Transcription of an extract from an article titled ‘The Route March : Through the Mountains’ in The Farmer and Settler, 9 November, 1915, p. 3 [2 of 3]
… [Continued]
‘Leura.
Katoomba’s send-off on Saturday morning will not readily be forgotten by the men of the column. Mr A. J. Craig gave the Katoomba recruits a flag, the presentation being made by Ald. J. F. Tabrett. Then amid great cheering the column took the road for Leura, at which pretty town it was met by the president of the local recruiting association (Mr. J. H. Bloome) and the Leura Band. A halt of only fifteen minutes was made at Leura, but two recruits joined, and Captain-chaplain Fielding made a vigorous speech that cheered the men on.
Coo-ees marching between Leura and Wentworth Falls (The Sun 7/11/1915)
Wentworth Falls.
Leura Band played the column into Wentworth Falls, where there was more enthusiastic welcoming, and yet more wholesale feeding. Mr. H. A. Hickman, at the School of Arts, voiced the citizens’ welcome. A contingent of wounded soldiers paraded here, and were warmly welcomed by the “Coo-ees.” One of them, Private O’Connor, said he was glad to see them hurrying along to the front. “Not only you boys are wanted,” he said, “but all the lads in the country should come along, I am now on the way to recovery, but I hope to have another go. I have had two already.”
Mrs Thorne with her son Thomas Thorne who joined at Lawson (Mirror of Australia 13/11/1915)
Lawson.
With the Leura Band still giving the step, the “Coo-ees” stepped out briskly toward Lawson, where the week-end was to be spent. The president of the Blue Mountains Shire, Cr. J. T. Wall, came out some distance to meet the column, and further along a line of decorated motor cars came into sight, and a corps of boy scouts, with a welcome banner. It was a long procession that found its way to Lawson Park, where Cr. Geggie, made the men welcome on behalf of the townspeople of Lawson and Hazelbrook. The men were entertained at dinner at the School of Arts, and at night a recruiting meeting was held, at which five recruits joined the force.’
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[N.B. remainder of this article is not included in blog].
Click here to access the article on Trove: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116669569
1915 Coo-ee March 