Aunty, Sister Mary Frances – Eileen HEVRON

7 August: Remembering my Aunty, Sister Mary Frances - Eileen HEVRON - who passed away in Kalamunda, Western Australia on this day in 1981, aged 82 years. She was the granddaughter of Catherine and Denis Hevron who arrived in Western Australia from Dublin, Ireland in...

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Origin of the Family Name

Throughout my lifetime I have been asked on numerous occasions…you have such an unusual surname, where does it come from and can you spell it please?  Having carried out extensive family research with my wife, Janet, since the early 1970’s, we discovered that the...

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James Ross Duperouzel

James Ross Duperouzel (1897–1916) was from York, Western Australia. He was the only AIF soldier to die out of a total of 5,230 Western Front War Dead from Western Australia whose grandfather was a convict of French origin having been transported to Fremantle, Western...

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Remembering Julia Maud Ovens

3 May 1876: Commemorating the 145th anniversary of the birth of Grand-Aunt Julia Maud Ovens, the daughter of our Irish GGM Julia Neagle and our French GGF Aimable Ciril Dupérouzel.  Julia Maud, affectionately known as ‘Maudie’, married William Ovens, ‘Barney’, at...

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Walk This Way

This article featured in 'CATENA', the magazine for the Catenian Association in March 2021. It was great fun doing this 'virtual' walk in 2020. I highly recommend! The Conqueror Virtual Fitness Challenges | Virtual Fitness Challenges

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Janet Millett – Wikipedia

I am delighted to have written Janet Millett for Wikipedia. This is accessible here at Janet Millett -Wikipedia As a member of The York Society (Inc.) in Western Australia I wish to extend my thanks and appreciationto its President, Mr Rob Garton Smith, for suggesting...

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Remembering William James Duperouzel, January 21, 1921

January 21, 1921: Remembering my great Uncle, William James Duperouzel, who was tragically killed in the bush near Noggerup in the south-west of Western Australia whilst working as a timber hewer for Bunning Bros. Timber Mill. William James was the son of ‘John the...

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Cricket in the Outback

The Qualen International XI Cricket Team made the headlines in the Eastern District Chronicle newspaper in York on 18th March 1899 after securing an historic win over the Beverley Cricket Team in a closely contested match played at Gilgering the previous week. Their...

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Let Go… Let God!

This book was written during the global Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. As a result of the UK Lockdown rules and restrictions sixty people associated with the charity celebrated the charity’s 30th anniversary on the 29th October with a ‘virtual’ afternoon tea party in...

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Review by Lenore Layman

The May 2020 edition of 'HISTORY WEST', the newsletter of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society, Nedlands features a book review by Lenore Layman of 'Sunset Over Mount Douraking' - see pages 7 and 8. May 2020 FINALDownload

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Tribute to Uncle Jim

4783 Private James Ross Duperouzel, 51st Battalion, AIF KIA 14/16 August 1916 Today we remember and pay tribute to Private James Ross Duperouzel. James Ross Duperouzel was born in July 1897, the second of ten children born to George and Sarah Duperouzel. Known as...

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Last Post Ceremony Photos

Photograph taken by Marcus Fillinger Order reference AWM2019.4.124.51 Contact: esales@awm.gov.auPhotograph taken by Marcus Fillinger Order reference AWM2019.4.124.50 Contact: esales@awm.gov.auPhotograph taken by David Whittaker Order reference: AWM2019.4.125.59...

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Australian Heritage Festival

Australian Heritage Festival - 18 April - 19 May 2019. This is a great opportunity to visit the York Residency Museum in Western Australia to see the new 'Mini Convict Exhibition'. Our French GGF Aimable Ciril Duperouzel is being featured as the example of a...

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Last Post Ceremony

The West Australian newspaper article in the Can We Help? column - 15 October 2018. Last Post Ceremony for Uncle Jim at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 21 June 2019.

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‘Dearth of Trackers’

Police Constable Alexander Duperouzel’s bush tracking skills saved a man’s life after being lost in the bush for three days in the rough country south of Gingin, Western Australia In September 1961, to mark the occasion when Police Sergeant Alexander Duperouzel, known...

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Remembering Frédéric Surget

19 June 1861: Remembering Frédéric Surget, a convict of French origin from Isingy-sur-Mer, Calvados, #4841, known as ‘grand Surget’, who was a friend of my French GGF Aimable Ciril Dupérouzel, from Saint Aubin-du-Perron, near Coutances, Manche, convict #4840. Both men...

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Troopship H.M.A.T Huntspill

On this day 14 June 1916: Uncle Jim Duperouzel from York, Western Australia arrived in Marseilles, France on board the troopship H.M.A.T. HUNTSPILL (pictured here courtesy of Transport of Delight) - a journey that took seven days from their training camp at...

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Wagin Police Honour Board

Wagin – Janet and I very much enjoyed our visit to the Wagin Historical Village in Western Australia. We highly recommend a visit as there are many interesting historical attractions to see for people of all ages. Many thanks to all the volunteers who were so friendly...

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York Residency Museum – Thank You

A big thank you to the staff and volunteers at the York Residency Museum in Western Australia for their vision to stage the ‘YORK’S ANZACS – Stories Remembering Them’ exhibition in the York Town Hall which opens on ANZAC Day. Janet and I are very grateful to Carol...

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The York Boys

As we approach ANZAC Day 2018 I will be thinking of the ‘…York boys...’. This is an expression used by Uncle Jim, 4783 Pte James Ross Duperouzel 51st Bn. AIF, in his letter dated 16 April 1916 to his father George Duperouzel on the family Farm at York. Uncle Jim was...

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Roll of Honour Name Projection

Roll of Honour Name Projection for Uncle Jim, from York, Western Australia. 4783 Pte James Ross Duperouzel 51st Bn. AIF. Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Tuesday April 24th, 2018 at 03:25am EST. Lest We Forget  

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Duperrouzel: Pioneers of Canada

Today we pay tribute to a French branch of our global family tree from Normandy who were pioneers of Canada as we salute Aubin Desiré Duperrouzel and Mathilde Eliza Osbert, known as Eliza. Aubin and Eliza had a talent that was greatly appreciated in the burgeoning...

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Lord Raglan Convict Ship 1858

February 6, 1858: Today, we commemorate the 160th anniversary of when Mr John Bower, Surgeon Superintendent, and Mr Thomas Hybert, Sea Captain, proceeded to Deptford Dockyard, near London, having been appointed to take command of the Hired Convict Ship, ‘LORD RAGLAN’....

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Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget. 4783 Pte James Ross Duperouzel 51st Bn. AIF - killed in action at Mouquet Farm on the Somme, France, on 14/16 August 1916. Uncle Jim has no known grave. The tragic loss of Uncle Jim was felt deeply by the family as evident by this moving tribute...

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Cut-Outs to Honour Sacrifice of Diggers

This article was published in The West Australian newspaper on Thursday April 20 but sadly didn't mention the names of the soldiers featured. Uncle Jim Duperouzel is on the right and his cousin Harry Wansbrough - both from York, Western Australia is on the left.

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DNA Results

You may recall I submitted my DNA samples, together with a copy of the Duperouzel Family Tree, to the Australian Army - Unrecovered War Casualties (UWC), Department of Defence, Canberra, Australia, in July 2016. I did so on behalf of the family should the UWC be able...

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ANZAC HEROES – ARMISTICE DAY 11.11.16

Uncle Jim, 4783 Private James Ross Duperouzel, 51st Bn. Australian Imperial Force from York, Western Australia. Killed-in-Action at Mouquet Farm, Somme, France, on 14/16 August 1916. Still ‘missing’ with no known grave…somewhere in France, but Not Forgotten.

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DNA Test

I thought my extended Duperouzel family would be interested to know that I carried out a DNA test and submitted the kit, together with a copy of the Duperouzel family tree, to the Unrecovered War Casualties - Army, Department of Defence, in Canberra, in July 2016. As...

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Western Front Association – BOOK REVIEW

Western Front Association – BOOK REVIEW, WFA magazine STAND TO! - 2016 AUSTRALIAN DETAIL Author: William Thomas DUPEROUZEL ‘SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE - The Story of 4783 Private James Ross Duperouzel, 51st Battalion Australian Imperial Force’ Privately published, Leighton...

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Somewhere in France Published

The latest book from William Thomas Duperouzel has been released - Somewhere in France. Somewhere in France is written as a tribute by William to his Uncle Jim, 4783 Private James Ross Duperouzel, from York, Western Australia. At the age of eighteen Jim Duperouzel...

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