A couple of years ago I embarked on a personal project of developing a commemorative website. The site would be dedicated to remembering my great Uncle who lost his life in the First World War. The project consumed a little more time than I expected.
It was the proverbial “itch that needed to be scratched”. To me personally, there were three distinct motives for creating the website:
- My family had all the knowledge of the story, we had his war medals, to my knowledge, none of the other relatives knew the story as intimately as I do.
- If done properly, other people could benefit from the story. They could participate with us in locating the missing medallion and scroll, they could start their own research into their own family’s military history.
- If it opened some doors for more opportunities for assisting people and work, well and good.
The story of ECPerkins 4503 came online officially in April 2012. The timing worked out to coincide with the remembrance of ANZAC day, the 25th April 1915 an important day in Australia’s and New Zealand’s military history.
What’s so unique about ecperkins.com.au?
The original research was done in the early 90’s where I had to go the Australia War Memorial and the National Archives of Australia and research their collections manually. However, now, the majority of the information is available online.
When I compiled ecperkins.com.au all the original information and resources had been digitised and made available online making access to information more dynamic and usable for a website. It would make the online experience enriching to reader. To me it was an opportunity waiting to happen.
As an example, here are some of the things I was able to do, to bring the story alive on the website:
- I found pictures around the time and place to most the events that occurred, such as, enlistment, the vessels that EC Perkins travelled on, the areas where he served.
- Combine that with our own family’s photographs and research
- Find the names and locations of the friends he most probably enlisted with
- Find correspondence between my Great Great Grandparents and the Department of Defence
- Find newspaper clippings remembering his life and service.
To further the interest, I have been able to hook up with some very special people who have provided information, photographs, and organisations that have granted me reuse of the information on the site.
People have been ever so helpful.
I hope you enjoy the site and story as I have bringing it together.
Visit ecperkins.com.au here.
