Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lorna Diana Ferguson (Diana) McGlashan nee Gardner was born on 5 May 1925 at Sandgate, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. She was one of four children born to World War I serviceman, Edmund Horatio (Eddie) and Iris Ina Gardner (nee Wieneke).

Iris's family were very well respected hoteliers and saddlers in Roma. Eddie trained as an accountant in Kilmarnock, Scotland and in 1911 emigrated to Australia. He enlisted in the AIF in 1916 and selected a portion of land (Lot 8) in the county of Westgrove (148 km north of Roma) in November 1919 through the Soldiers' Settlement Scheme.

Eddie had worked as a stock and station agent and was an accountant and partner of H M Campbell & Co (later, McDonalds Stock and Station Agency) in Roma.

On 26 October 1923 Eddie married Iris but was hospitalised with pneumonia and died suddenly on 19 September 1929. He is buried amongst a dozen soldiers from the first World War in Roma Cemetery. My mother, Diana was then just four years old and the family shifted in with Iris's mother. The world's economic conditions had started changing in 1928 and during the ensuing depression Iris received little from the sale of Eddie's business and property investments.

In 1931 Iris married Ernest (Tom) Armstrong, with issue a son. Tom was feared by the children. He was a heavy drinker and sadistically thrashed the children, sometimes within an inch of their lives.

During the depression, men were allocated work according to the number of their dependants and Tom had three days' work on the roads. The family income dwindled but with the help of her sister, Iris eventually had a deposit on a house in Gympie Street, Northgate and Tom found employment.

Diana's brother, Gordon told me that his step father showed little affection towards him and he grew up not expecting any. Basically, he said, Tom was an honest, hard working man and always paid his debts. But he had little or no compassion for his step-children. That lack of love led to Gordon leaving home at 15.

How sad it is not to have known my grandfather. But sadder still that Eddie's four youngsters lost his care.

When World War II came, Diana's sister, Jean enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, working side by side with the men as an aircraft mechanic. Too young to enlist, Diana joined the Land Army at the age of 16 and was posted to the Atherton Table Lands, tobacco farming. In 1943, then aged 18, she also enlisted in the WAAF. She was posted as a telegraphist to Brisbane, Ascot Vale and Evans Head and was discharged two years later to enable her to take up nursing training.

Eddie's sons, Marnock and Gordon enlisted in the AIF.

Diana met Western Australian serviceman, Gavin McGlashan and married in Kalgoorlie on 8 November 1947. They had four children, Jill, Ross, Gail (me) and Bruce. She died on 10 June 1983.

Diana's service medals were awarded posthumously: the War Medal 1939-45; the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945; and the General Service Badge. I have been unable to find record or to claim recognition for her civilian service in the Australian Land Army.

Lest we forget.