The town of Avoca in central Victoria, Australia was founded on gold. When the gold ran out its economy relied on agriculture. Many of the miners who rushed the area in the 1850s and early 1860s settled and took up land. The big pastoral runs from before the rushes were broken up for closer settlement. When World War I began, the residents of Avoca were second or third generation Australians who nevertheless firmly saw themselves as British [because they were British!].
On 19 August 1914 the Ballarat Courier reported that eight men had volunteered from Avoca. This group included Lieutenant Gus Ebeling and M. Rafferty both of whom had fought in the Boer War. The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser had more details about the recruitment.
Matthew Rafferty and Gus Ebeling had both served with the 5th Mounted Rifles Contingent during the Boer War. In August 1914 Matthew Rafferty was a 36 year old farmer from Elmhurst and Gus Ebeling was a 43 year old farmer from near Avoca.
Others who enlisted from Avoca in August 1914 were
- Dave Summers, a 21 year old labourer;
- William Henry French, a 30 year old miner
- Reginald Campbell Johnson, a 19 year old farrier
- Alfred Charles Golder, a 28 year old telegraph operator
- Arthur Joseph Summerfield, a 21 year old grocer from Moonambel
- Isaac Oswald Webster, a 26 year old policeman born in Elmhurst who enlisted in Melbourne
- Charles Jonathon Willmott, a 26 year old grocer who enlisted in Shepparton. Willmott was born at Avoca. His next of kin was his father who lived at Avoca. Charles Willmott was killed in action at the Gallipoli landing on 25 April 1915.
Post first published https://avocaww1.blogspot.com/2014/08/first-enlistments.html
Arthur Summerfield was a first day lander at Gallipoli, also was at all the major battles on the western front. He enlisted as a Private and attained the rank of Sergeant. He was my Grandfathers brother. Regards Sharyn Wells (Summerfield)