War Trophies
The following, from a Gippsland Times report of the Maffra Shire Council meeting of 3 June 1920, is reproduced totally without comment,.
A letter was received from the Victorian State Trophy Committee. re distribution of war trophies. Boisdale to receive one machine gun; Maffra, one machine gun; Glenmaggie, one machine gun; Heyfield, one machine gun.
Cr. M'Adam said it was ridiculous allotting a machine gun to Maffra, considering the number of recruits that went from here. With one other place they were the only town in Victoria to send three platoons to the war. They should have something more than a machine gun to place in front of the Shire Hall. He moved that the Federal member be written to in the matter.
Cr. Chester seconded the motion, which was carried.
Cr. Tulloch: The smaller towns would gladly accept a machine gun each.
Cr. Noble: Can we get a rifle for Bushy Park?
A letter was received from the Victorian State Trophy Committee. re distribution of war trophies. Boisdale to receive one machine gun; Maffra, one machine gun; Glenmaggie, one machine gun; Heyfield, one machine gun.
Cr. M'Adam said it was ridiculous allotting a machine gun to Maffra, considering the number of recruits that went from here. With one other place they were the only town in Victoria to send three platoons to the war. They should have something more than a machine gun to place in front of the Shire Hall. He moved that the Federal member be written to in the matter.
Cr. Chester seconded the motion, which was carried.
Cr. Tulloch: The smaller towns would gladly accept a machine gun each.
Cr. Noble: Can we get a rifle for Bushy Park?
posted by Linda | 10:50 PM
2 Comments:
I presume that these "trophies" were for communities to display with thier local war memorials. Kilmore received a cannon. But apparently it was sent for scraping in the 1950s. I wonder if "trophies" were distributed along with their stories, battles involved in etc. I also wonder how the mothers of soldiers who did not return felt about having these "souviners of war" displayed in their local communities.
Hi Liz,
I see they did not offer one to Briagolong. I was always amused to see in the minutes of that hall that the proprietor of the movies shown there sought permission "to mount a machine gun in the hall". I assume it was a souvenir (and I think it was after WWII), but a little bit of me wondered if the audience was THAT unruly.
Even in recent years (ie 1980s) there was still one (or two) on the walls in the hall at Bullumwaal.
But yes - you wonder if the dominant patriotism quite covered what must have been the agony of wives and mothers who really didn't have permission to mourn.
Post a Comment
<< Home