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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".

commercial-bank-nambour

LETTER FROM EGYPT

The following letter is from a young Victorian who volunteered when at Nambour in the position of teller in the Commercial Bank, Mr J.J. Chapman. It was received by Mr J.J. Wilkinson:

“I suppose you have been wondering how I have been getting on since I left Nambour to join the Australian Imperial Forces.

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I daresay you have been following our travellings through the daily papers, and that you know that we have not had a chance to distinguish ourselves yet. Mena Camp is situated about eight miles from Cairo, and is surrounded by the desert. The Pyramids are only a few minutes’ walk from the camp, and they are very interesting to all the Australian soldiers. As far as I can gather we have almost finished our training here, and we are all hoping that our stay in Egypt will be short, as marching through the heavy sand has become very monotonous; most of the officers and men appear to be completely knocked up after a few days’ hard work in the desert. Altogether there are some thousands of troops in Egypt, a large proportion of which are Australians. I met young Lanham the other day, and he and I are attached to the same company. I believe he arrived with the reinforcements a few days ago. I suppose you are aware that a soldier on active service has very little chance of writing letters. I have just managed to get a pen for a few minutes and I thought I would drop you a few lines. The life of a soldier is full of hardships and I often wish I was back again to get a good meal at Geddes. However, I am keeping in good health and so far the life appears to agree with me. I will have to write again, as someone else wants the pen, and I will have to conclude. My address is enclosed herewith, which will always find me. Give my kind regards to all enquiring friends.”

(Photo: Geddes Tea Rooms a few doors from the CBA Bank) 

With PR savvy, Miss E Geddes of Geddes Café took advantage of the letter from J.J.Chapman to post the following advertisement in The Chronicle a few weeks later. 

“ A Soldier’s Life is full of hardships, and I often wish I was back again in Nambour, having A GOOD MEAL AT GEDDES CAFÉ.”

This is an extract from a letter from one of the Nambour Bank Clerks who went to the War with the first contingent. 
See Chronicle 30.4.15.

Though his heart is undoubtedly in the right place, his memory still lingers round the CAFÉ IN FAR AWAY NAMBOUR where the fragrant odours heralded the approach of the appetising meal.  As the Australian forces will probably be deployed on the Eastern Front, he will no doubt be able to have a “go” at the big Turkey ere long, but the flavour will not be nearly so good as that of the turkey that Geddes Café hereby promises to get ready for the soldier lad on his return.

References:
The Chronicle  30 April 1915,  p3.
The Chronicle 28 May 1915, p2
Photographs courtesy of Sunshine Coast Libraries