War book writers set for talk

MINING Mud & Medals was released before lockdown last year, sadly the small group of Victorian Interpretive members were unable to give talks to highlight their work.

The book is about the men from the Australian Tunnelling Companies who fought in WWI from the Ballarat Electorate, but on Saturday May 15, as part of Heritage Fest, there will be a free talk at the Ballarat Eureka Centre at 2pm.

The Mining Mud and Medals Project spent more than four years collecting stories about these men, as well as an overview of the Schools of Mines, the Avenues of Honour, how the war came to the Western Front as well as the tunnellers and more.

Men such as Samuel Watson, who is buried in the New Ballarat Cemetery, with no mention of WWI. Watson who enlisted at the age of 40 was a batteryman, from Ballarat East before being discharged medically unfit due to rheumatism.

James Wallace, enlisted at the age of 33. He was a miner who grew up in the Ballarat Orphanage. Severely wounded in the face, chest and hand and suffering shellshock, he returned to Australia and despite his injuries, he worked in various trades including as a French polisher. He is remembered with a tree in the Ballarat Orphanage Avenue of Honour.

These men with their mining expertise were highly sought after in WWI to tunnel under enemy lines and were allowed to enlist even at an older age than usual.

There are around 170 tunnellers listed in the Mining Mud & Medals book.

To be part of the free talk email [email protected] or call 5333 0333.