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Researching WW1 diggers and nurses

from Sunshine Coast region of Queensland


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2014 was 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 the 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.

We held an exhibition in April 2015 to commemorate the Anzac Centenary and to remember and honour "our boys".

calltoqldscropRECRUITS WANTED DAILY.

Age, 18 to 45; minimum chest measurement, 33in; minimum height, 5ft 2in. Rates of pay: Lieutenant, prior to embarkation, 15/- per day, with a field allowance of  3/6 per day, on date of embarkation, 17/6 per day, with the same allowance, and 3/- per day deferred pay; sergeants, prior to embarkation, 10/- per day, on date of

embarkation, 10/6 per day, with 2/- per day deferred pay; privates, prior to embarkation, 5/- per day, on date of embarkation, 6/- per day, with 1/- per day deferred pay.

Separation allowance to married men receiving less than 8/- per day, (a) for wife living at home, 1/5 per day; (b) for each child under 16 years of age, 4½d per day. A similar allowance as in (a) is paid to the mother of a member if solely dependent on him for support. The separation allowance as above, however, is subject to the limitation that the amount thereof added to the members' pay shall not in any case exceed 8/- per day.

Pensions payable to widow on death of member of the Forces or to a member on total incapacity: - 
Lietuenant, £91 per annum; sergeant £70 per annum; corporal, £68 per annum; private, £52 per annum. In addition, on the death or total incapacity of a member, for each child under 16 years of age, £13 per annum. In the case of total incapacity the wife in addition receives half the rate specified above for the respective rank.

Source: "The Brisbane Courier", Friday 31 December 1915, page 8