North Wangaratta State School 2391 was opened in May 1881 and closed October 26 1969. Today a plaque commemorates the site of the old school in Eldorado Road North Wangaratta. The Honour Board preserves the names of past students who enlisted to serve their country during the First World War and commemorates those who lost their lives. In 1965 after being stored in a woodshed for two years the Honour Board was put on display at The Eldorado Memorial Hall. The Eldorado Memorial Hall Committee became Trustees of the Honour Board and 1992 approved its transfer to the Vine Hotel Museum for public display. In 1996 at a meeting held on February 7, the Wangaratta North State School No 2391 Memorial Committee moved a motion that all memorabilia pertinent to the Wangaratta North State School be displayed at the Vine Hotel Museum under the guardianship of trustees appointed by the Wangaratta North State School Memorial Committee. In 2005 The North Wangaratta State School Trustees donated the Honour Board along with two photographs of WW1 soldiers to the Wangaratta RSL for safe keeping and display to the public. Students who enlisted include:- Private (Shoeing Smith) John BLAIKIE 2341 who was born at Wangaratta. He was a Blacksmith and at the age of 42 enlisted on May 28 1915. He embarked on August 10 1915 and served with the 14th Battalion. He returned to Australia in January 1918 and discharged medically unfit on April 10 1918. 5692 Private William Thomas BYRNE was born on 21/9/1890 at Docker Plains. He was educated at Docker Plains and Wangaratta State schools. A farmer when he enlisted on 13/10/1914. He trained at Broadmeadows and embarked on Hororata on 17/4/1915. He served with the 3rd Light Horse and 12th and/or 27th ASC - Army Service Corps as a Driver. 5347 Private Cyril BUCKLER, 14th Battalion. A postman from Wangaratta, Victoria, prior to enlistment on 16 February 1916 he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Euripides on 4 April 1916 for Egypt. His unit relocated to the Western Front, France, in June 1916. Pte Buckler was killed in action near Pozieres, France, on 7 August 1916. He has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial 3451A Private Sydney Spencer PLUM 1st Pioneer Battalion A.I.F, Born January 3rd 1894 at Dockers Plains. He was educated at North Wangaratta and Docker's Plains State School. He was a blacksmith when he enlisted June 12th 1915. He was trained at Flemington Racecourse and embarked on SS "Nestor" October 11th 1915. He fought in battles; Peronne, Cambrai, Somme. Being wounded 3 times. He embarked for home per SS "Orontes"; disembarked January 28th 1919 and he was discharged March 16th 1919. He died on July 25 1958. 483 Private Percy Albert TIPPETT served with the 6th Battalion AIF and was wounded on the 25/4/15 during the initial landing at Gallipoli and later died on 28/4/1915. 1981 Private Francis John VONARX Enlisted at Wangaratta on 15/6/1915 aged 33 years and embarked on 26/8/1915. Served with the 23rd Infantry Battalion and 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. Returned to Australia on 8/4/1919 On 13/4/2024 the Honour Board was deaccessioned from the RSL collection for permanent display at North Wangaratta CFA Brigade.Honour Board listing the 52 names of North Wangaratta State School students who enlisted to serve their country during the First World War and commemorates those who lost their lives. Large solid timber Honour Board with two carved minature cannons on top and above side columns."North Wangaratta State School/Roll of Honour/The Great War 1914 to 1919" 52 names in gold paint.north wangaratta state school 2391, honour board ww1

Image depicts soldiers of the 2/24 Battalion Band - Winners of the 7th Division Band Contest in Palestine February 1941 The 2/24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II .A unit of all-volunteers, it was formed in July 1940 from primarily Victorian volunteers and was known as "Wangaratta's Own" because of the time the battalion spent in the town during its formative period prior to deployment overseas. It served in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 26th Brigade, which was assigned to the 7th Division, before being reassigned to the 9th Division. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946. The 2/24th suffered the highest number of casualties of any 2nd AIF infantry battalion. The Unit was granted the Freedom of the City by the Rural City of Wangaratta in 1990 and one of the first, if not the first, to receive this type of honour.Reproduced black and white photograph of band of soldiers with musical instruments Handwritten on rear - 2/24 Bn Band Winners of 7 Div Band Contest Palestine 19412/24th battalion, wangaratta, palestine, 1941, 7th division band contest

Image depicts a group of 3 soldiers who served with the 2/24 Battalion VX32810 William John McKILLOP DOB 23/11/1914 POW May 1941 Italy- 2/24 Battalion VX31847 George Cecil OLLEY DOB 14/7/1917 - 2/24 Battalion. The 2/24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II .A unit of all-volunteers, it was formed in July 1940 from primarily Victorian volunteers and was known as "Wangaratta's Own" because of the time the battalion spent in the town during its formative period prior to deployment overseas. It served in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 26th Brigade, which was assigned to the 7th Division, before being reassigned to the 9th Division. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946. The 2/24th suffered the highest number of casualties of any 2nd AIF infantry battalion. The Unit was granted the Freedom of the City by the Rural City of Wangaratta in 1990 and one of the first, if not the first, to receive this type of honour.Original black and white photograph of 3 soldiers standing Handwritten on rear - Geo Olly centre, McKillop R & L, Frankston, 2/24 Btn2/24th battalion, wangaratta, george cecil olley, william john mckillop

John Eric Wiles VX16067, refer Cat No 5410P for his service details.Certificate of discharge No 124900, paper, print in black, entries typed in black, has details re name, rank, regt No, unit, enlistment/discharge dates, service in & out of Australia, physical appearance, rear has details re keeping the certificate safe."VX16067 Lieutenant (T/Capt) John Eric Wiles 17th Aust Infantry Brigade HQ"certificates, discharge, wiles

One star on the clasp means " One son K.I.A in WWII" This Mothers and Windows Badge was issued to Mrs M Baldwin, the mother of Pte Walter Robert Baldwin who died as a prisoner of war in Burma on the 27th of May 1943. He rests at the Thanbyuzayat Prisoner of War Cemetery, which is in what is now called Myanmar. This is a Death Railway related POW cemetery. Walter Baldwin was born in Mildura on the 12th of May 1921, and prior to enlisting lived at Iron Bark in Bendigo with his parents. He enlisted as No VX55835 in the 2nd AIF on 14.5.1941 in the 2/29th Batt aged 20 years. Embarked for Singapore on 30.7.1941 and disembarked 15.8.1941. He contracted Malaria in a December 1941. Taken POW early 1942 he is listed as died suffering from Cholera on 27.5.1943. “The 2/29th Infantry Battalion was formed at Bonegilla in Victoria in October 1940. It was part of the 8th Division's 27th Brigade, which was the last AIF infantry brigade raised for service during the Second World War.” Badge, metal, "for Australia." Circular section depicting a woman, wreath and an arm. suspended by two rings is a clasp with one star =. Rear has 2 lugs and a pin." issued by C'wlth govt A12229”numismatics - badges - military - army, mothers, widows

Refer also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52nd_Battalion_(Australia)Rectangular framed Certificate. Salute to the Gippsland Regiment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Shield in top half of certificate-: Defending Australia with rising sun badge then In commemoration of: No 52 surrounded by wreath with inscription on bottom Always Ready Gippsland Regiment 52nd Infantry Battalion (The Gippsland Regiment) "Always Ready" 1921-1930 1936-1942 Circle with white top half and light blue bottom half. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Under the Shield-: History of the 52nd Battalion. Tracing the ancestry going back to the "Gippsland Battalion of the Victorian Rangers, the Militia (CMF) 52nd Battalion was raised from the 2nd Bn/5th Australian Infantry Regiment (HQ Dandenong) as part of an overhaul of Australia's defences in 1920-21 that saw the reintroduction of compulsory military service. To afford it a proud identity ,the new battalion was assigned the same number as the 52nd/1st AIF which had performed with distinction in France ( Somme, Pozieres, Bullicort, Messine and Ypes to name just some). In addition the new battalion also inherited the Kings and Regimental Colours which, as part of the 52nd Bn/1st AIF's lineage including battle honours earned by 2nd Bn, Tasmanian Infantry Regiment in the Boer War, 1899-1902, and the same circular colour patch, horizontally bisected with white over blue halves. Later the 52nd officially received its regional title, "The Gippsland Regiment" and its motto "Always Ready". Digger prevailing during WW2 it was nicknamed "The Gippsland Bushrangers". The 52nd formed part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Militia (CMF) Division. With the reversion to voluntary citizen forces in1930,declining numbers forced an amalgamation with the 37th Bn to become 37th/52nd Bn. Then in mid 1936, an expansion and modernisation of the CMF, including the conversation of the Light Horse to motorised, allowed both battalions to separate and for the 52nd to expand into East Gippsland. In 1938, 52nd Bn was granted linkage with the "Queens Own Cameron Highlanders" and permission to use its Regimental March- "March of the Cameron Men'. When Japan entered the war in December 1941,the Australian Military Forces were fully mobilized, (part time to full time) for the defence of homeland Australia. While training at various locations in central Victoria, the militia became for many, a stepping stone into the AIF and other services, as well as a training unit for new conscripts. As part of our national defence preparations, in mid 1942 the 52 Bn relocated to Queensland as part of the 3rd Division, replacing the AIF 7th Div on the so called "Brisbane Line". However as the threat of invasion lifted, a restructure of army units saw the disbandment of the 10th Brigade and hence the 52nd in September 1942 and the revival of the 37th/52nd Battalion. The 52nds colours were returned to Melbourne, eventually being placed in the Shrine of Remembrance for safe keeping. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At bottom of the certificate- We thank the Berwick and Dandenong volunteers for their dedication and self sacrifice during the period 1921- 1942 in defence of our nation. (Signed) D W Shields President Dandenong RSL Sub Branch L Lucas President Berwick RSL Sub Branch Presented by the Dandenong and Berwick RSL Sub Branches November 2009.

Unlike most Australian armoured formations that served only in Australia, the 4th had been organised for “tropical” service and its regiments were equipped with Matilda tanks. Matilda tanks were ideal for supporting the infantry’s operations in the Pacific. In June the brigade moved to Southport, on the Gold Coast, but two months later was transferred to Madang, New Guinea, where it replaced the 1st Tank Battalion. (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U54340, accessed 07 September 2018)Gold shaped badge with pin with the Colour Patch of the Second 4th Australian Armoured Regiment.armoured, tank, war, chatham-holmes collection, samuel spittle, world war two, sweetheart brooch, 2/4 armoured regiment, armoured regiment, jewellery