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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".

deadmanspenny1914–1918 Memorial Scroll and Plaque

I saw my first "Dead Man's Penny" recently. A member of Caloundra Family History Research group brought one in to their ANZAC Day meeting. I was surprised it was the size of a saucer; I always imagined it the size of a large coin.

In 1922 a Memorial Scroll was presented to the next of kin of those soldiers, sailors or nurses who died while serving in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) or Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the First World War. Later they were presented with a Memorial Plaque.

Colloquially, the plaque became known as the "Dead's Man's Penny" - for obvious reasons.

 

The Memorial Scroll bears the Royal Coat of Arms and a message which includes a tribute to the soldiers who gave up their own lives that others might live in freedom. The large, round, bronze Memorial Plaque which was to accompany the Memorial Scroll shows Britannia and a lion on the front, surrounded by the inscription He died for freedom and honour. The full name of the dead soldier is engraved on the right hand side of the plaque. No rank, unit or decorations are shown, symbolising the equality of sacrifice of all casualties.

http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/memorial_scroll/