeds 1939 February 1939 – 18 members present. Branch total 50. Donation towards Pedal Transmitting Set. Inquiries made of Shire Council re permission to fence War Memorial March April – cost of fence material beyond Branch Funds May- 24 members present June, July, August – birthday celebrations. September 25 members present October – Meeting hled at Toolern Vale Bird Sanctuary 36 members present November – 1st Annual Meeting December – Owing to harvest operations, only 11 members present. 1940 February electric kettle and urn to be purchased for Mechanics Institute. Also to install a power point. [Electricity was connected to Melton in December 1939] April end of page 1 Page 2 May – Council Permission to be sought, to plant trees on oval below Shire Hall P.M.G. to be asked to supply a seat outside telephone booth for convenience of callers after P.O. was closed. June- Wives of A.I.F. soldiers be made honorary members. “1d per week drive” for gift for the Empire. July, September, October November – Group President stressed the importance of keeping Branches together during time of war. Collection of sheep skins to be made into vests for fighting forces worthy of consideration. Group President, Mrs Morgan-Paylor. December 1941 February 30 members present March – Eight members attend Ballarat Group Conference. Approach Council re fencing and preparation of land for tree plantation May – Mrs Swan demonstrated making of slippers from pieces of sheepskin June – Empire Gift Scheme of 1d per week to be continued for another year or duration of the war. July – Demonstration on making camouflage nets August, September Group Conference at Smeaton, October, November meetings held 1942 February- Enquiries to be made as how to help with A.R.P. work March, April, May, June,- Headquarters busy on war work. July end of page 2 Page 3 August, September. October – 15 Camouflage Nets forwarded to Headquarters November- Mrs Glasson Group President presided at Annual Meeting. Meetings to be held at 3 monthly intervals. Overseas link, enquiries be made of Melton Mowbray had a C.W.A. Branch 1943 February- Overseas link to be Lampeter, Cardiganshire, Wales May- 7 Camouflage Nets to Headquarters. American overseas link Nov 5th Annual Meeting, letters received from Wales and America 1944 May – Approach to be made to Council re formation of Baby Health Centre July – Ball held for Baby Health Centre effort. Admission 3/- 1945 February- Mrs Lemke present at meeting May August- Miss Strahan of Womens Hospital gave a talk on “Work of Almoner Departments in Public Hospitals” November Annual meeting. eight food parcels sent to Britain, 2 to Lampeter 1946 meetings held every two months May- Congratulations to Mrs Swan, Group President Elect June – 20 members present. August- 8th Birthday celebrated with a Social Evening Music was supplied by Mrs E.W. Barrie September - Scone competition 1. Mrs Beaty, 2. Miss Robinson 3. Mrs Exell November- Eggs sent to Somers House 1947 February – Demonstration of Glove-making March – revert to monthly meetings April - decided to have an auto tray made for the Branch May – Branch decided to plant a tree for Princess Elizabeth’s 21st Birthday.. Council to be asked if agreeable to continue arrangements in 1940, to fence C.W.A. Plantation end of page 3 Page 4 June - Food parcels sent to Overseas Link July – Invitations to birthday celebrations sent to Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Sunbury, Mt Egerton August September - Collection of silver coin taken a donation from Branch towards wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth … forwarded to H.Q. November – C.W.A. together with Red Cross and Bacchus Marsh C.W.A. to provide afternoon tea and luncheon at Eynesbury sale. 1948 February – Food parcels sent to ex-Prisoner-of-war. Publicity agent appointed April – Decided to apply for trees to be planted in area already chosen a beauty spot May – Additional listeners to Broadcast Session were appointed June July – Gift of books received from Overseas Link. I was decided to stat a Library . Miss Raleigh to at a Librarian. August – 5 pound donation from Branch funds to “Save the Children” Appeal. September, October, November 1949 January – At Group Conference, delegates to vote in favour of resolution that State School children be allowed to sit for exams in own school March – Decided to contact Council for permission to fence off Water Reserve April, May – Another parcel to be sent to Ret. British P.O.W. Association June July – Fancy Dress Children’s Ball to be held for Annual Effort August – 11th Birthday September – Bank Balance November – 11th annual Meeting. Members agree to supply small gifts to Ballarat Mental Hospital 1950 February – Five books were received from Lampeter March – Branch to support idea of holding a Music Drama Festival in Group April – Miss Smith elected Group President May – C.W.A. Science Van visited Melton June – Demonstration of Macrame work - July August – 12th Birthday Celebration end page 4 Page 5 September, October November 12th Annual Meeting, Miss Smith Group President. Melton's Country Women's Association Choirlocal special interest groups, local identities

This item was used on P.C. Toby Nixon and Grace Nixon's farm, "Rolling Downs" at Bete Bolong. During WW11 the farm grew carrots, red beet, cabbages, beans and maize. Because of labour shortages the government built a Prisoner of War Camp on Russell's Hill. The manager, Dick Northrope, used three Italian prisoners to frill ring small trees and shrubs between crop harvesting. The introduction of ‘frill ringing’ and poisoning with arsenical tree killers in the 1940's and 1950's helped reduce the amount of labour required and trees on more country were treated. This enabled the hill country at Bete Bolong to become more productive. The dead trees and shrubs were later cleared by Erle Broome's D7 caterpillar bulldozer. This was the first big area of 230 acres to be cleared in the Orbost district. Soon after entering World War 11 Australia was asked by Britain to accept and guard large numbers of 'enemy aliens' and prisoners of war. The British government felt that it could not afford to feed large numbers of prisoners and it was believed that once in Australia the internees would have no chance of escape. Eager to show solidarity with Britain's cause, Australia readily agreed and decided to place the prisoners in a number of different camps scattered around the country and guard them with reservists and soldiers too unfit to serve overseas. There was an internment camp at Bete Bolong, Orbost. This item is an example of an item used by the Italian P.O.W.'s residing there. It is also an example of an agricultural tool not commonly used today.A galvanized iron watering can which has been used to hold poison for ring barking trees (possibly arsenic). It has a narrow spout. There is a handle at the back and a folding handle on the top. The top is conical with an opening for a cork. agriculture prisoner-of-war-camp tree-removal land-clearing

HAND MADE ALUMINIUM WORK BOX MADE BY AUSTRALIAN POW IN CHANGI 1942 A SOUVENIR TO "MOLLY" MAYBE WIFE OR GIRLFRIENDA UNIQUE PIECE OF HAND MADE AUSTRALIAN POW ART WORK FROM CHANGI SINGAPORE 1942Hand crafted aluminum presentation box with wooden base. Hinged lid. Small handle on either sideTop: Changi POW Feb 15th 1942. Front: Military Insignia. Malaya. Singapore. Left side: Elephant. Right side. Buildings, Jasin Johore. Back: Workbox Souvenir With Love To Molly

During World War II, following the Fall of Singapore in February 1942, the Japanese military detained about 3,000 civilians in Changi Prison, which was built to house only 600 prisoners. The Japanese used the British Army's Selarang Barracks, near the prison, as a prisoner of war camp, holding some 50,000 Allied—predominantly British and Australian—soldiers.[1] Although POWs were rarely, if ever, held in the civilian prison, the name Changi became synonymous in the UK, Australia, and elsewhere with the POW camp. About 850 POWs died during their internment in Changi during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore,[2] a relatively low rate compared to the overall death rate of 27% for POWs in Japanese camps.[3] However, many more prisoners died after being transferred from Changi to various labour camps outside Singapore, including the Burma Railway and the Sandakan airfield.this item is of historical significance because it is supposedly one of the few surving keys to Changi Jail and donated by Mr.Robertson . Changi is significant as it was a major prison camp during WWII Changi Jail Key. Blackened metal key, Wooden tag attached with Japanese print on it. Kanji Characters read Middle Gatechangi, fall of singapore, key, p.o.w.

Ill, p.224.non-fictionThe unit originally left Australia as a completely Victorian unit but returned with representatives from all Sates in the Commonwealth. The 2/29th Battalion was the fist Victorian unit into action in the Malauan campaign and has the distinction of two set of battle honours, one for the bloody Muar Road battle where the battlion initially and later in association with the 2/19th Battalion held the crack Japanese 5th Division, the Imperial Guards for six days to enable the whole British force to be withdrawn behind Yong Peng, and the second for their part in the battle for Singapore Island. It was during the intial battle with the Japanese Imperial Guards on Sunday, January 18, 1942 that the Battalion with the supporting anti-tank guns of the 2/4th Anti Tank Regiment accounted for 8 Japanese tanks in one morning. Two commanding officers were killed during the Muar Road battle and total casualties for the week were 13 officers and 296 O/R/'s. It was when Lt.-Col. S. A. F. Pond, who took command, set about re-forming the Battalion after Muar that reinforcements from all States joined the unit. The battalion spent 3 1/2 years as P.O.W.'s of the Japanese and a long period of this working on the infamous Burma-Thailand railway where 260 lost their livesworld war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – malaya, australian army - 8th division

Bendigo R.S.L. News Volume 1, Number 3 Christmas-New Year Issue. Red, blue, yellow and gold badge on the front cover. Contains advertisements from local businesses, Bendigo R.S.L. Office Bearers 1960, news, notes from Clubs, an article titled 'When the Japs Broke Out at Cowra' and a short obituary of Sir Horace Robertson.A Wicks Knott Publication, Printed by Southdown Press, 33 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne.magazine, organization, bendigo rsl, r.s.l. bendigo collection - bendigo r.s.l. news vol. 1 no. 3, ashmans dry cleaners, h q radio service, f c straub, hampel furniture products, pierce grenfell, ron meurer, h w snell, axedale quarries, a l & k stringer, excavations, al & b g pearce, w mcculloch & co, bendigo motor co, m g taylor, fair-view upholsterers, alwyn nelson, northern terrazzo co, l fawssett & co, bendigo sub-branch r.s.s, &, a.i.l.a., col j w swatton, h a w morey, s thompson, g j baker, j k barnes, a c harridge, j harrison, t h hume, w h pinder, d e mcgregor, f e schilling, g g styles, c vaughan, j e fay, geo j baker, a v palmer, n mclaren young, e m vains & co, g e h rowell, a v & l e smith, j r palmers, graham lowe refrigeration service, a w pulfer motors, b r burns, vic palmer, golden square dry cleaners, j w carter & sons, alltyre service pty ltd, ian wills, bill nicholls jack watts, the robyn, a g power, leo a hughes, bendigo manchester house, frank wilson, hesse bros, frank bouchier, your typewriter sales and service, tom heenan, win patten, bendigo legacy, r wilson, w e p carruthers, antonian café, kairn's auto-bits, cohns, jeffreys bread, 4th armoured regt social club, g e baldwin, bendigo & district ex-p.o.w. social club, w hargreaves, d gregor, bendigo r.s.l. ladies auxiliary, mrs h morey, mrs p floyd, mrs w hocking, mrs h sims, mrs t hall, rsl women's council of victoria, mr & mrsa kersting, w coates, a bolitho, w hocking, n mcivor, perretts, martin washington, e a bennett pty ltd, john burgoyne, 38th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, j plim c findlay, ex-navelmen's club, t staley, airforce association, a stevens, t grimes, rats of tobruk association, j ferguson, catholic war veterans' association, j noonan, t coppock, dads' association, w murphy, bendigo legacy club, win patten, t h iser, t h runnalls, legacy house, 105 anti-tank regiment social club, alwyn nelson, laurie townsing, bendigo repatriation local committee, v w hosking, w rex porter, g a pethard, f t dunphy, l m porter, e h duus, lt col thomas waitson williams dso, ric coulson, r ball & son, lorraine florist, neol searle pty ltd, bendigo and district t & p i social club, e j taylor, t wellins, w phelan, g keily, l boyd, t tuddenham, e butler, g armstrong, geo j baker, easter fair society, bendigo agricultural society, 6th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, f t dunphy, w green, r c wright, bendigo showgrounds r.a.a.o.c. camp club, j j davies, e p perrett, t g heenan, w rex porter, fred coulson, harry hall, alan bath, tom hume, ted commons, geo h baker, percy floyd, stan hunter, joe wagland, railway sub-section r.s.l., g brown, don chalmer pty ltd, bendigo timber co pty ltd, g p hyett, a w comber, w nichols, maurice f noonan, allans walk delicatessen, r b webb, jack l lyons, perrow, s paints, t c sheers, provincial motors (bendigo) pty ltd, banjo paterson, will ogilvey, ben hall, joe gardiner, major bob ramsay mc, 53rd batt., major e v timms, ww1, 2nd a.i.f., f m carson, tooranie house, brian abe, p e dunstan, a lam sun, don murray, windermere hotel, bendigo disposals, frank a hill & co, fitzpatrick's, sandhurst dairies pty ltd, m williamson, george symon's dairy, w h oakley, sir horace robertson, british commonwealth occupation forces, australian light horse, state savings bank, royal military college, golden fleece service station, j w williams, tomlins simmie pty ltd, clark king & co pty ltd, mckenna's modern store, bryan mckenna, wicks knott publication, southdown press

Donated Collection Photos, Booklets, etc.literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

Newspaper Clippings, Letters, Phots, Etc.literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat