This beautiful poem which I’m sure could be termed a “sonnet” (a little song) was submitted to the tenindewa.com site by Brian Griffiths to honor an old Tenindewa resident who despite surviving the first world war suffered severe PTSD as we term it today (post traumatic stress syndrome). In his day it was commonly called “Shell Shock”. Harold Hayes farmed in the Bindu area (north west Tenindewa) and a Government water bore, adjacent to the site of Harold’s residence, still bares his name…”Hayes’s Bore”.
Brian Griffith is one of the most senior living members of our (unofficial) Tenindewa Hall of fame. He is the son of Bill and Ivy Griffiths who built the current store in 1932.
As a backdrop to this tragic story, it is appropriate to note an article written in the Weekend Australian newspaper in April 2023 by the well-known and articulate demographer in Bernard Salt. Salt tells us that “every generation had its hardships. But none had it tougher than the generation that built modern Australia—mostly those that were born in the 1890s. In their twenties, and with some still in their teens, many signed up for the World War 1. More than 60,000 [Australian] men out of a population of five million died in the name of the British Empire. Many who lived through the war, and the subsequent Spanish Flu pandemic, had to deal with the quiet hell of what we would now call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But they survived (albeit some barley) they married and had children in the 1920s thinking no doubt, that the worst of times was over.
Not so. The Great Depression arrived in the 1930’s when so many had young children, and unemployment peaked above 30 percent. But again, they survived only to make it through to the 1940’s when World War 2 took their sons.
After the war, and by then well into their 50’s the children of the pre-Federation Australia era would have experienced moments of joy as their (many) grandchildren, the Baby Boomers, arrived. But a long retirement was not for this generation because their life expectancy was less than 65. Often, they died at work.”
Related Articles;
April 1949
Tenindewa Notes
Greenough Sun (Thursday 14th April 1949)
The second draw of the local Tennis Club’s handicap tournament was played on Sunday the 10 of April. Play was well up to standard and players were very keen. Following are the results of the days matches;
Men’s Singles
T. Foster defeated K. Butler
5-6, 6-1, 6-2
D. Heelan defeated G. Rumble
6-4, 6-1
L. Starling defeated F. Butler
6-4, 6-4
Men’s Doubles
A. Cream and D. Brenkley defeated P. Butler and J. Brenkley
6-5, 1-6, 6-3
E. Hearne and W. Cox defeated D. Heelan and F. Butler
6-4, 2-6, 10-8
Mixed Doubles
Mr. and Mrs. Oldham defeated W. Weir and Mrs. G. Rumble
6-5, 6-3
Mr. and Mrs. Oldham defeated Mr. and Mrs. Hayes
3-7, 7-5, 6-5