In 2015 a re-enactment of the Boomerang March was held in Canowindra NSW. A lovely man who attended the event brought with him a 'Deadman's Coin' which was a plaque presented to the next of kin who were lost in WW1. He had found this plaque in amongst his grandfather's war memorabilia and decided to research the name engraved on the reverse side. He found that it was presented to the mother of Norman Frederick Williams of Canowindra. He came from Orange, not too far away to present the plaque to the Canowindra Ex-Serviceman's Club. When we were in Canowindra a few weeks ago for the 100 year commemoration of the death of Norman and his brother Albert at the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt we saw this plaque in the showcase at the club but never thought that it would be part of our family history. We didn't read the information accompanying the plaque. Then I received an email, again from @cuz'n Kezz. She had been mooching around on the internet and came across an article in the local Canowindra paper about this lovely man and his selfless gift. Just to clarify. The Boomerang was one amongst many marches done by volunteers who marched from faraway country towns to enlist for WW1. They marched to Liverpool in Sydney and it took some of them many weeks where they were billeted overnight by locals or slept in parks and given food and drink by the ladies of the small towns they passed through.
Important (to me and hubby) Update........ Hubby and I have been invited to contribute information for an updated version of a history book of the town where Norman and his siblings were born. We mentioned the Dead Mans Penny so it’s story will be included in the book. We took ourselves over to Canowindra, about 50 minutes from here, to photograph the plaque that is kept securely in the Ex Services Club. Horror of horrors. It wasn’t there anywhere. So some desperate enquiries led us to the Club Presidents mobile number. He had it in his possession and while he was busy hand feeding his drought starved sheep, he took the time to bring it to town for us. It was a very emotional feeling holding it as it is 101 years since Norman was killed. But it doesn’t end there, we were asked if we wanted to take it home for the weekend to read all the info that the gifter had found about Norman. Photo of it on media......so chuffed.
I must have beaten you to posting it I now see it. (Presteigne, a town over the hill from here are having a 'To the families, one coin' exhibition running from 25th Aug - 11th Nov on these coins)
Some mothers just threw them away or sent them back. We are still not sure how this coin got into the possession of the gifters grandfather but believe after reading his infromation that the old man was related to Norman’s brothers son in law..... Some urgent family history is required I think
Another update.... We were also told by the club back some 6 months ago that we could apply to have the little plaque returned to our family. So that’s what we did. However the man who donated it to the club refused permission for that to happen. His excuse was that it belonged to him and he was gifting it to the club for the community and that he wasn’t too keen on our family having it. He told us that it was worth a great deal, monetarily and that he could have sold it many years ago for his future (they are worth about $25 )He went out of his way to put up roadblocks. He also demanded that it go to a vote of the members of the club and that if they voted in our favour then he wanted it back but the club president informed him that it was now theirs as he had gifted it to them. So today we went to the AGM of the club and it was unanimous. The plaque was being returned to our family where it belonged. It is almost 100 years since it was sent from Britain to my grandparents in law and now it is back home. One happy vegemite is my man.
