NEWS

 

CHANGE OF HOURSPlease note - Monday Opening Hours until further notice will be 

9.30 am to 1 pm.  Sorry for the inconvenience. Irma Deas President. 15 April 2023

 

The Society's Photographic Collection has been updated,  by member Kim Mensforth, and many of them are unknown. Please come and perhaps you may be able to identify an ancestor of yours, and make us all happy.  


 

Now available on USB  -

"FROM RAIL TO WAR" Queensland Government Railways Employees who enlisted in the Great War 1914 – 1918 & The Anglo Boer War 1899 – 1902.

Also included are the Munition Workers, from the Rockhampton and Ipswich Railway Workshops, and those who sailed to the United Kingdom and worked in the Munition Factories to help with the war effort, and the men who reported for Garrison Duty on Thursday Island 1914 – 1918, the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Forces. [AN&MEF] 

Extract from the Foreword written by the Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Rail Mr Nick Easy 2018, for this publication: “This project is the first of its kind to provide an accurate insight into the Queensland Railway enlistments during the Great War. This information will be an invaluable legacy to our organization’s rich history, but  in recognizing the sacrifices of the railway workers throughout this challenging time in history, especially for their families who live on today.”

    • The information comes from the National Archives of Australia and the AIF Project for the Defense Records, and the Railway Staff History Cards, Railway Station Honour Boards, the Ipswich Workshops Memorial, Railway Commissioner’s Reports and the Queensland Government Gazettes for the Queensland Government Railways records. Newspaper articles on TROVE revealed the names of a number of men being given “a farewell when leaving for the Front’ and no other information was found. The publication of 452 pages with almost 3,000 records, [only available on USB], contains information of interest to those researching  family members and  it would also be helpful to researchers of Railway and Military History. This has been a ten year project by a group of four, Mervyn Volker, Steve and Val Trill and Irma Deas.

    • Note that as far as possible all employees who enlisted are recorded; many were not accepted for various reasons – too old, underage, did not pass the fitness test, or wives or parents objected, and there are a number who enlisted under a false name.  Some did not leave Australia, and some deserted. There is a full list of medal recipients, including one Victoria Cross (V.C.) one Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) and one Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George (C.M.G.).  Photographs of Railway Station Honour Boards (on most the names are legible), are of interest.

    • Now available from the Society – "Brigg House" Cooneana Heritage Centre, 1041 Redbank Plains Rd, New Chum Q 4303 email: secretary@igs.org.au
      • Bank details for Direct Deposit: 
      •  Bendigo Bank:    Ipswich Genealogical Society     
      •  BSB  633 000     
      • Account No. 115409641       Cheque or Money Order accepted                                                  
        One USB with over 3,000 entries  - $25.00 + $5 P&P

        [A very limited edition of "From Rail to War" has been printed and a copy is available for viewing at "Brigg House" Cooneana Heritage Centre.]

 

Update 18.10.2023