St Thomas' Parish Magazine of February 1915

"Though the Choir suffered some severe losses after the outbreak of the war, through the departure of Messrs, R Jacobson, R Ransom and B Hosking with the First Expeditionary Force, it has maintained its efficiency, under the thorough and conscientious conductorship of Mr C Brougham".

St Thomas' Parish Magazine March 1915 p9

"The knowledge that out in Egypt, preparing for the final struggle, are seventeen members of our branch, with many members from other branches, and that other members have sons there, and that many other Church lads have also gone—that all these have so nobly responded to the call of their King and country, and are foremost in this great enterprise, fills us with pride, and calls us to unstinted prayer. The names of the volunteers from the parish have been placed in the Church porch. The members of the branch on active service are :-

F. Hawker, J. R. Jacobson, R. K. Ransom,  E  A. Stones, H. C. Prunty, K. L. Walker, J. Matthews, A. G. Dolan, S. F. Bowman, H. A. Barker, S. J. Goulding, C. Morgan, J V. Knights, A. T. Young, A. J. T. Brown, A. Tytherleigh, E. J. Hopkins.

To these presentations and letters of commendation were given prior to their departure".

St Thomas' Parish Magazine April 1915 p2

INTERCESSIONS.

The prayers of parishioners are asked for our soldiers, who have gone from this parish:

Chas. Bale, Harold Arthur Barker, Alfred John Thos. Brown, Stanley Bowman, Albert Gordon Dolan, Thomas Goodall , Henry Claud Gyles, Stanley Goulding, Ernest Jas. Hopkins, Frederick Hawker, Bertram Paul Hosking, Julius Rudolph Jacobsohn,  Paul Jacobsohn, James Vallins Knight, Cecil Harvey Morgan, James Reginald Matthews, John Edward Moore, Harold Charles Prunty, Roland Keen Ransom, Ellis Andrew Stones, Claude Hibbert Swift, Alexander Thomas Swift, Athol Tytherleigh, Kenneth L. Boyle, C. Boyle, George Smith.

ST THOMAS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The school may well be proud of the number of its “old boys" that have volunteered for the front, and a Roll of  Honour will be duly inscribed and placed in one of the  rooms to  keep in remembrance those whose high patriotism confers such honour upon their old school.   The following members of  the Old Boys' Association are at the front or on the way:-

Lieut. C. Rasmussen (Light Horse) Sub-Lieut. Reginald Buller (HMAS Sydney) Lieut, Thos. Howard (Light Horse) Lieut Clement Lane (Infantry), Sergeant Tom Goodall, Sergeant Frank Eddie [Parkville], Sergeant Rupert Pattison (Motor Transport), Sergeant Douglas Thomson (Army Service) Sergeant J. Ross (Infantry), Sergeant P Warr, Lce-Corporal Strover, Corporal Alf  Young (Infantry), Corporal Dermot Ryan, Bugler Rowland Ransom (Infantry) Gunner Stanley C. Quinn (Artillery), Private Eric Broadbent (Light Horse),  Private Rudolf Jacobson (lnfantry), Private Paul Jacobson, Private Alex. Macgibbon (Signallers) Private A. Morris, Private G. Paterson, Private K Walker (Infantry), Private E Ryan, Private G Brearley, Private J. Berrill.

St Thomas' Parish Magazine, May 1915, page 2. 

St James Notes

For some time past we have known that Mr Les Fynmore would shortly be leaving us for the front.  He has been one of our most regular attendants at St James’ a member of the Badminton and Cricket Clubs, so it was determined to give him a send-off.  The function, in the form of a social, took place on the 8^th of April, in “Blinkbonnie”.*  After many pleasant games and songs, the serious part of the evening took place.  Mr Smith, on behalf of the congregation generally, and Mr Dooley, on behalf of the young people of the Church, said farewell to Mr Fynmore, and wished him a safe return.  The presentation, consisting of a pair of field glasses and a prayer book, was then made by the Rev W E Ramshaw, who gave, as a parting charge, the words of Joshua.  Mrs Crapp then sang feelingly, “May God be With You", after which Mr Fynmore endeavoured to respond, but his voice was choked, and his words were lost in a storm of cheering.  We hear that the contingent is to leave on the 6^th May.  Will the congregation please add Mr Fynmore’s name to their daily list of intercessions?

*  "Blinkbonnie" was a small private girls' school in Ardmillan Rd, Moonee Ponds, on the corner of Severn St.

St Thomas' Parish Magazine, June 1915 p1

THE VICAR’S LETTER.
MY DEAR PEOPLE,—
The effects of this terrible war are coming home to us as a congregation, with quite unexpected reality and sadness. A few months ago we were pardonably proud of the large number of volunteers from the ranks of the young men of our parish. Members of our C.E.M.S., to a remarkable extent; of our Choir, of our Sunday School staff, as well as numbers, move or less closely attached to St. Thomas’ and St. James' Churches, are worthily representing us at the front. A surprisingly long list of names are from my own Bible and Confirmation Classes. From the early days of last month we began to scan, with anxiety, the names of the fallen. Foremost amongst them was that of Stanley Goulding, who had been a member of our Choir and Sunday School, and who had been admitted a member of our C.E.M.S. on the eve of his departure. He now ranks as a martyr to our righteous cause. Later on came word of the death of Private McJunkin, who, writing to his parents when just leaving for Gallipoli, said: "I have done the best thing of my life in enlisting, and if I fall it will be in doing my duty;" and, as I write, there has come word of the death of Norman Durston, who was also of my Bible Class, but who left us three years ago to enter the Military College of Duntroon. These have all played their part nobly, and, we may well believe have earned their Master's "Well done".

St Thomas' Parish Magazine, June 1915 p1

In our C.E.M.S. notes will be found the names of our wounded boys, for whom we are specially asked to pray. Our hearts go out in special sympathy to the parents, and if we say that the mothers have our most tender solicitude, we are sure that fathers, brothers and sisters will not misunderstand us. We feel that the mothers have been so brave and self-sacrificing.

I am trying and praying hard, my dear people, to be a real help to you throughout these trying times, and both in public and private to lead you to "cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you". Our absent friends are remembered at all our services. In every sermon I preach I try to bring you some word of comfort; but I feel the best thing that I can do is to encourage you to come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that there you may find grace to help in time of need.

"Lord, what a change within us one brief hour,
Spent in Thy presence can avail to make!
What weary burdens from our bosom take,
What parched grounds refresh as with a shower!
We kneel, and all around us seems to lower,
We rise, and all the distant and the near
Stand forth in sunny outline, brave and clear.
We kneel, how weak! We rise, how full of power!
Why should we therefore do ourselves this wrong
Or others, that we are not always strong,
That we should ever weak or heartless be,
Anxious or troubled, when with us is prayer,
And Joy and strength and courage are with Thee".

I am, my dear people,
Yours most affectionately,
WM. HANCOCK.

THE EMPIRE SERVICE

"The afternoon of Sunday 23rd May, was selected for our Empire service, so that the special teaching of Whit Sunday night not be overshadowed. It was a wise provision. About 400 of Our Citizen Forces marched to St. Thomas’ Church, headed by their bands, and the Church itself was crowded to its utmost capacity. The hymns, led by the military band and our choir,  were heartily sung by the vast congregation. The devotional part of the service was impressively conducted.  The anthem, "Give Peace in Our Time, O Lord," was beautifully rendered, and Canon Hart’s address was wonderfully able, eloquent and sympathetic. The members of the C.E.M.S. attended to the hanging of the flags. The collection, in aid of the Red Cross Fund, amounted to £I4/10/-.  The Mayor and councillors of the City of Essendon were in official attendance.

ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART?
Every citizen of the Empire ought surely to realise that he has something to contribute at this present time, for the safety, honor and welfare of our Sovereign   dominions. In connection with our Ladies' Guild, who are working for the  Red Cross Society, we have a large body of ladies who are rendering magnificent service.  but we  shall not be content till every available pair of hands in the parish is consecrated to this service. Let all the women and girls of the parish, who have even a little spare time,  join the Guild, and contribute their offering  for the comfort of our boys who are fighting,  bleeding and dying for us!

St Thomas' Parish Magazine, June 1916 p6

C.E.M.S. [Church of England Men's Society]
Motto 1915: "Watch ye. Stand fast in the faith. Quit ye like men. Be strong." Our thoughts for many weeks past have been constantly with our members and our lads at the front. We are realising the meaning of our motto of two years ago: "Pray without ceasing," and these prayers are bringing relief to many anxious hearts. The press is ringing with praises for the bravery and dash of our soldiers, and it is with mingled feelings we read the glorious account of the struggle on the heights of Gallipoli. Pride that our troops have unstintedly won the admiration of the world; proud that St. Thomas’ are so well represented in their ranks, and yet with keen sympathy for the bereaved and the wounded. The price of victory was to be paid, and the heavy lists of  casualties testify to the awful fighting that is taking place. The Men’s Society are well represented in this war of Right against Might. The Cairo Branch found the Society represented in Egypt by 6oo men, and at an Admission Service there, 38 more were admitted, one of our own men being amongst them. That they have suffered in common with others is evident. Of our own branch, Stanley Goulding has died from wounds. Members have treasured the memory of that service when 12 of our Church men sought admission to the Society before leaving with the first Expeditionary Force. Stan. was one of them, and five others are wounded. The motto inscribed on the Prayer Book presented to each was: "Fight the good fight," and from letters received, we know that they have not been unmindful of it.

In the equally stern fight in which their King and country sent them, they have worthily upheld the honor which was en trusted to them. Our hearts go out in sympathy for Mr and Mrs Goulding in their  bereavement.  May they be comforted with the thought that their boy was not unwilling to give his life for the great cause in which  he had embarked.  "Greater love than this no man hath". To the mothers and fathers of our members and of all our boys, we offer our deep sympathy in this anxious time.

Stanley Goulding, died from wounds.
Julius Rudolph Jacobsohn, wounded.

Ellis Andrew Stones, wounded.  
Kenneth Leigh Walker, wounded.  
Cecil Harvey Morgan, wounded.
Ernest James Hopkins, wounded.  
James Reginald Matthews, wounded.
Alfred Young, wounded.
Stanley Bowman.
Albert Gordon Dolan.  
Harold Arthur Barker.
Alfred John Thomas Brown,  
Harold Charles Prunty.
Roland Keen Ransom
Charles Ball [sic]
Frederick Hawker.
John Alexander Matthews.  
James Vallins Knight.
Sydney Webb.    
George Finnis.  
Claude Hibbert Swift, wounded.
Eric Chester M‘Kaige, wounded.  
Henry Claude Gyles, (sic) wounded.
James Matheson Hayes, wounded.
John Edward Moore, wounded.
Alan Melrose Hayes, wounded.  
Cyril Tytherleigh.
John William Woods.
L. A. Fynmore
H. T. Goodall
J. L. Hopkins [sic]
B. P. Hosking
H. F. Manners
R. D. Moore
L. Swift  
The prayers of the congregation are desired for the above. 

St Thomas' Parish Magazine January 1916.

ST THOMAS' HARRIERS
A Roll of Honor has been prepared  by one of the members, and is at present on exhibition in the window of Mr Fricke's stationery shop, Puckle Street.  It is proposed to present it to the Vestry, with a request that it be hung in the Sunday School.

The following is a description of a dugout, given by a lieutenant, which may be interesting to readers of the "Parish magazine";  "My dugout, which is, by the way, a little larger than most others in the battalion, is dug under the ground about eight feet, with a mound of loose earth, about two feet high, and all around it, except at the doorway, which is a passage about ten feet long and two feet wide.  My mansion has an iron roof on it, with a foot of earth on top.  It is about nine feet long and seven feet broad, with two beds in it.  The beds consist of the ground covered by a couple of waterproof sheets.  The floor is dug in the middle of the dugout, about 18 inches deeper than the beds.  So that you see I can sit on the bed with my feet on the floor, and be quite comfortable". - By one of St Thomas' Harriers.

It is very gratifying to know that 28 members of St Thomas' Harriers have joined the expeditionary Forces to fight for their King and country, several of them have already  distinguished themselves in the firing line.  One, especially has done well, namely Harold A Barker, an old Sunday School scholar, who has been promoted to the position of first lieutenant, and also gaining the distinguished conduct medal for bravery. 

The following is an extract from his last letter:  "We made up a party of St Thomas' Harriers, and went for a stroll - the first official ramble - during which we read this year's syllabus - fancy that! - and Pen Gatliff* produced a St Thomas' badge, which had been right through the scrap.  I forgot to mention the names of the members - Lieutenant Bowlett-Harris (sic), Pen Gatliff, Harry Manners, Stanley Bowman and self.  I took a snap of the party, and hope to get it developed some day.  Harold Prunty is in England, and is, I hear, convalescent, and on the right road to a speedy and thorough recovery.  I met Leslie Fynmore in Egypt, and he looked very well and said he was having a good time.  At present he is at the front.  Stanley Bowman is doing well, and is a corporal."  A post card was received from Corporal Manners by the last mail, in which he says that he is well.

* 784 Pte Michael Penrose Gatliffe, aged 19, salesman, of 26 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell.