Stories

Booklet – Red Cross Society, Goods Needed for War Effort, Australian Branch, World War I, circa 1914. Source: Museum Victoria

The Australian Red Cross established in 1914, as a branch of the British Red Cross, just nine days after the outbreak of war, celebrates its centenary this year.

Those who could not enlist volunteered their time and skills to the Australian Red Cross cause. These included many Mosman residents, such as Sir William Cullen and his wife, Eliza, and author, Ethel Turner.

Louise Mack donated the proceeds from the sale of her book A Woman’s Experiences in the Great War to the Red Cross and spent the rest of the war years touring the country to maintain awareness of the work of the Red Cross, which included listing missing and wounded soldiers.

Trooper Bluegum’s verse was published as Poems and Picture: for the Red Cross Society as a way of raising money for the Society’s important work.

Ellen Leahy, aunt of Sid and Dalton “Jack” Carroll, was foundation President of the Mosman Red Cross and was awarded the MBE for her work. Mary Lou has written of the concert parties hosted by the Mosman Red Cross to raise funds.

Trove newspapers: Mosman Red Cross

Portrait of Lieutenant (later Major) Oliver Hogue, 2nd Light Horse Brigade, later of the 14th Light Horse Brigade. Source: AWM A05426

As I have come to expect, our Great War project continues to make connections cementing bits and pieces of local stories gathered over the years.

On H.M.A.S. Berrima. 1. Drilling. 2. Church Parade. 3. “Good-bye, Sydney Town.” Photographs by Signaller Henry Ellis in Reeves’ ‘Australians in Action’.

Scott Wilson uncovers a Mosman man whose photographs document some of the first Australian actions of the Great War.

Within Our Gates : ‘The Landing at Gaba Tepe’, soldiers landing on the beach and advancing to the cliffs. (National Film and Sound Archive 356093-1007)

Obelisk Bay served for Anzac Cove not long after the landing on 25 April 1915. The beach on the southern side of Middle Head was the location for Within Our Gates, a film also known as Deeds That Won Gallipoli, directed by Frank Harvey for the J. C. Williamson company. Only a few seconds of footage and a couple of stills survive, but the WWI diary of Percy Smythe can take us there again…

Few of the first AIF had the chance to show their dash in front of a home crowd but Garnet Malley did. This grainy photograph captures the Mosman birdman stunting over Martin Place in 1919.

Large crowds in the city during the luncheon hour yesterday were thrilled by the daring “stunts” performed by Captain Malley, M.C., in a Sopwith fighting machine. Approaching the city over Hyde Park, he accomplished three daring spiral dives. Over the city itself he flew so low that at times it seemed he must crash into some of the taller buildings; but he gracefully “hurdled” them all.

He went on to wow kids at Blacktown and Penrith and crowds across country NSW with his playful aerobatics. Even a crash landing in a Benalla backyard smaller than his ‘Pup’ couldn’t stop him.