THE TRARALGON & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC |
EXTRACTS FROM THE
"GIPPSLAND FARMER'S JOURNAL, TRARALGON" - 1918
Taken by John W. Davidson
January 1918 |
| One half of the Traralgon Band played in the New Year at Morwell, and the other half in Franklin Street, Traralgon. |
| The Band played on 4th January at the railway station, to welcome home a Digger. |
| Traralgon Returned Servicemen held their first meeting on 10th January in the Mechanics Hall, when they formed a Branch of the League. |
| The Band played in Kay Street, near the Post Office, on 21st January, when new lamps were used for the first time. |
February 1918 |
| The Band had their excursion again to Ocean Grove on 16th February. |
| Ptes. Les Davidson and his mate, Alex Lancaster, are now in one of the Military Bands in France although Lancaster had recently been wounded. |
| By 25th February, 19 memorial plates (at 7/6d each) had been placed below each tree at the Traralgon High School. Mr. T.A. Pettit planted the first Memorial Tree in July 1916. (When I attended the school, prizes were given for the Best Kept Memorial Plot. J.W.D.) |
March 1918 |
| April 1918 |
| The 4th Anzac Day was celebrated on Saturday, 27th April, with a procession through the street and a camp-fire at night, followed by a concert with the Band present. (No War Memorial in those days.) Next day, Sunday 28th April, an open-air Memorial Anzac Service was held in the gardens near the Post Office, with a military band in attendance. |
| May 1918 |
| June 1918 |
| July 1918 |
| There was a public welcome home for several returned men in July. H.T. Cooper enlisted as a Flying Corps Photographer. |
| August 1918 |
| "Arbor Day" at school grounds on 2nd August, when 2 more memorial trees were planted making a total of 26 |
| Mr. Andrew Breen bought the Franklin Street Bakery from Mr. Atwood, in August. |
September 1918 |
| John Dwyer, who brought his bullock team to Maryvale in about 1880, and was now living at the Tyers turn off, took his team to the Melbourne Show. |
| DR. R.A. Buntine, M.H.R., recently living in South Africa, and one of his 2 daughters, were drowned when the "Galway Castle" was torpedoed off the African Coast, returning from England. |
| October 1918 |
| The Town Band provided music on 5th October for a skating rink in the Mechanics Hall. |
| Germany accepts Allied terms of surrender 14th October. |
| Saturday 19th October, the State Governor, Sir Arthur Stanley, visited Traralgon. School children met him at the station; luncheon was at the Grand Junction Hotel, and later he visited Mechanics Hall. He unveiled an Honour Board (which locals had subscribed £300 towards the cost) and then went to Traralgon South and gave each soldier present a gold medal. Sir Henry Loch, Lord Hopetown, Sir Sydenham Clarke and Lord Brassy were previous Governors to visit Traralgon. A concert was held that night. |
| November 1918 |
| The "Journal" published a "Victorious Peace Issue". printed in pink, on 15th November 1918, (called "Red Letter Issue"). The Town Band had headed a procession throughout the streets on Tuesday 12th. November. |
| Traralgon Show commenced again on Thursday 14th November |
| Uniting Churches gave a Thanksgiving Service at the Mechanics Hall on Sunday, 17th November after a very busy and exciting weekend. |
| Town Band was again present at the railway station on 29th November which was decorated to welcome the first Anzac since the war had ended. |
| December 1918 |