The sons and daughters of Beaudesert and surrounding districts proudly volunteered and marched to war in both the 1914-1919, and the 1939-1945 conflicts. Local men and women served in Gallipoli and France during WWI, or in the Pacific, Africa and South East Asia during WWII. They were not forgotten by those who stayed at home. High profile efforts like the support for the Commonwealth War Loans which raised £51,890 to support the government, are well documented.
It is the countless other behind the scenes activities that we remember every ANZAC Day. The Beaudesert Branch of the Red Cross was formed in August 1914, coinciding with the outbreak of war in Europe. Donations of funds and items designed to make the life of soldiers easier were channelled through the head office in Brisbane. The Beaudesert Branch held many fundraisers and provided strong support to the organisation. Any funds donated were of great value. The Australian Comforts Fund also provided a platform for donations.
The late Ailsa Rolley wrote about the boys-on-bikes. The boys aged from 14-18 were recruited to act as assistants to the volunteer firemen during possible air raids. Their duty was to ride around the town to ensure that no incendiary devices were ever used to devastate the town. Fortunately, Beaudesert was never subject to foreign attack.
Many local men also served as members of the Volunteer Defence Corps during World War II. The VDC was partly made up of men who had served in WWI, but were now too old to see active service, and were trained in guerrilla tactics in the event of a land invasion of Australia. It also included men who had not joined up because they were in reserved occupations.
Congratulations, Beaudesert.
