The Dumbleyung & Districts Those Who Served book to launch on Anzac Day in honour of troops past and present

Five Dumbleyung women will release their collaborative war memorial book as part of the community’s Anzac celebration in honour of those from the district who served. Dumbleyung and Districts Those Who Served which details 460 individual stories of those in service connected to the town and surrounding district, will be launched on Anzac Day at Dumbleyung District Club. The self-funded book comprises of personal memoirs, diary entries and official records from accounts spanning across the Boer War, World War I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, national service, army, airforce, navy and volunteer defences corps, including those serving in the present day. Instigated by Those Who Serve author Jill Clarke, the like-minded Sue McDougall, Beth Bartram, Yvonne Height and Helen South started researching and writing in 2020 to record and remember the district’s war history. Ms McDougall said she loved being a part of the making of Those Who Served because of the unbelievable, brilliant and personal stories. “’In the morning we will remember them’, that is why the book should be written,” she said. Ms McDougall said each entry follows the person before, during and after their service and features their family. “You feel like you know them by the end,” she said. “The stories endeavour to tell of life before, during and after service, if they survived — an insight into rural life and history. “A lot of war service settlements were the beginning of our farming families in the country.” The launch will follow the Dumbleyung Anzac service and lunch and has been listed as a commemorative service highlight of the event. Ms McDougall said the release adds something extra special to Dumbleyung’s Anzac Day service. “We’re going to have a lot of people coming back and marching at our service for the first time because they’ve become more aware and interested in their family’s involvement in service,” she said.