By ALANA MITCHELSON
THE CARDINIA community has received a $2000 state grant to commemorate the centenary of the beginning of the Western Front campaign.
Member for Eastern Victoria Region Daniel Mulino said the funding would help Cardinia community groups launch projects that honoured the important chapter in Australia’s military history.
“The Western Front was one of the darkest periods of World War I. It touched so many thousands of Victorians,” Mr Mulino said.
“We’re proud of our wartime legacy in Cardinia. This is an opportunity for locals to share their own personal connections.
“Our servicemen and women gave us a great gift. It’s our duty to protect their legacy for future generations to cherish.”
A new web app I Will Remember will also give residents the opportunity to share photos connecting themselves to their relatives who served during World War I; be it on the frontline, nursing the wounded or those working on the home-front to support the war effort.
Pakenham resident Carol Kelly has already shared a photograph of her paternal grandfather Albert Francis Nye (No. 5887). He was 26 years old when he enlisted on 24 March, 1916, and his ship sailed on 2 October that year.
Mr Nye began training with the 24th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements and kept a diary during the voyage.
The men disembarked at Plymouth in November 1916. After training at Lark Hill camp the battalion was sent to France and fought in the successful but costly second battle of Bullecourt.
Mr Nye was wounded and fell ill a number of times during his service. He returned home in January 1919 and was married with four children, and later became a grandfather.
Mr Mulino said the I Will Remember portal would highlight stories of the community’s war effort and preserve their legacy for future generations. A commemorative poster featuring a mosaic of the first 400 submissions to the web app will be produced.
Submissions will be open until 30 November and will be displayed in an online gallery.
For more information, visit anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au/IWillRemember.
