The first Australia Day in 1915

The first Australia Day was held in 1915 on July 30 as a fundraising for the Gallipoli casualties as they returned to Australia. January 26 had been known as ‘Anniversary Day’, ‘Foundation Day’ and ‘Regatta Day’.

Australia Day was not fixed on January 26 until 1935, when there was agreement of all states and territories and the imminent approach of the 1938 Sesquicentennial celebrations.

Australia Day 1918 was used for wartime fundraising

By 1918, the war had been dragging on into its fourth year. Soldier casualties were large and still growing.  Patriotic fundraising was a major focus for those at home, and the Australia Day fundraisers have been important since their establishment in 1915.

Australia Day 1918 in Camden

In early 1918, Camden Red Cross workers supported the national Australia Day appeal, which aimed ‘to relieve the sufferings of Australia’s men who are suffering that Australia shall be free’. (Camden News, 18 April 1918)

Camden mayor George Furner called a public meeting on 23 March at a not-so-well-attended meeting of the Camden Red Cross sewing circle. An organising committee was formed of the Camden Red Cross and council officers.

The fundraising activities were to include the sale of badges and buttons, a Red Cross drive, a public subscription, a prayer service, a lecture and a door-knock of the town area.

The Australian Day activities started with the united prayer service (2 April) held at the Forester’s Hall in Camden, run by the Protestant clergy. It started at 11.30am with Rev.

Canon Allnutt from St. Paul’s church at Cobbitty, Rev CJ King from St. John’s church in Camden and Rev GC Percival from the Camden Methodist Church.

All businesses in Camden were shut for the duration of the service, and there was ‘an attentive and earnest gathering both town and country’. (Camden News, 4 April 1918)

A public lecture was presented by Senior Chaplain Colonel James Green (8 April) held at the Foresters’ Hall on his experiences on the Somme battlefield in France.  

The Red Cross ‘drive’ started the same week (9 April) and resulted in the sale of Red Cross badges to the value of £54, with only 200 left to be sold before the market day (23 April).

A Red Cross market day was held on 30 April, and the Camden press maintained that ‘with so many gallant sons in the battlefields; her women folk have since the very outbreak of war have nobly done their part of war work’.

Flags and bunting were draped around the bank corner and were supplemented with Allies’ flags and lines of Union Jacks in the ‘finest’ local display and music was provided by the Camden District Band.

The displays were opened by Enid Macarthur Onslow and, in her words, touched a ‘solemn’ note when she spoke of the ‘sacrifices mothers and women’ towards the war effort and the responsibilities of those who stayed at home.

The whole event was a huge success and raised £225, which made a cumulative total of £643 in the appeal to that point.

The Camden Red Cross branch then conducted a raffle, with the first prize being an Australian Flag autographed by Earl Kitchener. The Camden press maintained

that if you haven’t got a ticket in the Kitchener Flag yet you will have one by the end of May unless you hide from the Red Cross ladies in town. They want to sell a lot and they are not going to let you go until they have extracted a two shilling piece from you.

Camden News, 9 May 1918

And the reporter was not exaggerating. The total effort of the Camden Red Cross for the Australia Day appeal came to £748, which also included donations from Sibella Macarthur Onslow of £100,

Mrs WH Faithfull Anderson of £25 and £100 from the Camden Red Cross. (Camden News, April and May 1918) [In today’s worth, that is about $100,000 from a population of around 1700.]

Australia Day at Menangle and Narellan

The Menangle Red Cross decided that ‘a big effort’ was needed, and a garden fete (18 May) was organised by Helen Macarthur Onslow, Enid’s daughter, at her home in Gilbulla.

The fete was opened in front of a large crowd by the wife of the New South Wales Governor, Lady Margaret Davidson.

The New South Wales governor, Sir Walter Davidson, presented two engraved watches to two local returned soldiers. The fete raised a total of £85, and the total Menangle Red Cross collections were well over £100.

The Narellan Red Cross put on a concert at the Narellan Parish Hall (27 April), and tickets were 2/- and 1/- and raised £51.

Together with the sale of Red Cross Drive Badges and donations, the branch raised £80. Out at the Douglas Park Red Cross, the branch ran a social and raised £22. (Camden News, April and May 1918)

Learn more 

Learn more about local Red Cross activities during the First World War.

Updated 20 January 2024. Originally posted on 23 April 2018 as ‘Australia Day in Camden 1918’.