Mapping Our Anzacs is a great website for researching any ancestors who served in World War One. I find it easier to find people on here than the National Archives website because it is dealing only with WW1.

A page of my grandfather’s records.
William Burnett Willison

I found this information at the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre

2986 Acting Corporal William Burnett WILLISON, a 31 year old Farmer from Parra Hills, South Australia. He enlisted on 6 June 1916; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 25 September 1919.

This is the ship William embarked on. The 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, 22nd Reinforcement, embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A41 Bakara on 4 November 1916.

I haven’t looked into the site much yet but there appears to be a lot more information there.

I spent a lovely day yesterday reading poetry and doing craft with my Mum. She introduced me to CJ Dennis! I’d heard of him and The Sentimental Bloke before but hadn’t read any of his poetry.

A Spring Song
The world ‘as got me snouted jist a treat;
Crool Forchin’s dirty left ‘as smote me soul;
An’ all them joys o’ life I ‘eld so sweet
Is up the pole.
Fer, as the poit sez, me ‘eart ‘as got
The pip wiv yearnin’ fer – I dunno wot.

I’m crook; me name is Mud; I’ve done me dash;
Me flamin’ spirit’s got the flamin’ ‘ump!
I’m longin’ to let loose on somethin’ rash…
Aw, I’m a chump!
I know it; but this blimed ole Springtime craze
Fair outs me, on these dilly, silly days.

I love it!! This is just the first two verses, I love the language, the way words are used, the rhyme and rhythm, the old Aussie slang. I apologise to those who can’t understand this poem, some of it I don’t understand either but I can get the gist of it if I keep reading so hopefully you can too.

This is a great video someone’s made, a recitation of The Play from The Songs Of A Sentimental Bloke. This will give you an idea of how it sounds and how Australians spoke in the early 1900s.