Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Casten Erichsen emigrated from Norway via London to Queensland in the year 1900 with his brother, John Birger Erichsen. In 1907 Carsen married Carolina Hansen-Christiansen at ”Stanhope” the Christiansen family home on Wellers Rd, Wooroolin. They had 6 children – Conrad, Esther, Roy, Irene, Wilfred and Keith.
Carsten Erichsen died young, just 46 years old, in 1926 and is buried at Tingoora Cemetery. Afbout the time of the death of her husband Caroline Erichsen, known as Carry, moved to a home in Andrew Street Wooroolin.
The Wooroolin WW11 Honour Board names at least 5 people directly related to Carry Erichsen – sons: Roy, Wilf & Keith, Son in Law: Bill Mackay & nephew: Charles Christiansen!
Wilfred Stanley Erichsen, known as Wilf, born 22 Apr 1916 at Wooroolin. He was enrolled at Wooroolin School as pupil no 609 in 1926.
After he left school Wilf trained as a Motor Mechanic, probably with Alf Stumer before setting up his own Independent Service Station on the site where the first Wooroolin School was built. The Wooroolin Machinery Centre is now based there.
On 30 May 1941, aged 27 years, Wilf joined the Australian Army, Service No QX43083, and served in the New Guinea Line of Communications Area Ordnance Workshop. His records show he was 5ft 10ins tall. A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Mechanics, like Wilf, played an important role during the war; they were the ones who helped repair the machinery such as land vehicles, aircrafts, ships and submarines. Wilf was promoted to Corporal in Oct 1942 and remained in New Guinea until Sep 1944 (with a couple of short leave breaks). He was discharged on 29 Sep 1945 at Redbank and returned to Wooroolin.
Wilf married Eunice Joyce in Jan 1945 and they lived in Andrew Street (R3 on my Andrew Street table.) With Thanks to Glady Hood we have a photo of receipts from Wilfs Garage during the 1940’s. The receipts were saved records from the estate of Stan Marshall. In 1946 Wilf was advertising to sell some garage equipment and I think he sold his business around then and worked in Kingaroy but lived in Wooroolin His daughters Joy and Wendy were enrolled at Wooroolin School as pupil numbers 1097 and 1143. Wilf and his family lived at Wooroolin until about 1960 per electoral rolls when he moved to Kingaroy.
Wilf died in 1976 and is buried at Taabinga Cemetery. His wife lived until 2016, aged 93.
Lest We Forget