Mount Waverley Avenue of Honour

Planted: 20 July 1918

Location: Spanned both sides of High Street Road. The southern portion of the

original planting remains between Fleet Street and Baringa Street.

Trees: Portuguese Oak (Quercus fagineai)

MOUNT WAVERLEY AVENUE OF HONOR. TO BE PLANTED THIS AFTERNOON.

All roads should lead to High street, Mt Waverley, this afternoon (Saturday, 20th inst), when an avenue of honor to the soldiers who have enlisted from the North Riding Shire of Mulgrave, will be planted; commencing at 2 o'clock sharp. Capt. S. M. Bruce, M.C, member for the district in the House of Representatives, will speak in the Horticultural Hall at 2.30pm. No formal invitations have been issued and everyone is invited to attend.

MOUNT WAVERLEY AVENUE OF HONOR. A NOTABLE EVENT. KEEPING GREEN MEMORIES OF SOLDIERS

Fine weather favored last Saturday afternoon the planting in High Street, Mount Waverley, of an Avenue of Honor to the soldiers who had enlisted from the North Riding of the Shire of Mulgrave. There was a large gathering of parents and friends, and the school children, each carrying a small flag, added color to the scene both young and old taking an evident deep interest in the proceedings.

A line of flags across the road at the end of the cutting marked the head of the Avenue, the trees being planted on either side beyond the Fruitgrowers Hall. Outside the hall a platform was erected, from which interesting and inspiring addresses were delivered. Cr. C. H. Coleman (President of the Shire), after briefly referring to the trees planted as memorials of those who had gone to fight the battles of Australia and the Empire, introduced Capt. S. M. Bruce, M.C., M.H.R., for Flinders, who had won distinction on the field. Capt Bruce, who received a very hearty welcome, said he wished to speak as one of the comrades of the men whom they had met to do honor to by planting an avenue of trees, keeping them ever in memory: “We recognise that they were men out to play a man's part for this country, that it and all who live in it might be free. Some say it is a terrible thing that they were born in this generation of the world's conflagration. It is a terrible, but, at the same time, a wonderful thing, for it has created within us a new spirit, the spirit of sacrifice, exemplified by the fact that nearly 400,000 soldiers have gone forth from our midst, and have done their part and done it well showing that we are a virile nation. They had the heart and the spirit to be men, and had risen in this hour of the nation's need and proved that they are men gallant gentlemen.” (Applause.) “We desire the same spirit of patriotism to arise in this land, which we are realising in greater measure than in the past. There are few of us, after four years of war, that are not the better, and it rests with each one to realise the spirit of comradeship, unity and nationhood, making us more worthy of those noble forefathers who bequeathed us this great country. The war has looked black, but now they could see a rift in the cloud (applause) owing to the deeds of that heroic and joyous nation, the French. We believe our cause to be just, and that the other side shows signs of crumbling; but we must stand by our Allies until freedom is victorious over slavery, and democracy over autocracy. There will be a terrific offensive to try and overwhelm the Channel ports, but we can trust our men. To those who had lost loved ones in this war we would say, "This is not an occasion for sorrow, but for rejoicing." Those who have gone proved themselves men, and died most gloriously. He had seen them die, with faces of comfort and cheer. They had died that others dear to them might live in peace and safety, and only one shadow flitted through their hearts—that those in the homeland would mourn for them. But for that every one of the soldiers would have gone out without a cloud on the horizon. Their deaths have achieved for us great things if we will only learn them.” (Applause.)

Mr. F. Groves, M.L.A., said: “it gave him great pleasure to accept the kind invitation of the committee to be present and take part in the raising of a memorial to our boys. He hoped the trees would be carefully tended, so that the boys, when they come back, will see what is thought of them for the sacrifices they have made. It is the least we can do for them. The name of Anzac rings through the world, and we are proud of our boys and the great work they have done. We have got to stand by these lads, some of whom have been fighting for three years, and in Flinders we are resolved that, whatever comes or goes, these returned soldiers will be assisted as far as possible.” (Applause)

Cr. F. W. Vear (Mayor of Camberwell) said: “It was a pleasure to be present and take part in the day's event. They should show by their actions that the boys at the front have their heartiest support, and to him it seemed most fitting that oak trees had been planted-hearts of oak being shown by the way our boys have conducted themselves as soldiers of a great Empire, and that they are true to its traditions. The war has brought about a change in many. Formerly our lives consisted mainly in what we could make, enhancing our financial position; but today it is what we can give, realising that true citizenship does not consist in concentrating on ourselves, but in giving and doing for the good of others.” (Applause)

Cr. W. H. Hunt (Mayor of Oakleigh), in moving a vote of thanks of Capt. Bruce, paid a high tribute of praise to the Australian soldiers, stating that in three years they had made a nation-work that had taken other nations three centuries to make. He concluded with a feeling reference to those who had fallen, quoting the words of Longfellow:

"He is not dead—the child of our affection— But gone into that school Where he no longer needs our poor protection, And Christ himself doth rule; In that great cloister's stillness and seclusion, By guardian angels led, Safe from temptation, safe from sin's pollution, He lives, whom we call dead."

The President then read a telegram, setting forth success gained by the French-American advance, which evoked hearty cheers. The Rev. F. H. T. Hentje, in seconding the vote of thanks, said he had always felt, as an Australian, the absence of inspiring memorials, such as they had in the homeland. But in planting an avenue of honor, they created a living and growing memorial of the deeds of their sons, which would last for generations of their children and children's children. The motion was carried with acclamation, and Capt. Bruce briefly responded. The school children sang patriotic songs, and the function concluded with the serving of afternoon tea by the ladies. Mr. A. Lechte acted as secretary to the committee.

The President of the Red Cross and Patriotic Society thanks the young ladies who so kindly and ably served the afternoon tea; also all those who so generously donated goods for the two kiosks, thereby adding £14 to the fund for Xmas boxes for the men in the field and trenches.

1 Dr. J. L. Lechte

*2 Pte. J. Alcock

3 Pte. A. J. Lechte

*4 Gnr. S. Hore

5 Pte. D. W. Lechte

6 Sgt. H. R. Hore

* 7 Pte. T. E. Dover

8 Pte. A. J. Moore

9 Pte. W. Watt

10 Pte. C. Cornell

11 Sgt. P. F. Muir.

12 Pte. E. Cornell.

13 Cpl. J. H. Brewer

14 Pte. L. R. Duntze

15 Pte. B. S. Cox

16 Dvr. A. H. Greenham

17 Pte. E. Dyer

18 Pte. K. C. Bennington

19 Pte. G. Sims

*20 Pte. E. T. Bennett

21 Pte. N. A. Hunter

22 Pte. G. McK. Anderson

23 Pte. R. B. Smith.

24 Dvr. W. White.

25 Gnr. R. Cutting

*26 Pte. W. F. Crow

27 Pte. P. Moylan

28 Pte. J. G. Turner

29 Gnr. T. R. Glennon

30 Pte. R. R. Robins

31 Cpl. J. H. Evans

32 Pte. E. J. Robbins

33 Pte. E. Evans.

34 Pte. R. Cornell

35 Pte. K. Evans

36 Bmbr. E. Ajani

37 Gnr. A. V. Ajani

38 Pte. M. Ajani.

*Those marked with an asterisk have made the supreme sacrifice.