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Burra and District displayed great patriotism to the "mother country" during the Great War.  According to the "Back to Burra" Official Souvenir Programme of October 24th to  31st, 1925:

 "...a perusal of the records reveals a spirit of extraordinary devotion to the King and Empire.  When the call came from the Old Land for men to offer themselves for the field of battle, the response was immediate and eager."

This is shown clearly as seen in the following minute by the Town Council, which was recorded on August 17, 1914:

"That this Council places on record its loyalty and warm devotion to the King and Empire on the present grave crisis in Europe, and pledges itself to do all in its power to assist in every way possible, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to His Excellency the Governor."

Before the month had ended, a Town and District Patriotic Fund was inaugurated, and at the first meeting £140 was raised.  Following hard upon that, a sub-branch of the British Red Cross Society, with the Mayoress (Mrs E.W. Crewes) as President, was formed, and it contribution to the Fund was over £2,000.

The men of the towns and district also sprang to answer the call and a Light Horse Contingent consisting of 17 men and officers was organised, and these, with three infantrymen, were farewelled on September 4, just one month after the declaration of war.  In a little more than a year, according to the Mayor's report, the Burra had sent 220 men, two chaplains, five nurses, and two doctors to the front, and had subscribed £13,968.

Burra and District War facts according to the aforementioned publication:-

• 600 men were sent to the front (including those who joined the Light Horse Contingent), along with;

• 17 nurses;

• four chaplains;

• three doctors;

• Amount subscribed to the various war funds was £60,000;

• Amount subscribed to War and Peace Loans was £156,000;

• Burra also presented to the Military Department four ambulance motors costing approximately £2,000.

• Thousands of gifts were sent to the men at the front and given to the men on their return

The above generosity was viewed as a record for a district with the population of Burra.

Societies

As indicated earlier, various societies were formed during this period.  These included:-

• a sub-branch of the British Red Cross Society

• the Cheer-Up Society (see below for more information)

• Burra Cheer-Up Ladies' Band (sub-group of the Cheer-Up Society)

• a Soldiers' Aid Society.  The function of this group was very similar to the Cheer-Up Society and it is said that they, "...did splendid work for the men, and in collecting funds." (Back to Burra" Official Souvenir Programme of October 24th to  31st, 1925)

Peace in Burra!

When the news reached Burra on Monday evening about 9:30 that Germany had signed the armistice, that hostilities had ceased and that, practically, peace had come, within a very few minutes the town was seething with excitement.  The first loud-voiced intimation of the glorious news was the ringing of the fire-bell and soon there was a regular pandemonium of noise.  Within a quarter of an hour Market Square was thronged, the Ladies and Men's Band in combination had turned out and the great crowd were silent whilst the National Anthem was being played.  At the call of the Mayor the Doxology was most reverently sung and cheers were given for The Allies, for General Foch, for Our Boys and for The King.  His Worship then made a short speech, followed by Mr Winnall, and after a number of patriotic airs by the bands the celebrations were adjourned until next day, although it was the small hours of the morning before the town had resumed its nightly clam.

On Tuesday a holiday was observed and the town was decorated with innumerable flags.  By 10:30 everybody had assembled in the Square, a platform had been erected and numerous seats provided.  At somebody's very excellent suggestion a procession the like of which had never been seen in Burra before, a procession of nearly a thousand thankful men, women and children. It extended the whole length of Commercial Street from Messrs C.J. Pearce and Sons to Mr E.J. Harris's and was headed by Returned Soldiers, the Mayor and Councillors and Ministers of the town and the combined bands.  Cheer after cheer greeted the returned men and were repeated with redoubled enthusiasm at the call of the Mayor after which Lieut. Phillis made a suitable little speech in acknowledgment.  Then, as was but fit on this greatest day in history, a short service of thanksgiving was held.  After the National Anthem the people, with the Rev. H.H. Hopton leading, reverently united in The Lord's Prayer, following which Mr Hopton read several beautiful collects. 

Extracted from the Burra Record, November 13, 1918

The Hon. W.M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, unveiled the Burra and District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial in Market Square in 1922.  The plaque on the memorial record the names of 102 men from Apoinga, Booborowie, Burra, Hallett, Hanson and Mt Bryan areas who gave their lives in World War I. 

Listed below are the names inscribed on the plaque:-

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The Cheer-Up Society was one of the societies that was formed during World War I.

Miss Trix Pearce served as secretary and Miss Ethel James as assistant.  According to the "Back to Burra" Official Souvenir Programme of October 24th to  31st, 1925:

"This society was a living force in the district, and did a wonderful work in farewelling those bound for the scenes of hostilities, and in welcoming home, and caring for, the sick and wounded on their return."

Burra Cheer-Up Ladies' Band

Burra Cheer-Up Mounted  Girls

The Cheer-Up Hall in Pearce's Buildings


The Cheer-Up Society used the hall at the rear of Pearce's Buildings (shown on the right) as their meeting room during WWI (this photo was taken in the 1920s)

Courtesy of so many men enlisting, the Coronation Band was left with insufficient players.  The lack of the band was noticed particularly when welcoming home soldiers at the station, so the Cheer-Up Society decided to form the Burra Cheer-Up Ladies' Band.  Their initial aim was to learn at least two tunes to play at the railway station.

After being assured by the well meaning ladies that they were not joking about their desire to form a band, Mr James Bentley became both their instructor and conductor.   A meeting was called for all interested girls and a first practice was held.  According to the society's June 1917, Second Annual Report:

"We will not dwell on the musical nature of that first evening, only to add that the girls were never more determined to do their best...  We held two or three practices, and tried our best to blow some musical sounds through the [Coronation Band] instruments, but ... the majority of the instruments, refused to do what was required of them, and we had to retire beaten."

Fortunately new instruments were purchased courtesy of subscriptions being solicited and much hard work from "Miss Annie Pearce and Mr Thomas McWaters".  With new instruments in hand, the band went on with their practices and on February 19, 1916 at the Exhibition Camp Concert Party, made their first public appearance.

The band soon became proficient and exceedingly popular and the ladies could even perform as a mounted unit if occasion demanded.  Their proficiency being demonstrated by the fact that they were asked to lead a war-time march through Adelaide in 1917.

Perhaps the highlight for the band was when they were asked to the city of Adelaide to take part in the celebrations of July 1920, which were attended by the Prince of Wales, to whom Miss Trix Pearce was presented, at the Prince's request.  Here is an excerpt taken from the Burra Record of July 21, 1920 which detailed the arrival of the Prince.

"...when preliminary preparations were being made to welcome His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, to South Australia, the secretary of the Burra Ladies' Cheer-Up Band (Miss Trix Pearce) was asked whether the services of the band could be available ... it was not even anticipated that the girls would be given great prominence, but at the official welcome, which took place in front of the Adelaide Town Hall ... a platform prettily decorated with wattle foliage had been erected for their benefit.  their orders were to play alternately with the Glenelg Band, and on the arrival of the Prince, to play "God Bless the Prince of Wales". 

The programme was carried out but unfortunately for the girls, just as the Prince was stepping form his car ... (photographers and other onlookers) ... rushed the stand and  ... the whole structure fell with a crash just as the last note of "God Bless the Prince of Wales" was reached.  The incident caused a sensation, but the crowd were a deal more concerned than the girls who, although one or two were struck with falling timber, quickly pulled themselves together, quickly enough in fact to witness the civic welcome.  Having been asked to play again at the same place (that afternoon) the proprietor of the Criterion Hotel placed his balcony at their disposal..."

The following day marked their most important engagement, when they played at the War Workers' Welcome Demonstration at the Exhibition Building.  It was at this event that when the music ended, the Prince sent for the organiser and secretary of the band, Miss Trix Pearce to step forward and be presented.  Apparently the Prince asked her a number of questions about the band's history and after warmly shaking hands. asked her to congratulate the girls on the splendid work they had accomplished.

The band's final performance was at the Violet Day Service held on July 11th, 1920.

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Names on the World War II War Memorial

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Below is a list of the names of the WWII dead from the War Memorial.

Names on the World War II Honour Roll

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Unfortunately, there is no list on public display of the WWII Honour Roll.  To correct this situation, we have transcribed the names that appeared in the Burra Record of May 4th 1943, however we have sorted them in alphabetical order in each group, to facilitate searches.  The names are in the following divisions:-

• Nurses

• AIF

• RAAF

• RAN

• AWAS

• WAAAF

• Booborowie AIF

• Booborowie RAAF

• Booborowie VAD

• Booborowie WAAAF

• Hallett AIF

• Hallett RAAF

• Hallett RAN

• Hallett ACW

• Hallett WAAAF

• Mt. Bryan AIF

• Mt. Bryan RAAF

• Mt. Bryan VAD

• Leighton Nurses

• Leighton AIF

• Leighton RAAF

• Willalo AIF

• Willalo RAAF

• Willalo RAN

Explanation of the acronyms used above:

• ACW -

• AIF - Australian Imperial Forces

• AWAS - Australian Women's Amy Service

• RAAF - Royal Australian Air Force

• RAN - Royal Australian Navy

• VAD - Voluntary Aid DetachmentWorkers were under military control, they did not work for pay, they were mobile young people who had no ties to home and could be sent anywhere

• VSD - Volunteer Service Detachment - Did much the same work as VAD but were not required to leave their hometown.  The work specifically mentioned was first aid, home nursing and gas mask drill (Burra Record January 1939 page 1)

• WAAAF - Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force

 The key below is used in the tables to notate whether the person died, was reported missing or wounded.