Brighton Vic. 25 May 1943. A resident of Anzac Hostel, Mr Alexander Dewar Kelley, formerly 1926 ...

Brighton Vic. 25 May 1943. A resident of Anzac Hostel, Mr Alexander Dewar Kelley, formerly 1926 Private Kelley, 58th Battalion, being helped into a seat in the sun by Sister M E Flower, Assistant Matron. Mr Kelley, a double amputee from the First World War now resides in Anzac Hostel. The Hostel was established as a home to care for totally and permanently incapacitated ex-servicemen who required nursing care but no active medical or surgical treatment. In November 1918 the government purchased the property "Kamesburgh" to establish Anzac Hostel which was officially opened on 5 July 1919. The government used funds donated by the Baillieu brothers; William Lawrence (1859-1936), Edward Lloyd (1867-1939), Arthur Sydney (1872-1943), Richard Percy Clive (1874-1941), Norman Horace (1878-1955), and Captain Maurice Howard Lawrence (1883-1961), all prominent Melbourne businessmen. After essential building modifications the Red Cross, along with the nursing staff, undertook the cleaning of the building and preparations for receiving patients. At the time the Hostel opened it had a capacity of twenty-five beds and employed seven nurses under the charge of Matron Catherine Munro. The Red Cross Society continued to contribute medical comforts and amenities until the Hostel officially closed on 30 June 1995.