Friedrich William Kroschel (Fritz) was born 3rd March 1896(?) in Natimuk, Victoria. His parents were Friedrich August and Dorothea Martha Kroschel. After passing the medical examinations and the loyalty test applied to all German descendants, he went to Melbourne as Private F.W. Kroschel, Regimental No 6351. 1 Company 18th Re-enforcements, 23rd Battalion. 6th Infantry Brigade. He left Australia in November 1916 on a ship and went through Durban, Sth Africa. He was wounded during the battle of Ypres, Belgium and succumbed to his wounds (fractured skull) on the 25th September 1917. He is buried in Mont Huon Cemetery, near Le Treport, Seine-Maritime, France. On his grave is inscribed: "BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE". The portrait was presumably completed from a photo taken in Mendelssohn photographic studio in Melbourne before he left for the war. His fiancé was named Dora. AHS has a significant collection of items from this soldier. He was a local man who lost his life in WW1. He died of his wounds in 2nd Can: Cas: Hospital, Le Treport and is buried in Mont Huon Cemetery, near Le Treport, France. There are a number of items of correspondence to Fred/Fritz from residents in Natimuk, now in the collection of AHS. Black and white portrait drawing of a young Australian soldier in military attire framed in black and golden wooden frame.'Mendelssohn' on picture and on back 'Kroschel?'frederick william kroschel 1896, natimuk, 1st world war, no 6351, wwi, first world war, great war, friedrich august kroschel, dorothea martha kroschel, loyalty test, german, victoria, horsham, wimmera

The conduct of the LA games changed many factors in a short space of time. The Americans made their Games a huge financial success, whereas other countries, e.g. Canada, was left with a huge debt. The key to this was SPONSORSHIP which soon replaced the old Australian way of fundraising with pub raffles. It also began to change the atmosphere where the AWC had previously been valued for their generous donation. There was a move by commercial specialist uniform marketing organisations paying sponsorship money to publicise the fact that they were clothing high profile athletes. Old loyalties remained but became tested more and more as time progressed. For example, each uniform was expected to include an Akubra hat, why? Because it always had. For the same reason the uniforms also had Driza-Bone Coats. The day before the Seoul Opening Ceremony it rained in Seoul, so at the Opening Ceremony the Australian Team emerged in their Driza-Bones, made from cotton, not a wool fibre in sight, and the wool growers were footing the bill for over a million dollars. Thoroughly embarrassed, I resolved to avoid this situation next time by having all uniform fabrics pre-treated with Scotchguard prior to garment making.The scarf is brightly coloured in blue, green, yellow, purple and red on a plain cream base fabric. The lines of colour run on an angle across the fabric as jagged, irregular lines with small motifs of Australia, the Southern Cross stars, fish, triangles and a wave pattern, placed throughout. The centre of the scarf is dominated by a depiction of Australia presented in yellow. Within Australia are eucalyptus leaf shapes as well as mountainous shapes and the wave shape that is featured elsewhere on the scarf. The left hand short hem of the scarf has a differing pattern with larger lines running on the opposite angle to the rest of the scarf. Within the larger lines the same motifs are again printed.