Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Dora Caroline (Dora) Cummings
Caroline or Dora as she was usually called, was the fourth girl and youngest child of Frederick and Anna Cummings of Belalie North in South Australia. She was born on the 17th of March, 1916 just over eight years after her oldest sister, Elsie Grace. Sadly, the third daughter, Dorothy Anna who was born at the end of April 1914 survived only for a few weeks.
As was common in country areas, Dora’s parents were particularly active in the community. Her father was a Councillor in Bellalie, being Chairman over several years. Her mother Anna believed strongly in the benefit of active, continuous attendance at school and to this end donated a yearly prize for students who had attended school each day. Not surprisingly, Dora was a very capable student; at the Jamestown High School Speech night in 1929 she was announced as being 5th in her intermediate class. In the following year she was involved in the presentation of a play called ‘The Wolfman’ based on the tale of Red Riding Hood, where Dora had the role of the mother. She also gained a certificate for Grade II Domestic Arts and was also listed as a First-year student who had distinguished herself, coming 4th in her year group. Dora successfully passed her Intermediate Exam in English, Latin, Art, Maths and Physics. At the 1938 Belalie Agricultural Society her artistic skills earned her prizes for art work, painting and needle work.
Her mother, Anna was also active in the Belalie Red Cross as Chairman for three years, in which time Dora also was Secretary. Over these years, the Association raised considerable monies for the Prisoners Of War funds through Baby and “Miss Red Cross” competitions, fashion parades, baking cakes, sweets and jams which found ready sale at entertainments and monthly trading tables. Entertainments in the hall, gala days, dances and a paddy's market in the street at Jamestown also contributed to fund-raising efforts. Additionally, card evenings and social afternoons in private homes were held, as well as knitting in one year, 92 articles, consisting of socks, gloves, cardigans, dusters and handkerchiefs. The amount raised in 1943 was £342 6/10. (0ver $684.00). Anna Cummings reminded the group that “The war clouds have lifted a little, but peace is a long way off; we must still carry on. Even then our Red Cross work must go on, so I ask each one of you to help in any way possible to make our Red Cross Branch a worthy one.”
Both Dora and Anna were also active in the Belalie Methodist Guild, especially in the annual fete. Dora’s acting skills continued to be consistently on offer as with the Annual Fête for the Belalie Methodist Guild where she performed as a servant girl with her cousin, Ivy Cummings in "Entertaining the Policemen." Similarly, at the Guild’s 19th birthday Dora coordinated a programme of musical items and competitions, to which she contributed a singing item. At the local Friday evening Young People's Club Dora again was involved in acting with her cousin, Ivy in one of two plays called "Interviewing Servant Girls". In the Red Cross Junior Contest concert, Dora again provided an item, contributing to raising £251/17/7 (over $520). She also assisted on a strawberries and cream stall for the Guild, while her mother was on the cake stall and sister Alma on the sweet stall. (Other relatives were on Cool Drinks, Supper and did Door duties – a real extended family involvement.) Dora was obviously also a skilled cook, having her recipe for Berlin Buns published in the local paper.

Aged 15, Dora helped her parents celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary by accompanying her two older sisters, Elsie and Alma with a musical program at the evening celebrations and with decorating the tables with Iceland poppies. The following year (1932) Dora’s oldest sister, Elsie married John Smart with Dora being the organist and playing The Wedding March for the young couple. Dora appreciated travelling from her mid-north home; enjoying a three-week holiday in 1938 in the bustling city of Sydney to witness some of the 150th Anniversary celebrations.
Then in 1940, aged 24 Dora was bridesmaid for her other sister, Alma, wearing a hyacinth blue outfit.
Conditions were not always supportive of local farmers. Dora witnessed the devastation of the grasshopper plague of 1934 which affected the green crops necessary for stock and the barley crops but the locals were resilient. In January of 1942 Dora’s cousin, Frederick (SN S50348) enlisted at Torrens Hall, putting his age down by a year to 35. By June of 1944 Dora Caroline (Sn SF113434) had joined the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), enlisting at Wayville. She named her father, Frederick as her next of kin. This inevitably meant that she had to resign from her position with the Belalie North Red Cross Branch where she had so efficiently undertaken the role of secretary for three years. The Belalie Cheer Up group held a social to farewell her. Patriotically, the evening commenced with the singing of National Anthem and the Song of Australia. Dora’s relatives (William Cummings and Gladys Napper) then provided piano and violin accompaniment for community singing. The Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier reported that the chairman “invited the guest on to the platform. Eulogistic speeches were made by Mr. Eckert (RSL), Rev. Harper (Methodist Church), and Mr. A. M. Warner (Young People & Tennis Club). The Chairman spoke for the residents of the district and on their behalf presented the guest with a brush set. Mrs. Eckert presented a parcel of comforts from the Cheer Up and Mrs. Harper made a presentation on behalf of the Methodist Ladies Guild. The evening closed with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.”
Dora rose to become a Corporal. In July, 1946 her home town held a public "High Tea" as a final Welcome Home to the Belalie members of the fighting forces. At the "farewells" in preceding years, mention was made that those would be nothing compared with the "Welcome Back" which awaited those who served. This proved be no idle boast. The local paper reported that “The tea provided was a repast fit for any Royal banquet. The table decorations alone were enough to whet the appetite of even the most fastidious eater. Then followed the presentation of certificates and a novel Roll Call.” These included Dora and her cousin, Roy. A framed Certificate of Honor and a wallet was presented to the men and a Certificate and compact to the women. Then at 9 p.m., as a mark of respect to fallen comrades, two minutes' silence was observed followed by the "Ode of Remembrance." The roof was then lifted by the gathering singing "For they are jolly good fellows," followed by dancing until midnight to piano and drum music with William Cummings on the violin. Dora was finally discharged from the AWAS on the 11th September 1946.
Within a month she married ex-AIF Joseph Hugh Walsh on the 12th of October at the Gregory Street Methodist Church, Mackay. North Queensland. The young couple lived in Mackay and were able to welcome their first daughter in September of 1947 but sadly their premature twin girls, who were born on December 29th the next year, only survived for three days.
Tribute researched and submitted by Kaye Lee, grand-daughter of Stan Cummings.