*** NB. Unable to read surnames A-E of first 2 panels so these names are yet to be added ***
Wooden Honour Board
On our board there are the names of the 6 Swift brothers. All brothers joined and all except one came home. Raymond Swift paid the ultimate price for his country. His mother was an outstanding member of the community, caring for her 12 boys, yes she had 12 sons, plus working with the church and other community groups. She was instrumental in setting up a memorial of a stand of trees in a street - Messines Avenue. This roadway was used by the people during both world wars. Street dances, fairs, cheer up huts, RSL, Anzac marches, and most importantly, it led to the railway station. The trees are still there 100 years later. This street led into another which was named Mons, and both were named after important battles in France. Messines June 1917, and Mons early in the war in August 1914. The Western Front.
Messines Ave with most of the trees still standing, even though surrounded by industry and used as a car park. Walk down the street and hear the sounds of laughter as people planted the young trees; the music; the sobbing of someone who had lost a loved one and came to the trees for comfort.
http://mahalaroo.blogspot.com/2016/03/edwardstown-during-world-war-1-1914-1918.html
When researching the missing Edwardstown and Districts WW1 Memorial Board, I went to Glandore and saw the large Memorial Board in a hallway adjacent to the main office for the Community Centre. Listed on the board are 294 names of young men who had passed through the Industrial School for one reason or another. 49 were killed. The huge wooden board , which is mentioned on page 13 of the Glandor book mentioned above, tells how the Commando Association came to restore it and place it safely in the main building. I have been writing short stories about the 'boys' who gave their lives for 'King and Country' and hope to put them on this blog soon. Many of the stories are heartbreaking and show how much society has changed since the Great War. It also gives an insight about young boys and how the Industrial School operated. On the 29th October, 1921 the South Australian Governor officially opened the State Boys Memorial Hall, at the Industrial School, where the Memorial Board was hung. During one of the speeches, it was made clear that the first Military Medal awarded in France was to a lad from the Industrial School.
I had often thought that the School would have been a terrible place, but during research, I have changed my mined, and think that in many cases, it would have been the best thing for a young child at that period of time.
http://mahalaroo.blogspot.com/2016/01/edwardstown-industrial-school.html
