The old timber Methodist church at Broughton became a Uniting church after union between the Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, however itwas laterde-consecratedbut stilllies at the crossroads of the old Broughton township, with only a telephone exchange and community hall in sight. It was sold some years ago to a private owner but the window remainsin situhigh above the porch on the west wall. The names of the men who died was surmounted by the Crown and Palm andthe AIF badge painted below. The Union Jack and Australian flags lie crossed behind the names of the men. The window was bulging to the point of collapse when viewed in 2010.
All the men who were commemorated in the window were young farmers from the Broughton district. One of four brothers, Stephen Percy Allen was aged 32 when he enlisted in 8 Battalion. On 29 December 1915 Private Allen embarked in Melbourne on HMAT Demosthenes along with Private Charles Williams who joined the same battalion. Both men contracted mumps in France and were hospitalised in March 1916. After rejoining their battalion the two men received gun shot wounds, Allen on 24 July and Williams only a few days later on 29 July and both required hospitalisation. Allen's wounds were severe and he was evacuated to England. Williams trasferred to 2 Light Trench Mortar Battery on 8 October 1916 and served until wounded on 11 February 1917. He died before he could be transferred to the Field Ambulance and was buried at Bazentin-le-Petit Military Cemetery, France. Allen rejoined his unit in France on 26 February 1918 but was wounded again on 11 August and was reported missing. This was amended to 'killed in action' by a court of inquiry held at Boufficulx, Belgium in February the following year. Initially buried at Herteville, Private Allen was reburied later at Fouquescourt British Cemetery, France.
Twenty year old Archibald Richard Dickinson enlisted at Horsham on 29 March 1916 and embarked for Britain on 27 May. Measles interrupted his training, however he left for France with 7 Battalion on 16 September. He transferred to 2 Company Australian Machine Gun Corps at the end of May 1917 and was killed in action on 21 September that year; he was commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
Thomas Dickinson enlisted on 29 October 1914 and proceeded to Gallipoli on 16 May. Promoted to Lance Corporal in the field, he was killed in action on 28 August 1915 and buried by one of the British Chaplains at Hill 60, Gallipoli.
Leslie Russell Etherton was one of four brothers in the armed forces, enlisting on 25 March 1916, aged 22, despite being rejected previously because of poor eyesight. He served in several battalions, suffered many bouts of sickness including trench feet, was wounded, gassed, and occasionally found himself in trouble for going AWOL and insubordination. In 59 Battalion, he was killed in action on 25 June 1918 and interred at Mericourt-L'Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; NAA:B2455, Allen SP; NAA: B2455, Williams CJ; NAA: B2455, Dickinson AR; NAA: B2455, Dickinson T; NAA: B2455, Etherton LR; Hamilton Spectator, 23 November 1918, p.5; Horsham Times, 16 October 1917, p.5; 1 April 1919, p.6; Mildura Cultivator, 2 November 1915, p.5; 20 June 1917, p.11; 4 August 1917, p.15; Register, 27 October 1915, p.8.
With thanks to the present owner of the building Brett Wheaton
