Stanley Park

Stanley Park, the first public park in the Medcalfe Shire, was opened by the Victorian Governor, Sir Arthur Stanley, on 14 September 1914, and has since become a Memorial Park. The memorials are:

1. An obelisk listing the names of 44 local men who enlisted in the Great War.

 

2. Seven individual headstone-shaped memorials to men killed in the Great War:

Gartside Robert, LTCOL VD, Gallipoli, 8 May 1915

Ely Ernest, SGT, France, 18 August 1916

Pellas Frank, SGT, Belgiu, 1 October 1917

Smith Harold, PTE, France, 25 April 1918

Dilworth Erskine, LIEUT MC, France, 6 May 1918

Pellas Ivan, LCPL, France, 12 August 1918

Heaslip Colin, PTE, France, 4 October 1918

 

The Three Pellas Brothers

Three Pellas brothers enlisted. Percy (the middle brother) at age 22 was the first to enlist on 21 August 1914. He was an original ANZAC at Gallipoli with the 7th Battalion. 

Although injured in May 1915, he returned to his unit, but further illness forced his discharge and return to Australia in January 1916.

The oldest brother, Frank, enlisted at age 25 on 28 July 1915, and served with the 46th Battalion until he was Killed in Action near Passchendaele, Belgium, on 1 October 1917.

The youngest brother, Ivan, enlisted at age 18 on 11 July 1917, and served with the 37th Battalion until he was Killed in Action near Proyart, France, on 12 August 1918.

 

3. A granite gateway listing the names of 104 local men who enlisted in World War II.

 

4. Individual plaques for:

PTE H A STRUHS, 2/21st Bn, Died POW Hainan Island, 9.4.44

PTE R F HANKINSON, 2/10th Bn, Died Borneo 1945

PTE G E JONES, 37th Bn, Killed New Guinea Age 20 Years

 

5. A plaque commemorating seven local men who served in Vietnam 1965 – 1975.

 

6. An individual plaque for:

PTE D MILFORD, 7th Bn RAR, Killed in action, Vietnam 6 August 1967, age 22.