Historical information
Copies of historic photos of school children going to the Anzac Day ceremony in Harefield UK taken in 1921. The Headmaster of the school, Mr Jefferies, arranged for the children to participate in the annual Anzac Day service at the Military Cemetery in the village.
During World War 1 the No 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital was stationed at Harefield Park in Harefield, UxBridge, Middlesex UK. 111 Australian soldiers and one nurse from the hospital are buried at St Mary's Church, Harefield. This became an Australian Military Cemetery with individual headstones and an obelisk and arch.The headstones which are of a scroll design unique amongst Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries were chosen by the staff and patients at the hospital. The arch was erected by the CWGC. Anzac Day services are held there and the local school became involved with the headmaster, Mr Jefferies, bringing the school children to lay flowers on every grave on Anzac Day. This started in 1921 and has continued until at least 2021.
One school child who attended was Mr Alf Young, he made contact with Legacy in the 1990s and sent photos of the Anzac Day Services and the cemetery. Legacy responded by sending Australian flags for the school children and also Legatee John Cohen met with Mr Young when in London. Melbourne Legacy staff member Susie Howard also visited Mr Young and the cemetery in 1995.
Mr Young provided historical photos and information of the area to Legacy. He was featured in the widows' newsletter The Answer many times and his death was announced in The Answer in April 1997, he was 85.
Many of the photos he provided were labelled as coming from Mr R G Neil, Photographic historian from Harefield. He holds copyright over those photos.
Significance
A record that Legacy helped support remembrance of Anzac Day and fallen World War 1 soldiers buried in the UK.
Physical description
Black and white photos x 2 of school children attending Anzac service in Harefield in 1921.
Inscriptions & markings
Handwritten label on reverse says '1921 The first Anzac day organised by Mr Jefferies Headmaster Harefield School.'
Other is labeled as 'Mr Jefferies, headmaster, (heading the children) St Mary's Churchyard 1921' with an additional label saying 'Beginning of the first parade. This was Mr Jefferies, Headmaster of schools idea to have this parade, and has been held every year since. My 2 sisters and I were in this parade.' (written by Mr Alf Young).
