Merri-bek remembers World War I

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Merri-bek remembers World War I

Remembering World War I exhibition

In April 2015 the library service launched an exhibition titled 'Moreland Remembers World War I' which is travelling around Merri-bek's libraries and other community spaces.

This visual exhibition consists of 20 banners outlining Merri-bek's War experience, both on the battlefront and on the home front.

Exhibition banners

If you are unable to visit the exhibition, you can download and view the banners.

If you are unable to view or download PDF files, you can download Moreland Remembers World War I banner text (DOC 76Kb).

Exhibition acknowledgements

The exhibition has been commissioned by Merri-bek City Council.

Funding support towards this project has been provided by the Australian Government Anzac Centenary Local Grant Program.

Support is also acknowledged from the Victorian Government and the Victorian Veterans Council - Anzac Centenary Community Grants.

Moreland City Council gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the following organisations in the development of the exhibition:

Australian War Memorial, Broadmeadows Historical Society, Brunswick Community History Group, Coburg Historical Society, Coburg RSL, Context Pty Ltd, Glenroy RSL, Kartia Designs, Merri-bek Libraries Advisory Committee, Merri-bek Reconciliation Advisory Committee, Merri-bek Turkish Association, National Archives of Australia, National Library of Australia, Pascoe Vale RSL, Public Records Office of Victoria and Koorie Records Unit, State Library of Victoria.

Moreland also gratefully acknowledges the special contribution of the following individuals:

Alan and Elayne Whatman, Anna Kurnuszko, Annette Sax, Associate Professor Clare Wright, Brian Kays, Cemal Akdeniz, Dr Bart Ziino, Dr Cheryl Griffin, Dr Georgia Melville, Dr Helen Doyle, Dr Kirsty Harris, Francesca Folk-Scolaro, Gary Murray and Tyson Lovett-Murray, Godfrey Camenzuli, Joy Elley, Ken White, Kerri Marshall, Laura Donati, Laurie Cunningham, Malcolm McIlvena, Nic Dolby, Paul Freestone, Thomas Parkinson and Tonya Lewis.

World War I resources and research

An overview of World War I is on Wikipedia.

You can read about Australia's role in the war at Australian War Memorial First World War 1914 - 1918 and State Library's Ergo Research Australian in World War One.

Victoria's role in World War I is explained in the History section of Anzac Centenary.

Many books on World War I will be located at 940 in the library. Specific aspects of the war will be located at different shelf locations.

You can search for books and DVDs about World War I in the library's catalogue. Type the following terms in the search box and select 'Subjects' from the Index menu.

World War, 1914 - 1918
World War, 1914 - 1918 - Australia
World War, 1914 -1918 - social aspects - Australia
World War, 1914 - 1918 - campaigns - Turkey - Gallipoli peninsula
World War, 1914 - 1918 - campaigns - Western Front
World War, 1914 - 1918 - fiction
World War, 1914 - 1918 - poetry
For junior material, add ‘juvenile literature’ in the subject search. You can also reduce the list of results in the 'Refine results menu' by format eg DVD or collection eg Junior non fiction.

Library members can also search Encyclopedia Britannica online, either at the library or at home. Enter your library card when prompted.

You can find articles in magazines and newspapers about World War I in resources on the eLibrary.

The 12-volume Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 - 1918 by Charles Bean published in the 1940s is available on the Australian War Memorial website.

Local resources

Local historian Paul Freestone has provided a copy of his new book ‘His was the call’ (PDF 4Mb)
'From Brunswick to the Dardenelles' in 'Brunswick, One History, Many Voices', Chapter 17.
Almost Pretty: a history of Sydney Road by Laura Donati, chapter 6 'Lest we forget'.
'Our Anzacs - a scrapbook of Brunswick in the Great War' is available on the Local History catalogue.
'The Hungry 72: the larrikin push during the First World War' by Paul Freestone is available on the Local History catalogue.
'Coburg between two creeks' by Richard Broome, pages 191 - 198.
Fighting the Kaiser: Coburg and the First World War blog by historian Dr Cheryl Griffin.
Brunswick Coburg Anti Conscription Centenary Committee. Includes conference details.
Coburg State School's 'Soldiers Record Book' . A digitised copy has been added to our Local History Database. For more information about the soldiers listed in this resource contact the Coburg Historical Society.
"Broadmeadows: a forgotten history" chapter 6.
The Brunswick and Coburg Leader (1914 - 1918) has been digitised and is available to search on Trove.
A biography of William Symons VC, winner of the Victoria Cross is on the Australian Dictionary of Biography. His profile is also listed on the Australian War Memorial.
You can search the service records of local soldiers on Defense and War Service Records. You can also add family stories and information.
You can also read and add family stories at Anzac Centenary.

Local World War I memorials

Brunswick

Brunswick Town Hall Honour Board
Methodist Church Honour Board
Brunswick Tram Depot Honour Board
Brunswick Primary School Honour Board
Moreland State School Honour Board
Anglican Holy Trinity Church
Brunswick East Primary School Honour Board
VC William John Symons Memorial Tree, Reaburn Reserve

Coburg

Coburg Town Hall - foundation stone
Cenotaph, Bell Street (outside Merri-bek Civic Centre)
Coburg Town Hall Honour Board
Coburg Anglican Holy Trinity Church Honour Board, Book of Remembrance marble tablets, stained glass window, memorial hall, foundation stones, and communion rail
Coburg Lake Avenue of Honour. For more information about soldiers listed at the Avenue, contact the Coburg Historical Society.
Coburg State School Soldiers Book
Coburg State School Plaque
Coburg Baptist Church Honour Board
Coburg Football Club Honour Board, Coburg Historical Society
Coburg Harriers Honour Board, Coburg Historical Society
I.O.R. Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society
A.O.F. (Ancient Order of Foresters) Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society
West Coburg Methodist Church Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society
Coburg Rifle Club Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society
Coburg Church of Christ Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society
Coburg Lacrosse Club Roll of Honour, Coburg Historical Society

Glenroy

Glenroy Cenotaph, outside the Glenroy RSL
Westmeadows Monument, outside the Westmeadows Hall, Raleigh Street

Broadmeadows

Broadmeadows Monument, next to the Broadmeadows Museum, Pearcedale Parade

Pascoe Vale

War Memorial, Rogers Reserve

Researching World War I relatives

Researching Australians in the Great War
A series of videos from the Shrine of Remembrance.

Discovering Anzacs project
Aims to provide information about every Australian and New Zealand soldier who enlisted during World War I. Please note: This website has been decomissioned. An archived version is available. National Archives of Australia are exploring other ways to make this information available.

World War 1 - researching soldiers guide
State Library of Victoria guide to resources.

Family member, friend, or relative search
Australian War Memorial guide to resources.

Researching Defence Service records
National Archives of Australia guide to resources.

Office of Australian War Graves
Provides places to search for war graves information.

Indigenous Australians at War
Excellent list of links and stories, including World War I information.

You can also use Ancestry Library Edition at any Merri-bek City Library service point.