HENRY SMERDON (Harry) HOLMES was born in 1897 at the family property, ’Sauchieburn’, 17 km north of Ballarat, in the Ascot district. He was the youngest of four children. After finishing his education at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, Henry joined the Holmes family farming interests. At the age of 18 he enlisted and served with AIF in Egypt, France and Belgium 1915-1918. Henry served at the famous battlegrounds of Ypes and Somme in the Australian Army 8th Battalion. He was a Driver with the 4th D.A.C. The postcard is of "The Ascot" boys. Includes [Samuel] Gordon Spittle, Henry [Harry] Holmes's first cousin, and other Ascot lads and district connections: neighbours, Ascot State School classmates and football mates from Clunes / Creswick districts. [Research by a granddaughter of Henry Smerdon Holmes, Jane Dyer (nee Chatham) 2024] Ray Blight and Gordon Les Sim were former students of the Ballarat School of Mines. Les Sim was associated with Sim and Co. hardware and wood merchants). Eight soldiers of the AIF. They are the tent mates of Harry Holmes a Driver with the 5th D.A.C. The names of the soldiers are John Raymond (Ray) Blight, Joseph Fawcett, John Joseph (Jack) Nase, Gordon Spittle, Harry Holmes, Harold Joseph Reid, James Leslie (Les) Sim, Leslie John Walters. handwritten in pen on verso "This is a snap of our tent mates. Reading left to right. Back row, Jack Nase, Joe Fawcett, H. Reid. Middle - Les Walters, Ray Blight, Gordon Les Sim, (Sim and Co wood merchants) and Harryworld war 1, chatham, jack nase, chatham family archive, joe fawcett, h. reid, blight, sim, les walters, ray blight, gordon les sim, pickford, world war, gordon spittle, harry holmes, les sim, horace pickford, world war one, aif, armed services

Soldier Harry Holmes of Ascot, Victoria sent this postcard to his family while serving in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) in France. HENRY SMERDON (Harry) HOLMES was born in 1897 at the family property, ’Sauchieburn’, 17 km north of Ballarat, in the Ascot district. He was the youngest of four children. After finishing his education at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, Henry joined the Holmes family farming interests. At the age of 18 he enlisted and served with AIF in Egypt, France and Belgium 1915-1918. Henry served at the famous battlegrounds of Ypes and Somme in the Australian Army 8th Battalion. He was a Driver with the 4th D.A.C. The postcard is of "The Ascot" boys. Includes [Samuel] Gordon Spittle, Henry [Harry] Holmes's first cousin, and other Ascot lads and district connections: neighbours, Ascot State School classmates and football mates from Clunes / Creswick districts. (Research by Jane Dyer) White Postcard with embroidery on white silk. The embroidery features green ivy leaves and red berries, and the words "Happy Christmas".Verso "All good wishes to all the dear ones at home for a happy Xmas and a bright New Year from Harry 11/11/16."chatham - holmes family archive, chatham, holmes, harry holmes, world war, world war 1, world war one, world war i, france, christmas

Sydney William Phefley was born in Wodonga, Victoria on 5th November 1896 to Christian Phefley and Martha nee Schultz. He was their third son and eighth child in a family of 17 children. Sydney enlisted in Melbourne on 4th August 1915 and was allocated to 29th Battalion Machine Gun Section. On 10th November 1915 he embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT Ascanius and saw service in Egypt and on the Western Front. In March 1916 Sydney was promoted to Sergeant. During that year he was also hospitalised for a minor case of mumps in Cairo in March and then for a case of trench foot in England in December. In February 1918, Sergeant Phefley was accepted into the Officer Cadet Battalion which included the completion of an Officers Training Course at Oxford. In October 1918 he was transferred to the 32nd Battalion and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in December 1918. Lieutenant Phefley returned to Australia on 15th May 1919 and was discharged on 22nd August 1919. Sydney was later employed by the Victorian Railways as an engine driver. He married Mary Johanna Hogan on 15th October 1924. Sydney William Phefley died in Moe, Victoria on 16th January 1973.This image is significant because it portrays a member of a prominent Wodonga family who served Australia during World War I.A framed black and white image of Sydney William Phefley in Uniformprivate sydney william phefley, phefley family wodonga, world war 1 servicemen