The painstaking research by Major General Michael O'Brien shows that nearly 800 service men and women who service in the Great War 1914-18 had some sort of connection with East Melbourne - they lived here, or their next of kin did, or they worked here, etc.
A group of us are working away to uncover the stories behind as many of them as possible: their backgrounds, their East Melbourne association, their war service, and what they did after the war.
It is quite an undertaking and to invoke a cliche, 'many hands make light work.'
I volunteered to 'do' the nurses because I have an interest in the Australian Army Nursing Service though more particularly WW2. There are about 30 nurses with an East Melbourne connection, though there were probably a few others who joined services such as the Queen Alexandra Imperial Nursing Service in England. Several on our list became quite famous including Grace Wilson, an extraordinary woman who was Matron-in Chief in the early years of the 1939-45 war when my aunt enlisted.
We have already completed or done quite a lot of research on some and you are welcome to read them. If you know more or have suggestions let us know!
Look up the emhs.org.au entries on Emily Black, Madeline Blundell, Constance Brooks, Catherine Fegan, Stella Priday (who had eloped when she was 15 ... go on, read it!) and Louisa Waller.
And if you would like to help with the 800 names let us know. If you are doing family history (and who isn't?) you can do this!
At a meeting earlier this year, someone expressed interest in researching the indigenous men who served, and that would be great. An historian, Noah Riseman at nearby ACU, has already compiled a list of indigenous servicemen which could be compared with the East Melbourne list, so you don't have to start from scratch.
Cheers
Janet Scarfe