Verna Koolmatrie, Clyde Rigney, Dorothy Shaw and John Pearson discuss the Raukkan community’s long history of service in the defence forces from World War 1 onward. The community is currently developing a local war memorial and Clyde, Dorothy and Verna speak of the pride they have for their relatives and fellow community members who served and they discuss the research and other activities that have been undertaken in the community, including travel to France and surrounding countries to visit the graves and memorials of community members who served and died in World War 1 in places like Villers-Bretonneux. There is also wide ranging discussion about how, why and where Raukkan men signed up to fight in World War 1, and for those who returned, how they coped, how they were treated and supported in the community, and what if any official entitlements were made available to them including access to the soldier settlement scheme.

• Listen to Verna, Clyde, Dorothy and John’s interview at the Raukkan Yarn Up;
• Return to the Raukkan Yarn Up page.