Hazelwood Cemetery - April 2026

By Leo Billington

How people are remembered, and hopefully not forgotten (series continued)

In its edition of Friday December 10, 1915, the Morwell Advertiser published a number of articles related to Morwell volunteers at the front. To a new generation perhaps, this was where warring enemies are facing each other during warfare in a specific area, and where fighting takes place.

Back during World War One, the front was a common term; and it now regularly appears when media reports focus on current European wars.

The local paper was always on the ready to print stories from the front - generally letters sent from Europe back home. This letter, sent by Corporal Geoff Manning to his sister, Mrs L Vary, in part explaining how “the boys” kept up morale in terrifying circumstances:

“I see all the Morwell boys now and again and Harry Pettit, Frank Keegan and Bill Rintoull every time they are out of the trenches.

I am at Divisional Head Quarters just behind the firing line, and Bill Rintoull's camp is just over the gully. Harry and Frank camp in the reserve trenches about two hundred yards further up. They always come down to see me. The Light Horse fellows are around on the right. I don’t see them often. Things are very quiet here now, or at least they are quieter than they used to be, and I can tell you they used to hum songs. Old Johnnie (that is our name for the Turk) put over the usual hate (shrapnel) every day but we are all dug in and soon got out of the way”.

There were sad farewells - with young men venturing into the unknown. On Monday evening April 23, 1917, the Morwell Advertiser reported “a large farewell social and presentation was tendered Privates Reg. Davey, Frank Derham, Herbert Victor Nadenbousch and Murray Thompson in the Morwell Mechanics' Institute decorated with a big Union Jack.” (In the next edition of the Churchill News, Murray Thompson and Herbert Victor Nadenbousch will be featured. Both men are remembered in the Hazelwood Cemetery.)

Following is a resume of three men who ventured forth, and who are interred in the Hazelwood Cemetery.

Roy Edward Francis Lee died on Monday July 17, 1961. After enlistment on July 4, 1916 aged 23 years 11 months, Roy saw action in London, the British base at Rouen, France, and Longbridge Deverill, being the headquarters of the AIF Overseas Training Brigade. Before his training at Seymour, Roy was employed by his father as a road contractor/bridge builder throughout Ryton, Gunyah and Wonyip. (This was, and still is, tough country.)

Roy never married. Once discharged in November 1919, he returned home to manage the family dairy farm while earning a reputation for breeding top class pigs for the pork market.

Europe was a long way from the Strzelecki Heartbreak Hills. A quiet man, Roy knew he had to help through the war, and he subsequently joined as a sapper in the 2nd tunnelling corps.

Tunnelling involved sinking shafts under the enemy's front line, then using explosives to destroy from underneath. In later life, Roy battled breathing problems. It was a cold freezing night, when he collapsed in thick bush searching for his dog, that finally ended Roy’s life.

Christopher James Marka died on Saturday morning October 8, 1943. At 61 years of age, he had not enjoyed the best of health for some time and during the week prior, Christopher was admitted to the Yallourn hospital where he passed away. He was a returned soldier from the last war and suffered a good deal from injuries received during his service. His remains are interred in the Hazelwood Cemetery.

He was in Military unit, 58th Australian Infantry Battalion, and saw service in England and France where wounded in action in September 1918 a second time; the first time was February 1917; but second time was a gunshot wound to his right hip and he was invalided out. He returned home during December 1919.

Christopher was 35 years and 11 months of age when he enlisted. He gave Aberfeldy as his place of birth; occupation being a gold miner. After being discharged, he and his wife, Edith Ann lived in Elgin Street, Morwell.

Edith was widely respected as an extremely active worker for Morwell’s charitable organisations. Her support for Morwell RSL was admirable, as was her commitment to annual ANZAC Day marches.

On Sunday April 25, 1954, aged 73, Edith laid a wreath on Morwell’s war memorial in memory of her late husband, who served in the 1914-18 war. It was reported she walked approximately 20 yards to watch the ANZAC Day service, and collapsed on the footpath, where she died. (The Age, Monday April 26, 1954.)

Edith is interred in the Hazelwood Cemetery alongside Christopher. Morwell RSL Sub-Branch has been magnificent in honouring Edith and Christopher together on a plaque. Their connection and commitment in remembrance of Australia’s national day was not to be lost forever.

On Saturday April 9, (or Monday April 11, - as written in some reports) 1949, a married couple, Leslie John Reid and his wife, Lilian Reid were both found dead in bed. This grim discovery was apparently made by three Balts looking for board and lodgings in the Morwell West area.

(Balts = The Balts or Baltic peoples (Lithuanian: baltai, Latvian: balti) are a group of peoples inhabiting the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea who speak Baltic language. Sourced from Google.)

Lilian and Leslie lived at Morwell West on the Old Melbourne Road; they lived a quiet live albeit alongside friendly neighbours who were deeply shocked by this incident. Leslie was a returned soldier of World War I and a leading hand, employed by the State Electricity Commission at Yallourn North.

A subsequent Coroner’s inquest recorded a verdict of death from natural causes. Both appeared to have died peacefully in their sleep as the bodies were covered by bed clothes in the normal way. (Morwell Advertiser, Thursday April 21, 1949).

Following a thorough medical examination, it was concluded that the hearts of Lilian and Leslie “were in a deteriorated condition.” Actually one startling conclusion was the couple had been dead for about 10 days before being discovered.

From all accounts, Leslie, who enlisted at Claremont, Tasmania at age 21 years and 9 months was quite troubled upon returning home, particularly when living in Morwell West. His army record shows several occasions when punishment resulted.

Lilian and Leslie are interred in the Hazelwood Cemetery, and soon will be memorialised with a plaque generously provided by Morwell RSL Sub-Branch.

Since 2003, Bruce Jeffrey and Graham Burgess, with the Morwell RSL Committee’s approval, have been involved in researching, designing and arranging manufacturing and installation of 31 military-associated, Commemorative projects, including 15 plaques on Unmarked Graves in Australia. Thirteen of these unmarked graves were of ex-servicemen who served in the South African Boer War or the First World War.

We have also replaced a deteriorating First World War, Yinnar Honour Roll and had some involvement in a gravestone erected in South Africa.

Eight of the graveside plaques are in the Hazelwood Cemetery. The others are in the Gormandale – (3), Callignee, Neerim, Macquarie Park, NSW and Rookwood, NSW Cemeteries.