Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Eric Thomas Charles Retallack
Eric was the first son and third of eight children born to Charles and Margaret Retallack. Originally the family lived in the mid-north of South Australia before the intrepid Charles and his bullock team headed interstate. His travel was reported in the newspapers;
‘I, the undersigned would be pleased to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience since 1894 travelling across country with Bullock teams from Orroroo South Australia to Mitchell in Queensland loaded with farm implements about 1200 miles. Crossing S.A. Border at Cockburn border of N.S.W. Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Paroo, Warrogo & Cuttaburra Rivers. Crossed Barrongun border into Queensland through stations across to Fernlee, via Bolland & up the Maranoa River to Mitchell. Landed to see an eight years drought. During that time, I saw the greatest cyclone ever witnessed in Mitchell wrecking the whole town. An accident worth recording on the Journey on Fernlee Station was our saddle Horses including young ones, rushed out of the dam excepting one with bell on which never came out. I rushed down to see what was wrong & all I could see was one leg above the water & then disappeared. I called the brother down but no horse appeared. We went back to the waggons and had dinner & then went back to pull him away, but he had never came to the top, so there was nothing for us to do, but to leave him where he was and go on our way. He came to the top later as a carrier was sent to pull him out in the scrub. The previous Diary of the above has been lost. C. Retallack’.
Eric was born in Mitchell, Queensland in 1900. On the 14th September, 1916 he enlisted in Brisbane, Queensland under-age at 16 years but he adding two years to his chronological age, thus claiming to be 18. His older cousins, Thomas Malcolm and Walter George Retallack had enlisted in SA on April 10th of the same year, which may have prompted him to also serve or seek adventure overseas. The reality was much different. Thomas Malcolm Retallack died of wounds on the 10th June, 1917. By this time Eric has contracted influenza, bronchitis and mumps, injured himself and admitted his real age. He was then moved from the 26th Battalion to the Australian Corps Working Party until the 10th April when he was invalided back to Australia to be discharged on the 11th July 1919.
Priscilla Constance Ross came into his life and they married in Queensland on the 27th February 1926. It was to be a most successful, life-long partnership. Probably contracting mumps contributed to the couple having no children of their own, but they were active in their local community, hosting many community events and supporting other families. They particularly championed the Graceville-Chelmer sub-branch of the R.S.S.I.L.A. Eric at different times held all committee positions; secretary, treasurer, vice president and president. By September of 1929 sufficient funds had been raised to build a club house to be erected by voluntary labour of the members. Once built, it would house an honour board recording the names of all donors. The newspapers recorded that the building was planned to ‘measure 30ft. by 20ft., and would be placed on high blocks. It would have a prettily-designed front, before which the lamp of perpetual light would burn. It would give the sub-branch a meeting and a reading room of donated volumes to form the nucleus of a library.’ The day that this announcement was made at the site of the proposed club house ‘presented a gala appearance, with large Union Jack flags, and strings of pennants floating in the breeze. The stalls were arranged to form a British hollow square, and flags were used to decorate them. The refreshment stalls offered only Australian-made goods’.
Throughout this time of construction Eric’s wife, Priscilla was an active worker as a member of the auxiliary as was his father, Charles in organising games and activities.
Eric continued to champion the lot of returned servicemen. In 1930 the press recorded ‘At a meeting of the Graceville-Chalmer sub-branch of the R.S.S.I.L.A., presided over by the president (Eric T. C. Retallack) on Friday night, the following resolution was carried unanimously: —"That this meeting of the returned soldiers in the Graceville- Chalmer district strongly supports the management council. R.S.S.I.L.A., in its action in asking for preference in the State Public Service of Queensland, and in all State Government contracts, and that our member (Mr. T. Nimmo, M.I.A.) be urged to support us.’ By 1932 the debt on the building was greatly reduced with Eric arranging a social dance and musical numbers as a compliment to the Ladies Auxiliary for their fundraising. The hall was decorated with Union Jacks and coloured streamers in shades of maroon and blue.
In later years, Eric also became proficient at golf. He died on the 18th April 1976, aged 75 years.

Submitted by Kaye Lee (Grand daughter of Florrie Blanche Cummings (Retallack)