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From: "Debbie Beavis" <>
Subject: [WARBRIDES] 60th Anniversary Reunion, Mildura, Australia
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 00:13:04 +1000


About 5000 warbrides came to Australia after WWll. Around 90 of them came to
Mildura and the surrounding townships on the northern Victoria/New South
Wales border.

As far as I am able to account, there are only 8 women still living in the
area - not all of them came directly here but did arrive at some stage in
the last 60 years.

I have been trying to seek them out - I wrote an article published in the
local newspaper, the Sunraysia Daily last Saturday - if anyone would like to
read it, I'll be happy to email it out to them. There will also be a small
exhibition in the library here in the week leading up to Remembrance Day.

This afternoon the Board of the RSL entertained the ladies for afternoon
tea. Seven of them came, the eighth being unfortunately in hospital. The
President of the RSL gave them a welcome address (then I was unexpectedly
asked to explain my part in the proceedings and my interest in war brides).
All the ladies were then presented with an attractive RSL framed certificate
reading 'in appreciation of the sacrifices you made to follow your heart to
Australia' and the date. The press attended and took heaps of photos. The
women of the Ex-Servicewomen's League then brought out a wonderful cream tea
with sandwiches, cakes and tea or coffee. Everyone had a lovely time
chatting and reminiscing about old times. Mildura is a fairly small town, so
most of them knew each other, had taught each other's children or had some
other connection over the years.

Debbie Beavis
Warbrides


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