Presented by Mildura and District Historical Society and compiled by Judy Hyde for Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO
ARMISTICE DAY – The Hon Secretary of the Mildura Branch of the RSSILA received an urgent wire from the State Attorney General, Mr W Slater, MLA, notifying him he would be unable to fulfil his engagements here. The Venerable Archdeacon Best, known to most diggers as a Chaplain Major in the AIF, serving in France and Palestine, will open the new Soldiers Memorial Hall in Madden Avenue – six years and one day after the greatest war the world has ever known. The Mildura Masonic Lodge has kindly agreed to allow their beautiful decorations used at the installation ceremony on Saturday, to remain for the ball that evening. The Mildura Brass Band will play hymns at the service and attend the ball.
GATES – The contractor for the erection of the Memorial Gates being erected at the entrance of the Merbein Recreation Reserve is making excellent progress with the work. Mesdames R Voullaire, Snr and J Griffiths, executive officers of the Merbein Branch of the Red Cross Society, are anxious to have the list of names of soldiers that enlisted from Merbein finalised at the earliest moment – any additions or alterations to the list already printed should be forwarded by Wednesday next.
UNION – A meeting of Branches of the Victorian Farmers’ Union interested in the formation of a district council in the Shire of Mildura was held in the Diggerland Lodge room, Mr Reseigh in taking the chair said that only by organisation would the primary producers be benefited. Unfortunately, the primary producers were the hardest section of the community to organise, finance being the greatest obstacle – he hoped delegates would form a strong council to represent the district.
75 YEARS AGO
PHONE – About 76 miles of wire, 5140 electric-magnets and more than 2000 lamps are contained in the new switchboards being installed at the Mildura Telephone Exchange. A gang of expert technicians are working on the common battery type switchboards are made of polished solid core plywood of Queensland coachwood mounted on steel frames. Equipment will be provided initially for 1109 and ultimately for 2100 subscriber’s lines – presently for 1000 subscribers.
AIRLINE – Trans-Australia Airlines announced that on and after December 10 its Adelaide-Mildura-Riverina-Canberra-Sydney service would be three times weekly instead of daily. TAA is the only airline operating the “stage route” which connects both Adelaide and Mildura with the Riverina airports and Canberra.
ROLL – More than 200 people attended the impressive unveiling of an Honour Roll at Cardross State School. Guarded by sentries of the Citizen’s Army , the polished brass memorial was unveiled by a chairman of the State School Committee, Mr J Simpson. Cr C McNulty, MLC paid tribute to Cardross ex-students who had served in the war. “Cardross has led in many things and it is hoped this Honour Roll will serve as an example to other district centres – a large portion of Cardross men and women who had joined the services” was stressed. Mr Grellis said the original Cardross settlers had always shouldered their responsibilities, and it was not surprising that their children had done likewise.
50 YEARS AGO
TRACK – Mildura and District Motor Cycle Club is considering building a new speedway circuit. The Johnson’s Bend circuit formerly used by the Club is now out of action because of the high level of the Murray River. The Club has asked the Mildura Shire Council if it has any land available for the development of a speedway. One area of land the Club had in mind was the section of land behind the Mildura Shire Councils stone crushing plant at Benetook.
SCOUTS – First Irymple Venturer Scouts were busy at the weekend cleaning up the Calder Highway between Red Cliffs and Irymple. The Venturers had sponsors who paid an amount for each mile of the highway cleaned – a car and trailer accompanied the Venturers to carry the bags as they filled them – it was to raise funds for a new toilet block.
CUP– Next Saturday one of the most popular bowling events in Sunraysia, the Bildstein Cup will be held at the Merbein Bowling Club. The event is a men’s four – greenkeeper Fred Edwards has all the greens in excellent running order and given the fine weather – should be running at 14-16 seconds.
25 YEARS AGO
MEN – Desperate men do desperate things. Mildura WW2 veteran Mr H Parker believes a foolhardy “leap of faith” in the last days of the Greek campaign saved his life as while waiting on a stone wharf in the Greek town of Kalamata awaiting rescue he dropped his gun, took a run-up and made a mighty leap out to the HMAS Hero as it pulled away from the dock – just making the ship’s rail. The training at No2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit, Mildura, was rigorous and dangerous. WO Duffy flew 93 hours 45 minutes during his training here in Wirraways, Kittyhawks and Mustangs up to three hours daily including circuits, landings, aerobatics, low level flying, night formation, dive bombing from 8000 ft, ship bombing, battle climbs 33,000 ft strafing etc.
POEM – Mr Ian Findlay’s wrote – Remember a moment , we are the dead. We sleep beneath the fields near those who often we slew. Our place this day is a requiem read. Business long furnished with those whom we knew. But today our ranks will reform again as in that day when the last bugle blew. And the Last Post played a dead march refrain. Forget not your sons, our tears will not dry, Wrench’d before time to this place where we lie. Embrace our sorrow, intercede for our should, For you who now follow, our fate to die. When blood was still warm and hopes were so high, Come spirit and flesh, our kinsmen enjoin, To live in your hearts til death with us join.
TOUR – A tour of the WW1 battlefields where his father Gerald fought, was described by Tony Douglas as humbling. He said there were many sights and experiences which impressed him, but none were more so than the high regard Australians are held in – more than 80 years after the monumental events of WW1. The little village square is called 11 Novembre Place and the exceptional little museum at Bullecourt is such a poignant reminder of what happened to that generation.
