To start the centenary of WWI and Australia's participation in the 'war to end all wars' a group of us from the
Australian Great War Association met in Goulburn, NSW from around Australia, Victoria, South Australian, Tasmania and NSW
for a WW1 training weekend at
the Old Gouburn Brewery - 14 - 16 Feb 14 (AIF) -
"Storm clouds over Europe".
It was an open invitation to all WW1 groups
and individuals, including Germans and local Lighthorse groups to come and
participate in a range of training activities including drill and tactical
displays and a photo shoot of a Casualty Clearing Station. The Goulburn brewery is a
fascinating period venue (1830's) which looks a lot like a Belgian/French farm complex.
Camping and accommodation was in period style rooms or in tents (our option).
The storm clouds were also over Goulburn, much to the pleasure of the locals because rain had been absent for most of summer. As the weather was very wet, it curtailed some activities such as the setting up of our outdoor casualty clearing station, instead we two nurses and medical officer sat and discussed all the things we would need to create an interesting and informative display in the future. While we did this, the men drilled!
Our bell tent was warm, dry and comfy, the amusing thing is that they are ex Girl Guide tents, so very familiar to J-L and I!
Apologies for the modern camping gear in the shot, I took this at the very beginning, then my phone batteries ran out!
Inside the tent, I felt like the nurses on Lemnos in their tents in bad weather, it really gave me a full appreciation of how hard it would have been to keep clean and neat for the wards.
On the friday night we went into the town for a dinner in full kit, I'm sure some people thought we nurses were nuns, lol!
J-L and I, she is building the persona of an Ambulance Officer along with my nurse persona.
Here's more of the group at Friday's dinner.
Myself and the other nurse, all the way from Tasmania! She is in the Walking Out dress and I am in the Ward Dress.
Myself and our commander, John organised this fabulous weekend. I am wearing the uniform created from my
WWI AANS dressmaking pattern
Before going out on Friday night for dinner, more soldiers arrived on Saturday. In the afternoon on Saturday we had a series of talks on Australia in WWI, I gave a talk on the AANS and their uniform, which was politely received by all the blokes, LOL!
Mike Crowther presenting on WWI Australian soldiers
That evening was the Mess dinner.
The meal was resplendent with our own Piper.
At the wonderful 1840s bar. Sadly blurred again, the champagne was obviously affecting my photography that night!
More of our dinners. Aren't the roof beams fabulous in this shot? All tongue and groove oak beams, work seldom seen today.
A final shot of our Piper. The weekend was great fun and inspiring. It would be great to have more nurse join our NSW troupe of the AGWA, if your interested in helping us demonstrate and display please contact me through the Tailor's Apprentice's
contact page.
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I'm The Tailor's Apprentice, maker of The Miss Page 1940s reproduction patterns,
gowns developed from pattern pieces found amongst the remnants of Miss
Violet Florence Page’s life and work. Affordable, elegant, and unique
garments from the 1940s war years.
All my patterns are available
on Etsy and my website
where you'll find out more about me as well. This year I am publishing
an 1820s gown wardrobe pattern and an Australian Army Nurses Services
WWI uniform pattern.
If
you'd liked to be included on my mailing list for events, pattern
release dates and interesting snippets about vintage and historic
sewing, please subscribe to my Newsletter on The Tailor's Apprentice website.
