Many households had to adjust to the absence of male breadwinners (be it temporary or permanent). In the post-war period, the profound impacts of battle on many former servicemen flowed on to affect their wives and children.
Many residents of orphanages enlisted to fight in the War. Annual reports from institutions during the War years often carried lists of those who were serving, and news of those who had 'made the supreme sacrifice'.
The military records of the Australian Infantry Forces from World War One can be a rich source of information about orphanage 'old boys' who served. Some Forgotten Australians have found vital information about fathers, uncles and grandfathers in these records, which are available online from the National Archives of Australia.
We do not currently have any resources linked to this entry, but resources may exist. If you know of any related resources, please contact us.
The Find & Connect Support Service can help people who lived in orphanages and children's institutions look for their records.
Last updated:
26 November 2020
Cite this: http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/australia/FE00113
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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