Category Archives: WW1

JEROME LOCKE: ABORIGINAL SERVICE IN THE COLONIAL AND AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES

On 16 September 1900 Mr. Walker, Member of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, gave an impassioned speech to a public meeting at Windsor, calling for the establishment of a Windsor volunteer rifle corps. Citing unrest in Europe and … Continue reading

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ABORIGINES, WAR AND ANZAC 1788- 2013

During the course of the First World War Aboriginal soldiers were members of all but two of the 61 infantry battalions of the AIF and of all light horse regiments. They also served in artillery brigades, machine gun companies, pioneer, … Continue reading

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WILLIAM CASTLES: ABORIGINAL DARUG SOLDIER OF WW1

Aboriginal WW1 soldier William Castles came from Rooty Hill in the Parramatta district of New South Wales and was a great great grandson of Yarramundi, chief of the Boorooberongal clan of the Darug. His mother was Ada Locke and his father Thomas … Continue reading

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MORE ON GEORGE CAMPBELL HUNT DCM

Michael Riley, great grandson of George Campbell Hunt, has provided more information about his great grand father who was one those members of the AIF who did not fit the profile of ‘White Australians fighting for a White Australia’. The … Continue reading

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ENGLISH BRIDES OF ABORIGINAL SOLDIERS OF WW1

During the course of WW1 and immediately after, an unknown number of members of the AIF who were stationed in England, on leave or convalescing, met and married English women. In most instances details of the marriage are contained in … Continue reading

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PERCY KENNEDY ABORIGINAL JOCKEY : RACING IDENTITY AND FINE HORSEMAN

John Maynard’s  Aboriginal Stars of the Turf is described as celebrating ‘the significant and exciting Aboriginal involvement in Australian racing history. Amongst the many Aboriginal jockeys highlighted in the book are Merv Maynard, Norm Rose, Frank Reys, Richard Lawrence ‘Darby’ … Continue reading

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WHAT WOULD CHARLES BEAN HAVE SAID ABOUT GEORGE CAMPBELL HUNT AIF

Thanks to writer John Tognolini I’ve recently located George Campbell Hunt of the 21st Battalion, AIF. John was gathering information about his uncle Stephen Tognolini M.M when he discovered George Hunt in a group photo of the 21st Battalion taken … Continue reading

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ABORIGINAL SOLDIERS AND GALLIPOLI

In 1933 a former private in the 15th Battalion drew attention to the service of Aboriginal men at Gallipoli when he said ‘I have stood shoulder to shoulder with half castes in Hell’s pit [Hell’s Spit], on Quinn’s Post, and … Continue reading

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WW1 SERVICE RECORDS AND THE CLARENCE VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN WILLIAM LINDT

Information in the service record of a World War One Aboriginal soldier has been used to assist with the possible identification of the photograph of a young woman in a collection of images of Aboriginal people from the Clarence Valley … Continue reading

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ABORIGINAL WRITING: LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS IN WW1 SERVICE RECORDS

Writing Never Arrives Naked: Early Aboriginal cultures of Writing in Australia (2006) by Penny van Toorn dispels the once popularly held belief that David Unaipon’s publication of Aboriginal legends in 1927 and 1929 were the first examples of Aboriginal writing. Van Toorn … Continue reading

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