http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/12/23/an-unexpected-guest-joins-christmas-dinner/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:16:42 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/12/23/an-unexpected-guest-joins-christmas-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-2225 Pen Roberts Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:25:56 +0000 http://blog.awm.gov.au/awm/?p=1737#comment-2225 Thank you for all you comments! Now for the rest of Henri's story. He settled in Brisbane with the Tovell family. Apparently the French consul permitted his adoption but stipulated that he was not to be naturalised until his 21st birthday. At the age of 18, he was accepted in a civilian capacity by Point Cook RAAF, Victoria. On being naturalised he would have been offically able to join the RAAF. Sadly before this could happen, he was killed in a motor bike accident in May 1928. In response to this tragic loss and in memory of such an extraordinary and brave little digger, The Argus newspaper in Melbourne started a public fund to errect a memorial on his grave. Several books have now been written on him. The Memorial's Photographs section holds a lovely image of him taken in his late teenage years with his adopted father Tim Tovell.(See H13597) Thank you for all you comments! Now for the rest of Henri’s story. He settled in Brisbane with the Tovell family. Apparently the French consul permitted his adoption but stipulated that he was not to be naturalised until his 21st birthday. At the age of 18, he was accepted in a civilian capacity by Point Cook RAAF, Victoria. On being naturalised he would have been offically able to join the RAAF. Sadly before this could happen, he was killed in a motor bike accident in May 1928. In response to this tragic loss and in memory of such an extraordinary and brave little digger, The Argus newspaper in Melbourne started a public fund to errect a memorial on his grave. Several books have now been written on him. The Memorial’s Photographs section holds a lovely image of him taken in his late teenage years with his adopted father Tim Tovell.(See H13597)

]]> http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/12/23/an-unexpected-guest-joins-christmas-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-2177 Liz Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:55:58 +0000 http://blog.awm.gov.au/awm/?p=1737#comment-2177 I have started reading the book about Henri a couple of days ago! "Young Digger" by Anthony Hill (not realising it started at Christmas!) I have started reading the book about Henri a couple of days ago! “Young Digger” by Anthony Hill (not realising it started at Christmas!)

]]> http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/12/23/an-unexpected-guest-joins-christmas-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-2176 new memorial website Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:13:02 +0000 http://blog.awm.gov.au/awm/?p=1737#comment-2176 Really touching incident. A French boy being adapted by the Australian unit during World War I is really unique. Henri Heremene, the orphan could not have thought of finding such an unlikely family. Thanks to this new memorial website for sharing this unique information with us. Indeed some events are worth remembering over and over again. Really touching incident. A French boy being adapted by the Australian unit during World War I is really unique. Henri Heremene, the orphan could not have thought of finding such an unlikely family. Thanks to this new memorial website for sharing this unique information with us. Indeed some events are worth remembering over and over again.

]]> http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2008/12/23/an-unexpected-guest-joins-christmas-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-2173 denis connelly Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:43:22 +0000 http://blog.awm.gov.au/awm/?p=1737#comment-2173 Great to see a good story in all that carnage.What happened to Henri? Where Henri settle after the "Great War"? Great to see a good story in all that carnage.What happened to Henri? Where Henri settle after the “Great War”?

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