By KATH GANNAWAY
EIGHTEEN trees in an Avenue of Honour at Wesburn represent the young men from that district who never reached ‘old growth’.
One hundred and one years on, descendants of the 18 men who died on the battle fields of WWI gathered on Anzac Day (25 April, 2016) for the official opening of the Wesburn section of the Century of Anzac Avenue of Honour Project.
The first section was planted last April honouring 34 Yarra Junction soldiers and there are plans to continue the project, a partnership between Upper Yarra RSL and Yarra Ranges Council, at Millgrove and Warburton.
It was a simple but emotion-filled ceremony, set against the autumn colour of the old Wesburn railway station platform which would have been so familiar to the soldiers and their families.
Plaques commemorate John Brady, Arthur A. Buller, Archibald E. Buller, John A. Buller, Charles E. Buller, Archibald S. Dick, John Dick, Francis G. Gilbee, Frederick Grainger, Ronald S. Hansen, Henry R. Herrod, Pryce Jewell, Joshua Johnson, Desmond M. Morris, William J. Morris, Richard H. Scully, Allan C. Stone and William H. N. Wear.
Cr Jim Child spoke on behalf of the council and reflected on what the loss meant to the small community.
“It’s just so sad to think that 100 years ago we as a civilization nearly wiped out a whole generation of our young men,” he said.
“You look at these names, and look at their ages and the majority are in their twenties.
“It’s just horrendous to see these names, and the names that are repeated … the name Buller just jumps out at you because it’s there so many times.”
The Avenue of Honour, he said, was a great local partnership of Yarra Ranges Council and Upper Yarra RSL with the tree guards made from local bush timbers, milled locally and put together locally by RSL and Upper Yarra Museum volunteers.
“This is what we have to remember those fallen for generations to come,” he said.
Shane Crowley, a descendent of the Morris brothers’ family reflected on the impact the death of the two boys, within weeks of each other in Belgium, had on their mother, and their siblings.
He mentioned other families on the list of 18 and, overcome with emotion, paused as he recalled what it would have been like for the Wesburn community.
“This is a great spot for this memorial … this was really the setting where the steam train pulled in and probably the spot where families waved goodbye,” he said.
“All the family would have been here and waved them away; it was a terrible, terrible loss when the boys died.”
He spoke of the little post office in the town and said the locals dreaded receiving the telegram that came to so many of them – some of them more than once.
He said when he looked at his grandson, descended from Desmond and William’s sisters, he was touched by the tragedy that they weren’t able to have a family of their own.
“They went to that war to fight for us and we can be forever grateful,” he said.
Peter Buller, spoke on behalf of the family, and he too was overcome with emotion.
“They were farewelled from here … and never came back,” he said.
The 18 red spotted gum eucalyptus trees will ultimately shade the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail and serve as a reminder of the local boys, and all, who gave their lives in WWI.
Acknowledging the people who have worked together to create the Avenue of Honour, Mr Buller said: “You have done a good job”.
