Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Peter Matthew Larsen was born on the family farm “Woodbine” in 1888, located in the Mitta Valley, between Eskdale and Mitta Mitta. Peter was the fourth child of Lars and Emily Larsen. Lars had come to Australia from Denmark with three brothers, in search of gold. After his attempts to strike it rich proved unsuccessful, Lars selected a property on the fertile river flats of the Mitta Valley where he and his second wife Emily raised a family of twelve children.

Peter was one of three brothers who enlisted during WW 1. Oldest brother Jim was wounded at Gallipoli in May 1915 while younger brother George spent three years on the Western front and miraculously came through unscathed.

Peter enlisted on the 12^th of June 1916 at the age of 28 years and six months. He trained as a field artillery gunner at Maribyrnong and joined the 1^st Divisional Ammunition Column, embarking on HMAT Hororata on the 23^rd of November 1916. He disembarked at Plymouth, England on the 17^th of January 1917. The cold English winter may have disagreed with him as he was admitted for several spells in hospital suffering from “rheumatism” before being deemed unfit for service and returned to Australia in July 1917, arriving home in October.

Peter married Dorothy Clarice Matheson in 1924 and worked for many years as a dairy and stock inspector for the Dept. of Agriculture. His job took him to a number of locations including Boort, Maffra and eventually Sale where they lived in York St. Later he worked as a stock and station agent for the Gippsland and Northern Company. Peter enjoyed a reputation as a fine horseman and maintained a keen interest in racing, breeding and showing horses throughout his life. He was still riding in his late 70s.

Peter passed away in 1970 at the age of 82.