*Memorial Way No.1

The first of our postings on Memorial Way has been contributed by FFFAIF member Ray Hudson and features The Cooks Hill Memorial at Bar Beach Newcastle (NSW).

The Cooks Hill Memorial was erected before the end of 1917 at Bar Beach, Newcastle (NSW) by the local Lifesaving Club.

As can be seen from the pictures the names of the fallen from 1916 and 1917 are engraved on the front of the monument while the names from 1918 are placed on one side, seemingly as an afterthought.

In line with the FFFAIF philosophy that there is a human story behind every name on every memorial let us look at just one name – Sergant. E.G. Curley.

Edward Curley enlisted in May 1915, aged 29, married, with one young son. He was twice wounded before ultimately being promoted to Sergeant within the 13th Battalion on 4th August 1918. Only four days later he was killed in action east of Villers Brettoneux on the first day of the continued attacks that led to the defeat of the German army. He is buried in Heath Cemetery near Harbonnieres.

Back home in the immediately following years another tragic little personal story was played out with a tug-of-war in relation to the ownership of Sergt. Curley’s service medals. His marriage had broken up four years prior to his enlistment and both his widow and his obviously grieving parents claimed the right to hold the medals in trust for the now twelve years old son. The military authorities were forced to deal with the bitter correspondence from both parties. The final decision was in favour of the father, being the declared executor of Sgt. Curley’s will and the named next-of-kin at the time of enlistment.

Edward Curley features in the Australian War Memorial collection in a photo taken of the NCOs of the 13^th Battalion at Neuve Eglie, Belgium on 12 March 1918.

Photo: 13^th Battalion NCOs – Sgt Curley is in third row; 13^th from the left [AWM E01727]

Members and ‘visitors’ are invited to contribute to Memorial Way. If you are interested in making a contribution please contact us at: projectfffaif@yahoo.com.au .

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

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 FFFAIF supports the inscription of “FROMELLES” on National and State Memorials