The document provides information about researching soldiers from World War I and World War II who served from the Bassendean area in Western Australia. It outlines the process of identifying service numbers, searching military records, finding information on casualties, and examples of how to apply this research to local history projects like creating online tributes and history walks. Sources mentioned include the Australian War Memorial, National Archives of Australia, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Trove, and Ancestry.

1. Searching for Soldiers
(Australian)
WWl and WWll
Janet Megarrity
Local Studies Librarian
Town of Bassendean

2. Content
Introduction to Bassendean Memorial
Library and Bassendean War Memorial
WWl Research Strategy
Applying Military Research -examples
WWll Research Strategy
Applying Military Research - examples

3. History of the Library
Bassendean Memorial Library
opened its doors to the public for the
first time on 2 July 1972. It was built
at 46 Old Perth Road, on the
previous site of the War Memorial.
The inclusion of the word 'memorial'
in the name of the institution,
acknowledges the community's co-
operation in allowing the memorial
to be moved, thus ensuring that the
Library would be within the civic
precinct and centrally located for the
whole community.

4. Bassendean
The suburb name changed from
West Guildford to Bassendean in
1922.
Bassendean is a place in Scotland
and the ancestral estate of Hon.
Peter Broun, first Colonial
Secretary of the Swan River
Colony and a local resident.

5. Bassendean War Memorial
• The memorial contains names of those who fought and fell (Face A) and those
who returned (Face B, C, D).
• Many soldiers were born elsewhere but enlisted in West Guildford.
• Many of the soldiers listed are related to others on the memorial, the result of
high patriotism and a small community.
• Many soldiers received gallantry awards and were Mentioned in Despatches.
• Ten names of soldiers which could be on this memorial are on a neighbouring
memorial at Guildford.
• Many soldiers from this district enlisted in both WWl and WWll
• Monument makers were unknown and were identified using Trove newspaper
articles and AIF Project service summary information. The ex-servicemen made
other local memorials in nearby local governments.

6. World War l

7. Research process overview- WWl
• Service number- identify individuals
• War Service summary (AIF Project)
• War Service record complete (NAA)
• If deceased- name listed on Australian War Memorial Panel
• If deceased- name listed on Commonwealth War Graves Commission
with a commemorative certificate
• Newspaper death notices (Trove newspapers) and photographs
• Nominal rolls (online) AWM
• Photographs in family trees on Ancestry.com

8. Introduction- Service number identification
• This is an introduction to researching your soldier from the First
World War.
• Identify the service number which will then make finding subsequent
information easier.
• Find soldiers relevant to your area with a suburb search.
• https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/search
• If you cannot identify your soldier from this site, you can go to the
National Archives for the service record which will give you the
service number.
• AIF Project provides searching by name, regimental number and
address

13. Commonwealth War Graves Commission
(for deceased soldiers- KIA or DOW)

14. Commonwealth War Graves Commission

15. Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commemorative Certificate

20. Picture source http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37996747 Western Mail 12 October 1917:
19. Francis Henry Young Killed in Action 3 September 1916

21. Camp Chronicle
13 December 1917, p. 8

23. Links
• AIF Project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/aif/
• National Archives of Australia https://www.naa.gov.au/
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-
war-dead/
• Nominal roll info https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1380321
• Nominal roll online search AWM
• https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-
search/people?roll=First%20World%20War%20Nominal%20Roll
• Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/
• https://www.awm.gov.au/research/guide/honour-board

24. WWl Research Applications

29. Chronological order of death
• Colour coding shows time periods
• Eg: Battle of Somme (green)
• See who died first and last
• Names read out at Anzac Day service in
order of death.

31. Discovering our Anzacs
(online tribute)
• Part 1- added names of soldiers to online tribute
• Two tributes were made- one for all soldiers listed on Bassendean
War Memorial and another for only those who died and are listed on
Bassendean War Memorial.
• Part 2- added photographs, text about gallantry award winners, links
to CWG entries etc.
• Signs of success- community adding stories and images
• Local schools using it for Anzac Day information
https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/groupstories/196

32. Discovering our Anzacs - soldiers listed on the
Bassendean War Memorial

36. Council history
• Found three West Guildford Road Board members who served.
• (McDonald, Wyndham, Wilson)
• Many soldiers were later elected to the West Guildford Road Board.
• (Identified the councillors’ sons and daughters who served in WWll.)

37. World War ll
Remember it’s possible local soldiers served in both WWl and WWll!

38. Research process overview- WWll
• Service number- identify individuals
• Service summary (nominal roll online) DVA
• Service record complete (NAA)
• If deceased- name listed on Australian War Memorial
• If deceased- name listed on Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Newspaper death notices (Trove newspapers)
• Nominal rolls (online) AWM
• Photographs - honour roll (Trove) and in family trees on Ancestry.com

39. Links WWll
• Place search for soldiers
• Nominal rolls (DVA) https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/
• Service record (NAA) not all done- many currently being scanned
• NAA service record scanning project info
https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/defence-and-war-service-
records/wwii-service-records-be-digitised

43. Duplicate soldier entries

45. NAA

47. Commonwealth War Graves Commission

48. The West Australian
22 May 1945: 1.

49. Military Research Application

50. Applying Military Research
• Military History Walk- Bassendean Historical Society
• Displays - WWll service summaries, commemorative certificates of
Casualties, Women and Prisoners of War
• Places of Pride (Australian War Memorial- online register)
• Virtual War Memorial- stories can be added
• Monument Australia – provide online information and images

51. History Walk- Old Perth Road, Bassendean

53. Monument Australia- two Bassendean entries

54. Places of Pride- Australian War Memorial

56. Local Women Who Served…
• Beryl Moree Aubrey Army
• Jean Bennetts RAAF
• Shelia Miriam Clair Army
• Patricia Lillian Counsel RAAF
• Olwen Elizabeth Margaret Davies Army
• Brenda Dorothy Ferrier Army
• Clarice Amy Foster RAAF
• Mary Noble Grierson RAAF
• Daphne May Heald RAAF
• Doreen Ethne Jenkin RAAF
• Mildred Bernice Paulett Army
• Sylvia Joyce Taylor RAAF
• Bernice Clara Tilling Army
• Teresa Stella Turner RAAF
• Eunice Elsie Winch Army
Women born and
enlisted in Bassendean
only, many others who
were residents served.

59. Casualty Names
• Aubrey, Leonard James
• Carrick, John
• Clair, Sheila Miriam
• Ferguson, Bruce McKenzie
• Ferres, Brian Frederic Oswald
• Henderson, Thomas Whyndam*
• Kingbury, Jack Loveridge
• Lake, John
• Langford, Edward John
• Lear, Harold Bernard
• McConachie , Roy David
• McIntosh, Archibald James Livie
• McKenzie, Donald Frederick
• O’Shea, Allen Gerald
• Read, Donald Stanley
• Reed, Richard Charles
• Sharman, Allan Montieth
• Stuart, William George Raymond
• Wilson, Robert Stanley
*Listed on Bassendean War Memorial

63. Bassendean War Memorial

64. Contact
• Janet Megarrity
• Local Studies Librarian, Bassendean Memorial Library
• Town of Bassendean
• PO Box 87 Bassendean 6934
• www.bassendean.wa.gov.au/library
• 9279 2966
• jmegarrity@bassendean.wa.gov.au