By KATH GANNAWAY
THE mystery of World War I soldier Reuben Saxton has come full circle.
For years, Mount Evelyn RSL has had a plaque with his name on it which they believed was from the Mount Evelyn Avenue of Honour – but there was no one by that name on the Mount Evelyn WWI lists.
There was, however, a Reuben Saxton from Gilderoy in the national military records.
“We couldn’t understand why it looked different to the only other plaque from the Mount Evelyn Avenue of Honour,” said Mount Evelyn RSL president Roger Boness, who last month repatriated the plaque to the Upper Yarra Historical Society for safe keeping and possible inclusion in their military collection.
The discovery couldn’t have come at a better time for the UYHS as their plans with Upper Yarra RSL proceed for the replanting of a memorial avenue of trees for the Anzac Centenary.
The original memorial trees were at the Yarra Junction Sports Ground near the memorial gates and featured individual picket fence guards with plaques presumed to be engraved with the names of the World War I fallen. Reuben Saxton was killed in action at Cape Helles on Gallipoli in 1915.
The Saxton plaque is the only one known to be in existence.
In an ironic twist, local military historian, Bob Sutherland, told the story at the presentation of how he had found the Saxton plaque when he was just starting out on his military research.
He gave it to a Yarra Junction woman as a more appropriate custodian, explaining that he didn’t recognise the significance of the plaque at the time. How it came to be donated to Mount Evelyn RSL is still a mystery.
The ‘find’ is exciting and timely for the UYHS.
“This is our first template for our efforts to recreate the memorial trees and as such is very significant,” UYHS president Tom O’Meara said.
The plan now is to replant the memorial trees along the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
