Members of the Coburg Presbyterian Church congregation go to war

Presbyterian Church, Coburg, built in 1899 and at that time located on the west side of Sydney Road near the corner of Munro Street. Image found in Coburg Historical Society collection. Source unknown.

Members of the Australian Expeditionary Force from Coburg Presbyterian Church. Left to right: George Waite (3431 Private George Harold Waite, 5th Infantry Battalion); Jack Aitken (7471 Corporal John Eadie Aitken, 1st Divisional Train Supply); T. Williams; Arch Murray (2nd Lieut Archibald James Murray, 29th Btn.); Mel Robertson (3484 Private Melrose Noel Robertson, 14th Infantry Battalion); Jim Buchanan (6133 Private James Reid Buchanan, 2nd Field Ambulance). Image courtesy Coburg Uniting Church Archive.

3431 Private George Harold Waite, 5^th Infantry Battalion, was a 20 year old civil servant when he enlisted on 3 July 1915. He lived with his widowed mother Isabella in White Street, Coburg. Although he embarked with the 5^th Battalion, he transferred to the Army Pay Corps and worked at Admin. HQ in London. He returned to Australia in November 1919.

7471 Corporal John (Jack) Eadie Aitken, 1^st Divisional Train Supply, was a motor body builder aged 21 when he enlisted on 30 July 1915. He lived with his widowed mother Nannie at ‘Oamaru’, 40 Walsh Street, Coburg at the time of his enlistment. In May 1918, he was invalided to England with a sprained ankle but was otherwise injury and illness free. He returned to Australia in July 1919, became a career soldier and lived in Coburg until his death in 1976 aged 82. As an old boy of Coburg State School, he will be featured in Coburg Historical Society’s ANZAC Centenary Project.

Apart from the fact that T.R. Williams is listed on the Coburg Independent Order of Rechabites Honour Board and is featured in this photograph, I have yet to identify him.

2nd Lieutenant Archibald (Arch) James Murray, 29^th Infantry Battalion, was a Coburg Lacrosse Club member and had been in the Victorian Scottish Regiment (52^nd Infantry) for 6 years prior to enlistment.

3484 Private Melrose (Mel) Noel Robertson, 14^th Infantry Battalion, was another member of the Coburg Lacrosse Club and had served in the Victorian Scottish Regiment for three and a half years before enlisting.

6133 Private James (Jim) Reid Buchanan, 2^nd Field Ambulance, was a 24 year old tailor living with his mother Margaret in Reynard Street, Coburg when he enlisted on 11 June 1915. He, too, was a member of the Coburg Lacrosse Club. He also played for the Olmurita Tennis Club and was a member of the local branch of the Australian Natives Association.