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IN the past century, bushfires have destroyed historical knowledge and memorabilia of Callignee and district World War I veterans, but plans are underway to record them forever.
A committee of eager historians from the district rallied to review more than 40,000 war records and have received funding for a plaque, flagpole and garden to be instated at Callignee Hall.
In a bid to locate as many names of soldiers from the area as possible, the committee researched land-owners from the district around the time of WWI and scoured war records of those with the same or similar names.
“It was quite a task, but I think it’s something that was worthwhile because we do need to know where we’ve come from,” committee member Stuart Strachan said.
“It’s these guys who made Callignee what it is; it’s not the people of today, it’s these guys who have set the character of the district.”
Mr Strachan said previous memorabilia had been destroyed, including a machine gun in 1921, which served as a war trophy.
“Callignee has been devastated by fire probably on average every 20 years, it just gets wiped out,” Mr Strachan said.
“The hall was destroyed in either 1939 or 1944 and again in 2009 and so it goes on. There was nothing included in the hall when it was rebuilt and this is an important part of the history.”
The plaque will soon be made. Anyone with names they think should be added should email Stuart Strachan at tsda@netspace.net.au
