A new web-based database showcasing the 500 men and women who enlisted/served in World War One from Eurobodalla is now live.
Heroes of the Eurobodalla, created by the Moruya & District Historical Society with support from Eurobodalla Council, comprises an alphabetical list of veterans from which users can select a name and display their service records.
The records contain interesting historical notes showing where they enlisted, locations and dates of their service on the Western Front and the Middle East as well as medals earned and correspondence to families.
Rob Lees from the Society said the application was aimed at school children, who could easily access it at home or school.
“This year being the centenary of the end of World War One in 1918, it is important that we not only remember those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice but also note that many of them came from our local shire,” he said.
“It really is a case of reminding kids and reinforcing the memory of Australia’s history. A lot of them would have no knowledge that young Australians fought in World War One.”
Mr Lees said veterans’ names were sourced from Honour Rolls located throughout the shire, with men serving at Gallipoli and in the trenches on the Somme.
“One local boy served with the 12th Light Horse regiment and died in the cavalry charge at Beersheba,” he said.
“Two local women served as nurses on the western front, with one being awarded the Military Medal for bravery. Each veteran has an interesting story and these are all available to view on the website.”
The Moruya Historical Society was awarded a grant under the ANZAC Centenary program to establish the database, and Eurobodalla Council’s web coordinator helped bring it to fruition.
Eurobodalla Mayor Liz Innes said it was a valuable resource for children and adults alike and congratulated the Moruya Historical Society on the initiative.
“More than 500 men and two women enlisted from the Eurobodalla region to serve in World War One - what a fantastic resource to have all that information in one place,” she said.
“It is vital for our future generations that we keep the memory alive of the sacrifices made by these brave men and women.”
Mr Lees said that as veterans’ names were sourced from Honour Rolls in some cases the surname and initial was not sufficient information to locate the correct records.
“The public is encouraged to contact the Moruya Historical Society through the Heroes of the Eurobodalla website with information on veterans listed on Honour Rolls but missing from the website,” he said.
“The Society will investigate each veteran’s records and update the online application database.”
The Society is currently seeking donations to upgrade the application to link to the museum’s online database (eHive) which showcases images of WW1 memorabilia and the stories behind them.
Visit the database at mdhsociety.com and click on ‘Heroes of the Eurobodalla’.
To view the online database of memorabilia, click on the ‘Word War 1 Collection’.
