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

Holmes Family WW1 memorabiliaA number of people stand in a street surrounded by double storey architecture.Verso: "Dear Willie, I promised to drop you a line, so he goes. Well at present I am in france having -a-go-at the Germans, and so far out Battery is getting on alright. But I must say the Germans greet us know and again with a few shells, and I can assure you they are no friends of mine. I have just been out watching the German anti-aircraft Guns shelling our Aeroplanes. it is a very lucky shot that brings one down. i have seen a little bit of the World since I left australia, And I must say I like france better than egypt. The country at present is looking very nice, it being Spring time, The grass is about 6 foot high, and nothing on it to eat it as most of the people have cleared out from around here. I have not seen anything of Harry over this way as yet. Perhaps he is still in Egypt. Well Willie now about taking another cow to Clunes. Ay What. The name on the front of this card should be familiar to you in the War news. Well Willie Au revoir for present. remember me to all. Your fond cousin, Ron W." chatham-holmes family collection, armentieres, world war one, postcard, clunes, france

CLUNES TOWNSHIP IN 1886.1 BLACK WOODEN FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF CLUNES. HAND TINTED WITH A NARRATIVE WHICH WAS GLUED ONTO THE GLASS. VIEW LOOKING SOUTH NEAR THE PRESENT DAY SCENIC ROAD LOOKOUT. .2 BROWN WOODEN FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS SKETCH. WITH MATT BORDER..1 TOWN OF CLUNES - Population 4874 - Number of dwellings 1100. Gold first discovered here 1st July 1851 Printed narrative: A hand-tinted photo-engraving from the Handbook of Victoria, published for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, 1886. Looking south from near the present-day Scenic Road lookout, the illustration projects the image of Clunes as a goldmining town The view shows the headframes of several mine shafts, the Central Clunes Q.M.Co., and the Boundary, No.1 and No.2 shafts of the South Clunes G.M.Co. The headframe on the skyline in the middle distance was probably that of the Bute & Downes Amalgamated G.M.Co., near the railway station. .2 PAPER CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY ON REAR OF FRAME.colonial and indian exhibition in london 1886, bute & downes amalgamated, buildings, mining

.1 SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH OF YANKEE MINING CO., CLUNES. .2 SMALL BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF YANKEE QUARTZ MINING COYANKEE QUARTZ MINING CO. REGISTERED, CLUNESphotographs, mining, yankee quartz mining