Keeping their memory alive: Allora honours its WWI soldiers

Guest blogger: Lyn Wright.

In 2015, the Allora and District Historical Society agreed to compile the personal and military histories of the men from the area who died during WWI as a project to commemorate the Anzac 100 year Commemoration. In Keeping their memory alive we included 72 men who had a connection with Allora. Only 47 of these are honoured on the Allora WWI Memorial.

Some were honoured on other memorials but some may have been forgotten had the research team of the Historical Society not spent many hours of painstaking research to tell their stories.

We received valuable assistance from other Historical Societies throughout Queensland and from families we were able to contact. Our comprehensive family files were another source of information.

Newspaper clippings taken from the Allora Guardian newspaper revealed the pride of the people when Allora men enlisted. Their ‘send off and presentation’ nights were recorded and reported on. Reports about the health or death of a soldier supplied by family gave valuable information. Some letters from the servicemen were even printed in the local newspaper.

The military history of the servicemen was researched through the Discovering Anzacs website although one name, W.Moss, on the Allora WWI Memorial could not be found. He remains a mystery today.

The compiling and printing of Keeping their memory alive was made possible with funding received through a Queensland Anzac Community Grant.