Researching WW1 diggers and nurses

from Sunshine Coast region of Queensland

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2014 will be the centenary year of Australia’s first deployment of soldiers to Europe to fight in the First World War.

The purpose of the Adopt a Digger Project is to commemorate that centenary by honouring the men and women from the (current) Sunshine Coast region of South-east Queensland who fought in World War One either with the Army, Navy or Airforce. Criteria for a soldier's inclusion is either that he was born in the district, or his next-of-kin was resident in the district, or he enlisted in the district or he is commemorated on a local honour board or memorial. This same criteria applies to our nurses. Since the inception of the project we have decided to include the settlers who took up land at Beerburrum Soldier Settlement from 1916 as the Settlement is such a significant piece of the region's WW1 history. Our criteria dates are 1914 to 1925.

The aim of this website is to create a database which records each soldier’s WW1 military history and a brief personal history. This database will be a valuable source of reference for historians, researchers, descendants and school students, and will be a significant contribution to the social and historical military records of Australia, and particularly the Sunshine Coast region.

It is our intention to hold an exhibition in April 2015 to commemorate the Anzac Centenary and to remember and honour "our boys".

School Peace Medal 1919

20 March 2013

Of the commemorative medals issued to mark the end of the First World War, the most common was the so-called ‘Peace’ or ‘Victory’ medal issued to every child in Australia aged 0-14 years (and aged up to 16 if parents were in the armed forces). The medal was designed by Charles Douglas Richardson, better known for his work as a sculptor. Time constraints as well as pressure from the production of other victory medals meant that no single manufacturer could make the 1,670,000 medals.

Digger Times Vol 1 Issue 2

20 March 2013

EUMUNDI
30.11.1918

Wounded. Private J. Robinson who was sometime ago reported wounded whilst with the A.I.F in France, has been invalided home and arrived here early this week. He received a cordial welcome from a number of his friends here. He is wounded in the leg and can only get about with the aid of a stick.

Australian YMCA in England

09 January 2013

Red Triangle Hostels and Huts

The Australian Y.M.C.A in England controls 26 buildings in England. Each is working at high pressure in serving Australian soldiers during the trying period of demobilisation. The Aldwych Theatre one of the largest of these Australian Red Triangle centres, and the most expensive building controlled by the association, costing £6000 per annum in rent, while the all-round expense of maintenance is £1000 per month, in addition

The Digger Times Vol 1, Issue 1

28 February 2013

COORAN
16.11.1918

Peace celebrations. – Owing to the Post and Telegraph Office being closed, Cooran did not hear of the Armistice being signed until late in the evening, when there was great rejoicing amongst the lucky ones to hear the news. On Tuesday, there was a fair gathering around the hotels, which were open but otherwise there was little doing. During the afternoon about ten

PROJECT UPDATE

You might have noticed that our numbers to be adopted have almost doubled since the beginning of our project in November 2010. A major reason for this is the addition of the settlers from the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement. One of the largest soldier settlement schemes in Australia, about 600 returned servicemen took up land from 1916 and this is a significant part of our region’s war history. It is also the first time that the names of these settlers have ever been categorised.

As the project becomes more well-known in the district and more family members are contacting us wishing to be involved,