By Callum Ludwig
On 11 November, people around the world stop and pay their respects to those who have served their countries in wars since World War One, over 100 years ago, for Remembrance Day.
A crowd gathered at the new Seville War Memorial, including the Seville Primary School to remember Australians who served, particularly the 39 Seville men who fought in the first World War.
Chairman of the Seville War Memorial Committee Anthony McAleer OAM welcomed everyone, while Peter Paterson from the Mt Evelyn RSL read the Ode to the Fallen with Ian Douglas the bugler for the Last Post.
Mr Douglas also had a special story to share, about the service of his own uncle Private Arthur Albert Douglas, who left Seville for Gallipoli and never returned home. Mr Douglas said Arthur was the youngest in the family of four kids.
“He joined up in February 1915, and by August 1915, he was at Gallipoli. He was in the 6th Field Ambulance, which was an organisation basically looking after the health of troops on Gallipoli, along with others. Simpson and his donkey were famously in the 3d Field Ambulance,” he said.
“He was tending to patients on the beach on 23 November and was hit from behind in the left shoulder by a stray bullet, and was evacuated to Malta on a ship which took six days, which he even described as quick. He had an infection in his lung, had bits of bone and the bullet removed and seemed to be getting better before he suddenly died on Christmas Day 1915.”
Mr Douglas’ father, the older brother of Arthur, did not go to war due to his occupation as a farmer in Seville, having moved out from the family home in South Yarra to farm, and due to injuries from a horse accident.
Mr Douglas said his grandfather was still writing asking about Arthur’s health four days after his death, unaware of his son’s death
“Sadly, the Anzacs had even departed Gallipoli by 19 December so you wonder what his death was even for. His place of living was Seville, and while he may have been a bit of an import, he died for his country and the same way as many others did,” he said.
“My family didn’t stay in Seville but they certainly were part of the pioneering farming families of Seville at the time, living on the southwest corner of Douthie Road and Warburton Highway.”
Arthur Douglas was only 22 when he was killed, and he was buried in Pieta Cemetery, Malta. His headstone had a 70-character limit, and it reads ‘To live in the hearts of those we love is not to die.’
According to stats from the Australian War Memorial, about 14.5 per cent of those who enlisted in World War One died before they could be discharged. Of Seville’s 39 men, 14 never returned: a percentage of about 36 per cent.
Mr Douglas said it is brilliant having the new memorial in Seville.
“He will be remembered on this memorial for a long time, I helped with some of the fundraisings and gave some funds of my own, so I am glad it came to fruition,” he said.
“On the 100th anniversary of his death, I and my family came here on Christmas Day to hold a little ceremony for him and now we will have the memorial to come to.”
Seville Primary School students recited a poem about how another Seville war hero George Ingram VC called ‘How George Won the Victoria Cross’, Chandler Ward Councillor David Eastham read out of the names of all of ‘The Seville Fallen’ and wreaths were laid at the memorial.
