Author Archives: Indigenous Histories

About Indigenous Histories

Author & Publisher of Australian history, art and culture.

ABORIGINAL MEN AT GALLIPOLI: THEIR SIGNIFICANCE TO ANZAC

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Indigenous Histories

The identification of Aboriginal men who are known to have served on Gallipoli has continued to grow from the 56 soldiers acknowledged in 2015. In 2018 the names of those who took part in the landing or arrived in the … Continue reading →

Posted in WW1 | Leave a comment

ABORIGINAL SERVICE IN WW1: 151 NAMES ADDED TO THE GROWING LIST OF AIF VOLUNTEERS

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Indigenous Histories

During the past two years we have been concentrating our efforts on expanding the number of known men of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage who volunteered to serve in the First World War. Below are the names of 151 … Continue reading →

Posted in WW1 | 25 Comments

ALFRED ‘TINY’ RYAN : THE BOXING SOLDIER

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Indigenous Histories

Bogan River Tribe 1898 from the family album of Charles Jepson Morris, courtesy of grandson Bert Morris. Collection of the Local History Room, Narromine Library. Alfred Ryan is the small boy seated on a log. Sometime after 1917 the remains … Continue reading →

Posted in Aborigines sport, WW1 | 3 Comments

DON ELPHICK: HIS CONTRIBUTION TO ABORIGINAL HISTORY

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Indigenous Histories

I was saddened to learn at Christmas of the death in September of Don Elphick. Don was known to the wider community for his role in rugby league football and described in an online obituary as ‘an instrumental part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

POW, SECOND ANZAC FORCE VETERAN AND DARUG DESCENDANT: WALTER HENRY STEILBERG

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Indigenous Histories

When war broke out in September 1939 Australia did not hesitate to join Britain in her opposition to Hitler and Nazi Germany. The second AIF or Australian Imperial Force, comprised like its predecessor solely of volunteers, was immediately formed and … Continue reading →

Posted in WW2 | 16 Comments

THE ABORIGINAL FIRTHS: AN UNUSUAL ANZAC CONNECTION

Posted on April 24, 2016 by Indigenous Histories

Ernest Firth Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales In 1918 the Trustees of the Mitchell Library appealed to families for photographs of men who had served in the AIF. Aboriginal families were amongst those who responded and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 21 Comments

UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERS: THE REVEILLE LISTS AND ABORIGINAL MEN IN THE FIRST AIF

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Indigenous Histories

In 1931 and 1932, Reveille the journal of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia, (the predecessor of the Returned and Services League and referred to as the RSL) published lists of Aboriginal men who served in the … Continue reading →

Posted in WW1 | 14 Comments

IDENTIFIED! SOLDIER WHO LOST BOTH LEGS 1917

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Indigenous Histories

In June 2013 I posted a photograph of a member of the AIF in a group of patients from the Horton War Hospital, Epsom, City of London. The photograph was dated 4 April 1917. Close examination of this image shows that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Other non white Australians and the AIF, WW1, WW2 | 6 Comments

ABORIGINAL OFFICERS IN THE FIRST AIF ?

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Indigenous Histories

In 2012 Andrea Gerrard of the University of Tasmania identified an officer of Aboriginal heritage in the first AIF. This serviceman was Alfred John Hearps who volunteered on 20 August 1914 and served with the 12th Battalion at Gallipoli and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, WW1 | 2 Comments

GALLIPOLI TO THE SOMME: THE SHORT LIFE OF SIDNEY JONES

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Indigenous Histories

Sidney Gerald Jones volunteered to serve in the First World War in December 1914. At age 19 he was just within the army age limit of 19 – 38, but legally underage. His record shows he received his parents’ consent … Continue reading →