Media release

The Hon Hugh Delahunty MP Minister for Sport and Recreation Minister for Veterans’ Affairs

Monday 21 October 2013

Victorian families renew connections to their Anzac ancestors

The Victorian Government has joined forces with direct descendants of Victorian Anzacs to mark the moment local service men and women were deployed to the First World War 99 years ago and to renew family connections

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Mr Hugh Delahunty today unveiled a resource prepared with the assistance of Monash University that combines details from the embarkation roll and service records of those who left our shores on the troopship HMAT Orvieto, bound for Egypt and eventually Gallipoli. The Orvieto was the lead ship in the first convoy to leave .

Mr Delahunty said the Orvieto was one of Victoria's largest troopship vessels and left Port carrying almost 1,500 Victorians as part of the Australian convoy deployed at the commencement of WWI.

“The embarkation list of 1,457 service men and women has today been published online to encourage Victorians to recognise in advance forthcoming Centenary commemorations, Victoria's significant contribution to the First World War, and marks the start of the Victorian Government’s Anzac Centenary Program,” Mr Delahunty said.

In conjunction with today’s event, Mr Delahunty also introduced the newly formed Victorian Anzac Centenary Committee under the leadership of former Premier, Mr .

Mr Delahunty said the Committee would ensure that Victoria’s commemoration of the Anzac Centenary would leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

“The recognition of the significance of the Orvieto embarkation represents the first step in achieving this goal,” Mr Delahunty said.

Speaking from the Port Melbourne Orvieto event today, Mr Delahunty said that sharing the Orvieto list was a meaningful way of assisting families to reconnect with veterans, past and present, in advance of the commemorations.

"The centenary of WWI will be a worldwide event, but this list represents a uniquely Victorian perspective. It is our people and our history and creates an important link from the past to the people of Victoria today,” Mr Delahunty said.

“We thank the Orvieto families for joining us on this special day to start this reconnection and for sharing their personal stories with us and reminding us of the impact of war on Victoria’s people and heritage,” Mr Delahunty said.

“The men and women who boarded the Orvieto that day were ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Victorians enlisted from both small towns and large. From all walks of life, professionals, tradesmen, labourers and farmers, married and single - they answered the call of duty.”

Visit www.premier.vic.gov.au for more news

Mr Baillieu said the Victorian Government was today also launching an Anzac Centenary website which would act as a one stop shop for learning about WWI and sharing Victoria’s stories.

“We encourage all Victorians to visit the website and learn how they, too, can take part in the upcoming commemorations within their community. They may even discover their own connection to the First World War,” Mr Baillieu said.

Mr Baillieu said the Orvieto Centenary anniversary next year would be one of many important events that would occur over the next five years as part of the Victorian Government’s Anzac Centenary Program.

“The program will include special events to celebrate the ANZAC Day Centenary in 2015 and the Remembrance Day Centenary in 2018, with many significant dates acknowledged in between,” Mr Baillieu said.

“The centenary of the Declaration of War takes place in August next year.. With this and so many other significant dates approaching, now is the time for all Victorians to look into their own history to reconnect with the service of their own families and friends, to share their stories and to become involved in commemorating the events that so heavily impacted our communities, our state and our nation..

“The Government acknowledges the importance of passing on Victoria’s wartime history to subsequent generations as a way of remembering and honouring our veterans,” Mr Baillieu said.

“The sacrifices made by those men and women were instrumental in shaping the world in which we live today. We pledge to pass on this history so that their sacrifice shall never be forgotten.”

To see the Orvieto list and read more on the Victorian Government’s Anzac Centenary Program please visit www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au

Media contact: Fiona Telford 0409 037 946 [email protected]

Visit www.premier.vic.gov.au for more news