The City of Greater Bendigo has created a website for this year's Anzac Day centenary celebrations. Today we continue a series showcasing the website.
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WILLIAM Hamilton served his king and country during both world wars, as a lance corporal from September 19, 1914, to November 21,1918, with the 9th Light Horse and as a private from August 5, 1941, to October 19, 1945.
William was born on February 21, 1894, at Ivanhoe where his mother was visiting her sister.
His parents, John and Elizabeth Hamilton, nee Anderson, were a farming couple from the Woodstock and Newbridge areas. Three of their sons, Thomas (Service No.1358), William (Service No 419) and James (Service No 3770), enlisted and were all wounded while serving overseas.
William embarked from Melbourne On February 11, 1915, per HMAT Karroo A10. He was aged 21 and a farmer from Newbridge. His father, John Hamilton, of the same address, was his next of kin.
After the Great War, William returned to farming. He married Fanny Mary Doody in 1923 and the couple had five children. For William, life on the land was also fraught with danger.
While carting wheat to the Borung railway station using a wagon drawn by an eight-horse team, he lost control after a passing motor car caused his horses to bolt. Despite being an expert horseman, William was thrown out when his wagon struck a crab-hole and he hit his head. He was taken to Inglewood hospital suffering from shock, a dislocated kneecap, abrasions and concussion.
During World War II, William served as a guard at the German prisoner of war camp Dhuringile at Murchison. Fanny and their children kept the farm at East Shelbourne going.
William passed away on February 17, 1962, and was laid to rest at the Kangaroo Flat cemetery.
Flack, Private Robert John
Private Robert John Flack died in France on August 17, 1916. He is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.
Robert enlisted on July 17, 1915, was issued Service No.3035 and served with the 7th Australian Infantry Battalion.
He was aged 23 and a labourer of Sandhurst, Bendigo. His next of kin was his father, J. Flack, address shown as Mulkland Road, Bendigo.
He had been born in 1892 at White Hills to John and Mary Flack, nee Conway. Private Flack embarked from Melbourne on September 26, 1915, with the 7th Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements per RMS Osterley.
The Bendigonian, Thursday, August 22, 1918:
Family Notices For Freedom's Cause. IN MEMORIAM. FLACK. In loving memory of our dear brother, Private R.J. (Bob) Flack, killed in action somewhere in France, August 17, 1916. Roses may wither, leaves fade and die, If others forget you, never shall we; He sleeps not in his native land, But under foreign skies; Far, far from those who love him, In a hero's grave he lies, R.I.P. Inserted by his loving sisters, Annie, May and Julia.
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