GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - V is for Valour

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 
Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

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Many of Elizabeth's descendants served in the armed services in various conflicts. On ANZAC Day the day on which we remember our ancestors who served for us, let us remember the following men and women, descendants of Elizabeth Phipps.

Collating this list has taken many hours and I know that there are more of Elizabeth's descendants who should be on this list. Please let me know of others who should be on this Roll of Honour and I will add them.

William John Barber WW1
Reginald Robert Beetson WW2
Arthur Alexander Beetson WW2
Allan Douglas Border WW2
Edward Henry Brydon WW1
James Herbert Brydon WW1 ✝
Walter Ernest Brydon WW2

Archibald Angus Cameron WW2
Ivan Raymond Cameron WW2
Bernard Arthur Cotton WW2
Mervyn Claude Davis WW2
Wallace Rowland Dixon WW2
Bernard Albert Drew WW2
Frank Duncan WW1, WW2
Clyde Henry Egan WW2 ✝

Dennis Gardiner WW2
Edward Alfred Gardiner WW2
Kenneth William Gardiner WW2
Leonard John Gardiner WW2
Albert Henry Hogden WW2
Charles Edward Hogden WW1
Neil McKensey Hogden WW2
William George Hamilton Ireland WW2
Robert Jack Key WW2 ✝

Lawrence Albert Konza WW2
Arthur Richard Libbesson WW2

Clarence George Madgwick WW2
Clifford James Magick WW2
Donald Ray Magick WW2
Edward James Magick WW2
Henry Moore Magick WW1
James Matheson WW2

Edward Keith Paterson WW2
Harry Beauchamp Poole WW1 ✝
Eric Stanley Poole WW2
William Peter Poole WW2
Ernest Henry Powter WW2
Henry Noel Price WW2
Lionel Mitchell Price WW2
Rowland William Price WW2

John Wilson Reakes WW2
Ralph Golding Reakes WW2
Robert Frank Reakes WW2

Selwyn Sylvester Scifleet WW2
Albert William Sly WW2
Baden Keith Sly WW2
Darval Lyall Sly WW2
Frank Bernard Sly WW1
Frederick William Charles Sly WW2
Laurence Arthur Sly WW2
Raymond Harold Charles Sly ✝
William Charles Sly WW2
Brian John Sullivan Vietnam Military Medal

Eric George Toynton WW2
Thelma Toynton WW2
William Alan Henry Vaughan WW2 ✝
Albert Edward Wahlstrom WW1
Henry James Wahlstrom WW2

For Privacy reasons I have omitted from the list the names of those who are still living.

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GAGs - GeniAus' Gems - 29 April 2017

The focus in Australia and New Zealand this week has been on remembering the commitment and sacrifice of the men and women in our armed forces. As there has been no Trans-Tasman ANZAC Day Challenge this year I have decided to make this issue a compilation of blog posts with an ANZAC Day theme.

I am including all of the posts I have read but apologise if I have missed any. Please let me know of any I may have overlooked and I will add them.

The Ancestor Digger Honouring the WWI ANZACS in our family, and the 10 who lost their lives serving - "Lest We Forget"

AncestorChasing: A story of Anzac by Allan FLEMING 

Anne's Family History: Anzac biscuits

Anne's Family History: U is for Unibic biscuit tin

Australian Geographic: The evolution of Anzac Day from 1915 until today

Canada Bay Connections: Remembering the Fallen

Behind the Lines:  Captain Frederick Reidy Jolley

Diary of a Young Genealogist: ANZAC Day 2017 (Part One)

Diary of a Young Genealogist: Anzac Day 2017 (Part 2)

The Empire Called and I Answered: The Reluctant Soldier

Experts in Genealogy: John Francis Walsh - Gallipoli 100 Years on.

Exploring Military History: ANZAC Day 2017

Exploring Military History: ANZAC Day 2017 Part 2

Fairfield City Library Local Studies: Lest we forget

Family History Across the Seas: A family ANZAC: Pte Hugh Moran (Part I)

Family History Across the Seas: A family ANZAC: Pte Hugh Moran Part II

GeniAus: Trove Tuesday - 2/7 Australian Field Regiment

Headlines of Old: Trove Tuesday 25th April, 2017- The war that went to the dogs

iwiKiwi: A penny for them ~ Anzac Day

Jenealogy Scrapbook: Websites I Use for Military Research

Killion and Nott Family History: A broken promise

Little Wandering Wren: ANZAC Day: Lest we forget.

Lois Willis – Genealogy and Family History: William Claude Whimpey

Lost Medals Australia: An ANZAC Day find.

Lonetester: “Dead” Soldier Returns

L W Reid:  ANZAC Day 2017

Mcollierheritage: ANZAC Day 2017 - Additional Family Military Personnel

Noel Turnbull: ANZAC Day 2017 at Port Melbourne

Nola Mackey - Family History: Family Heirloom- Dead Man’s Penny for James Joseph Stapleton

On Record:  "Steel your Heart" ANZAC Letters

Outback Family History: Kanownas Anzac Story – by Robert Baugh

Parramatta Heritage Centre: World War One – Parramatta Soldiers – Archie McWilliam

Pastlinks: Bougainville 1945

SA Community History: ANZAC Bites

Shaking the Tree: “They shall grow not old …”

Strong Foundations: Remembering Roy

Stumbling through the Past: Review: The Anzacs by Patsy Adam-Smith

Sydney - City and Suburbs: Anzac Bridge, Anzac Memorial, Anzac Day

Thames (NZ): ANZAC DAY at the Thames 2017

Travelgenee: #AtoZChallenge U for Uniform - Lest we forget.   

Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society: ANZAC DAY Wagga 1952

Blogiversary

Congratulations to James who has been blogging for 15 years

https://jamesobrien.id.au/2017/04/27/fifteen-years-blogging/

Our Liverpool Boys

I was rather excited to come by a copy of "Our Liverpool Boys", a 32 page booklet produced by Liverpool City Council. "The publication presents the stories of soldiers who were born or bred in the area and have a strong connection with Liverpool."

As Mr GeniAus' Great-Grandfather, Grandfather and Great-Uncles lived in Liverpool and served in WW1 I was hoping to find mention of  one or some of them in the booklet but I guess they missed out because they were born in England. Liverpool born Eric Gladstone Deadman who married Mr GeniAus' Great-Aunt Emily Zara Ball is mentioned in the booklet.

The booklet produced to mark the centenary of World War 1 contains service details, some photographs and biographical sketches on about 40 soldiers from the Liverpool area. It appears to have been collated by Sue Dredge and Julie Senior from Liverpool City Library. 

A Flea in my Ear

After reading Jennifer Jones' #AtoZChallenge blog post about Yarrawonga the other day I started singing the chorus of a song that I learnt over 40 years ago and I just couldn't get it out of my head, it became an annoying flea in my ear.

Mr Google helped me find the lyrics for "I'm going back again to Yarrawonga" here, and what I discovered was that I only knew the chorus. The original words and music can be seen here in Trove on the National Library of Australia website.

The song by Neil McBeath, a corporal in the AIF in WWI told the story of a Digger who after spending time at the front was returned to Australia. After reading the lyrics I thought it appropriate to bring it to your attention in this ANZAC week.

An early version of the song can be heard by following a link on this page: http://alldownunder.com/australian-music-songs/back-to-yarrawonga.htm

Slim Dusty used perform the chorus of this song but I much prefer the earlier recording.

GAGs - GeniAus' Gems - 29 April 2016

Congratulations to all my genimates who have stuck with the #AtoZChallenge. Our penultimate posts should appear today and tomorrow we reach the finish line.

It seems like an eon away that I read so many ANZAC posts commemorating the brave men and women from our families but it was just earlier this week. Watch out for the list of those who responded to the Trans-Tasman Challenge next Monday on the Kintalk blog.

Apologies for my lack of comments on your blog posts, there have been so many recently with the various challenges that have been running that I've barely had time to read them all. I accidentally deleted quite a few from my History-Australia RSS folder so those have gone unread. I really appreciate the facility on Wordpress blogs where one can quickly add a blue star to a post to let the blogger know that you have visited. Have you enabled this on your Wordpress blog?

1. This tip from Pogue might help me find my car in a a carpark.
http://pogueman.tumblr.com/post/143485299512/the-crazy-way-you-can-extend-the-range-of-your-car

2. How timely. Someone I know is going to Helsinki soon.
http://www.insidethetravellab.com/finnish-design-shop/

3. If you need a bit more Downton Abbey..
http://www.captaingreybeard.com/2016/04/princess-embraces-lord-grantham-and-the-downton-family.html

4. An excursion idea for those of us in Sydney.
http://diane-adventurebeforedementia.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/toys-and-trains.html

5. I might borrow this format for some Surname Saturday posts.
http://loiswillis.com/2016/04/23/surname-saturday-muncy/

6. It's been a while since I visited Hyde Park, I need to visit this new memorial.
http://sydney-city.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/hyde-park-war-memorial.html

7. Not the log I was expecting.
http://www.outbackfamilyhistoryblog.com/2016/04/26/2411/

8. Tiphanee responded to another geneablogging challenge.
https://branchesoftime.net/2016/04/24/the-sad-demise-of-frances-stevens-c1863-1916/

9. A few geneabloggers' posts from the #AtoZChallenge.
http://familytreefrog.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/x-is-for-x-craft.html
http://www.exploringfamily.com/blogging-from-a-to-z/memories-rural-childhood-v-views-vases-vegetables/
https://jonesfamilyhistory.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/a-z-challenge-w-for-whroo

10. And here are a few ANZAC posts that I enjoyed .
http://barbs01.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/two-great-uncles-of-mine.html
http://paulineconolly.com/2016/a-very-long-war/
https://mccollierheritage.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/anzac-day-2016/
http://www.shaunahicks.com.au/the-finn-brothers-2016-trans-tasman-anzac-day-blog-challenge/

A brand new blog that came about as the result of my Blogging Webinar for The Society of Australian Genealogists.
http://pecarandfenton.blogspot.com.au/

Newtome Blog
http://www.centenaryww1orange.com.au/home/

He will remember them

As a school holiday task one of the grandchildren needed to compile a list of his ancestors who had fought for Australia in the two World Wars. His school is collating a list of servicemen and women from the school's families for an ANZAC Day commemoration.

The Memorial panels at Villers-Bretonneux include John Bertram Chatfield's name

What a good activity this is to make the  ANZAC story relevant to the young men at the school.  Of course, as the family historian, the task of collating the list fell to me. I restricted the list to direct ancestors and uncles as it would have been too much for the little chap to include all the cousins. Today I was pleased to be able to email a spreadsheet to my dear seven year old to take into school on his first day back after holidays. When I told my daughter what I was doing she asked if I could also share it with her family so I thought I'd post it here for all our children and grandchildren to see.

Perhaps you could do a similar activity for or with the youngsters in your family

Name	Relationship to S****	Conflict	Service Number	Service	Dates	Served	Fate
First World War
Fred Ball	GGG Uncle	WW1	2331	20 Infantry Battalion	22/07/1915 - 29/10/1916	Egypt	RTA - Medically unfit
James Ball (1st service)	GGGrandfather	WW1	4599	RAN	4/02/1915 - 1/4/1916	Penguin, Cerberus, Yarra, Penguin	Invalided
James Ball (2nd service)	GGGrandfather	WW1		AMF Home Service - Staff Cooks	13/12/1917 -  8/1/1918	Australia	Discharged
John James Ball (1st service)	GGGGrandfather	WW1	5785	26th Battalion	14/6/1916 -  4/1/1918	England	RTA - Invalided
John James Ball (2nd service)	GGGGrandfather	WW1	2443	AMF Home Service - Concentration Camp Guard	31/01/1918 - 13/5/1919	Australia	Transferred to AIF
John James Ball (3rd service)	GGGGrandfather	WW1	85744	AIF Special Service	14/5/1919 - 20/11/1919	England	RTA
John Bertram Chatfield	Step GGGrandfather	WW1	5911	20th Battalion	20/5/1916 - 3/5/1917	France	KIA
Frank Duncan	GGGrandfather	WW1	4767	13th Battalion and 4th Pioneer Battalion	2/11/1915 - 18/9/1919	France	RTA
John Herbert Gillespie	GGG Uncle	WW1	35611	5th F A Brigade	17/02/1917 - 17/3/1919	France	RTA - Invalided
William James Gowans	GGG Uncle	WW1	168	4th Battalion	17/08/1914 - 16/9/1915	Dardanelles (Gallipoli) Egypt	RTA - Invalided
William Pusell	GGG Uncle	WW1	5880	20th Battalion	20/05/1916 - 9/7/1919	France, Belgium	RTA
Second World War
John William Chatfield	GG Uncle	WW2	NX88534	27 FLD COY R A E	13/2/1942 - 26/11/1945
Allan John Curry	GGrandfather	WW2	NX103563	2/7 Field Regiment	1/7/1942 - 23/4/1946	Morotai, Borneo, Tarakan
Thomas William Curry	GG Uncle	WW2	NX103567	HQ Morotai Force	30/6/1942 - 22/3/1946	Morotai
Douglas Alfred Gillespie	GG Uncle	WW2	S/7282	RAN	16/11/1942 -20/3/1946
John Stewart Gowans	GGG Uncle	WW2	NX12196	R A E WKS	18/4/1940 - 9/11/1944

He carried on valiantly

This post is submitted for the annual Trans-Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge. 

As I am away from my desk and files I am posting below an edited version of my post from the 2012 challenge.
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William James Gowans enlisted on 17 August 1914  and set sail from Sydney on 20 October 1914 on HMAT Euripides.

His war service file at The National Archives of Australia indicates that Private William James Gowans wrenched his knee while carrying ammunition at Gallipoli on 25/4/1915.  It appears as though Gowans must have carried on with his soldiering activities as he is reported as receiving a bullet wound to the head on 27/4/1915.

A Sydney Morning Herald article  "Heroes of the Dardanelles" on 18/5/1915 reported:

William James Gowans

PRIVATE W. J. GOWANS (Petersham).

Wounded.

 PRIVATE W. J. GOWANS.

Private W. J. Gowans, of B. Company, 4th Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade, who has been reported wounded, is 24 years or age. He is an engineer by trade, and is a son of Mr. W. P. Gowans, St. Leonards, 188 Albany-road, Petersham.


In a medical report dated 19/11/1915 the following treatment was ordered "Major Wade suggests one month's fun then treatment". 

William, my husband's great-uncle, was 23 years and 10 months when he joined the AIF on the 24th September 1914. He was discharged to Australia on 16th October 1915 on the Beltana and discharged as unfit for service on 13th August 1916. No doubt William felt fortunate in having survived the carnage at Gallipoli.  William received a pension of three pounds per fortnight from the government from 14/8/1916 ; I do not know if he was able to return to his work as an engineer.

William can be counted among the lucky ones who returned to Australia. His luck, however, was shortlived; this notice appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald of 12/5/1919:

GOWANS.-May 10, 1919, in his 29th year. William
James Gowans, late 4th Batt., A.I.F., eldest son of  
William P and Eliza Ann Gowans, of Mena, Eu-
rella-street. Burwood.

Older family members have indicated that William was a victim of the flu epidemic of 1919. William is buried in the Old Presbyterian Section of Rookwood Cemetery. His untended grave surrounded by rubbish is deteriorating; I took my photographs about ten years ago before we cleaned away the undergrowth.  

  

World War 1 Projects

Over at Ku-ring-gai Historical Society we have an enthusiastic group that is working on a project to commemorate those from the area who served in World War 1.

It was with interest that I recently read this post from Inside History Magazine on Facebook:

I know of several other groups who are working on World War 1 projects including the Somerset and Dorset FHS in the UK (ANZACS in Weymouth). 

The site that will be developed by Inside History Magazine is a wonderful initiative that will draw together information on the many projects that are being developed to honour our ANZACs.

You can register your project at http://www.worldwaronelink.com.au/.