Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Completed by one of Mervyn's great great children who attends Heathfield High School in South Australia

Mervyn Francis Hargraves was a lance corporal who oversaw the Works/ Labour/ Employment/ ‘Alien’ company/ies unit. Mervyn was from Gilgandra, a small town in NSW. In 1942 he enlisted and was discharged in 1946. He served in the army for 3 years. Mervyn is my great grandfather and although he never spoke much about war with his family, his time before and after war reflects how he has been through many things and truly represents many of the Anzac spirits.  This exploration of Mervyn’s journey and service will show how he demonstrates the Anzac spirit of courage and resilience.

On May 6, 1925, Mervyn Francis Hargraves was born in Gilgandra. The story of Mervyn before the war was sad. Once Mervyn was born, his mother fell extremely ill, was bedridden, and then died one month later. His siblings were numerous. Due to financial struggles, Mervyn's dad could not care for baby Mervyn and gave him away to the salvation army orphanage in Sydney. Mervyn lived at the orphanage, was baptized by the bush brothers and attended the Opportunities school. Once Mervyn was thirteen, he left the orphanage, walking over 400km from Sydney back to Gilgandra with only 2 singlets, 1 pair of pants and shoes, and his bible. Once at home, Mervyn worked at an indigenous reserve as a farmhand. where he was bitten by a Goanna which latched onto his knee and had to be decapitated.

At 17, Mervyn was still poor, and he wanted a better one. With his work experience, endurance and perseverance on his side, at 17 Mervyn lied about his age and enlisted to the Australian military forces, serving the role as lance corporal for the Works/ Labour/ Employment/ ‘Alien’ company/ies unit. Though not on the front lines, Mervyn watched over the men in his units who were given non-combat roles because they were not physically well or fit or were migrants. Mervyn was one of the 15000 men in this unit. Mervyn was deployed to Papua New Guinea (PNG). His unit built vital roads, medical stations, airfields, and supply stations while battling hot humid weather. Tropical rainstorms created muddy ground and flooded areas which were cleared up by hand, leaving dampened beds and shoes. Rather than fighting with guns, Mervyn fought with shovels, wheelbarrows, and the endurance only a brave and strong man could do.

The role of lance corporal added another layer to his work. Mervyn ensured his group worked efficiently but were safe. The rain forest was dense, challenging to hack and full of animals. Japanese air raids lurked. Sickness and disease, especially Dengue Fever, malaria and dysentry, were plaguing men’s wellbeing people and killing many. Despite building medical facilities, treatment options were limited and many remedies were used from the environment like leeches or special plants. During Mervyns time in PNG, his foot was severely cut in his tow-webbing. Blowflies were put into his cut so maggots would eat the rotting flesh. 

Mervyn led men with diverse backgrounds. He gained their respect working alongside them and understanding their needs. He managed rations such as soap and water fairly, kept morale high by defusing fights and connecting everyone. Mervyn was appreciated, respected, and was a true leader.

After serving just over 3 years, Mervyn was discharged on the 30th of January 1946. Mervyn was sent back to Gilgandra, and given a job working for PMG, now known as Telstra. Mervyn began to carry out his job. He continued to work on the lines for a while until he met his wife, Molly Elizabeth Rushton. Molly had also lost her mother when she was young and lived at a farm with her family. She was arranged to be married to the neighboring farm’s owner who was around 40 years her senior. Mervyn met her when she was working at the hospital. Falling in love, they ran away, back to Gilgandra to elope. With Mervyn of Church of England faith, and Molly a Catholic, this broke all customs causing much controversy. Before the wedding, Mervyn insisted Molly stayed at his Aunty May’s house, separate to him to uphold Mollie’s dignity. Mollie was disowned from her family, leaving just Mervyn and her. Mervyn paid for the full wedding. The news of the engagement and wedding even made the Gilgandra local newspapers.

Molly and Mervyn unfortunately didn’t have a place to call home and instead lived in a horse and buggy. While travelling, Mervyn still carried his bible around everywhere, in the bible he has had since childhood he drew a picture of his wife.

He continued to work with PMG, going out west and around the area with Molly right beside him. 9 months and two weeks after the wedding their first child Desmond was born in Nyngan. Mervyn and his wife were still extremely poor, but Molly was very thrifty. Molly created Desmond’s first clothes out of her own clothes she had. The family got increasingly poor that Mervyn had to sell their horse that was pulling them along. He single-handedly pushed the buggee where they needed to go. Mervyn later got offered a better job for PMG which gave him a raise in money. Mervyn saved up, working hard and was able to get a house for him and his family in Gilgandra. Once the house was bought, Molly helped with finances with her sewing skills. Molly got a big name in Gilgandra for sewing, especially wedding dresses. Later, Mervyn was offered an even bigger job in Dubbo. The family moved there, now having two kids. They bought a house that was on an old orchid. The house had two bedrooms. One for them and one for their kids. Mervyn and Mollie continued to work, supporting for their family and their needs. Their house expanded slowly having 3 kids, Desmond, Gary, and Kym. Molly had one other child that was carried to full term but sadly was a still birth. He was to be named John. The family lived without a car until later into their life in Dubbo.

Throughout his time after the war Mervyn was a homebody, never wanting to go out even on holidays with his family. The only place his children remember being taken to was waterskiing once or twice. Mervyn never celebrated Anzac days or went to services. His children didn’t know he was in the war until their teenage years. He never spoke about war or the topic of it. Mervyn had received medals but where they are now is unknown. Although he didn’t speak much about it the most memorable thing he said to Kym, his daughter was “The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels saved me.” The fuzzy Wuzzy angels being a tribe in Papua New Guinea who helped the soldiers and people in the army during their time over there. Mervyn loved to garden at his house, the property of an old orchid keeping him busy. “He was a great grandfather and dad” Kym stated. “He never raised his voice and kept his calm.” Mervyn struggled with malaria and often had to have pills and things to help with the disease. He later died at the age of 62, the war memorial service come in, giving a speech, and putting up the Australian Anzac emblem on his grave.

Mervyn shows the Anzac spirit of courage and resilience not only through war but in his time before and after. Walking home from Sydney to Gilgandra from the orphanage shows real resilience. The endurance that would be needed to walk so far with little possessions shows how he persevered and was resilient throughout everything from the long roads, minimal, food or even the weather. His time in the aboriginal reserve shows courage and strength, helping everyone around him. During war Mervyn brought people together, lifting them up while going through the hard and challenging times of war. He helped care for his men and work in the harsh conditions of Papua New Guinea, showing real resilience and courage to take a diverse group of men and make them a team. He works together with everyone through hard time and truly made his unit work together as one. Mervyn helped support everyone and worked hard, showing courage by eloping with his wife even though he had to give every penny he had to save her from the arranged marriage and create a beautiful life with her. He showed endurance by supporting his family, through thick and thin, pushing the buggy or working hard every day while struggling with disease and foot problems. Mervyn was a hardworking man, trying to have the best life he can have. The Anzac spirits truly represent him and the life he lived.