Did you know that every street in Lucas is named after a soldier or nurse who fought during World War 1?

These brave service personnel are commemorated along the Avenue of Honour, and we want to share their stories with the Lucas community.

To celebrate the opening of our new Display Village on Blomeley Drive, we want to honour brothers Leopold and Edward Blomeley, as well as Clarence Blomeley and Alfred Blomeley.

We were unable to find any photos of these men.

Leopold Blomeley

Born in Ballarat, Victoria and an Ironfounder by trade, Leopold Blomeley was 21 years and single when enlisted on the 17th of January 1916 in the 57th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement, Australian Imperial Force, with the rank of Private, Number 1661. His Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 'Euripides' on the 4th of April 1916.

On the 16th of September 1916, he was admitted to hospital sick 'In the Field'. On the 2nd of October 1916, he embarked on H.S. 'St Denis' at Boulogne for England and was admitted to Middlesex Napsbury Hospital with Pneumonia. On the 20th of October 1916, he was discharged from the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital to Weymouth with gunshot wounds to his left leg and returned to Australia per 'Orontes' on the 28th of June 1919. He was discharged on the 14th of August 1919 with Termination of Period of Enlistment.

Edward Blomeley

Edward Louden Blomeley (SN 1659) was born in Ballarat and educated at Urquhart Street State School and the Ballarat School of Mines. He was a 28-year-old bachelor employed as an iron moulder when he enlisted on January 24th 1916. He embarked aboard the Euripides on April 4th and was serving with the 59th Battalion at Fromelles when he suffered a gunshot wound to his hand in July 1916. He was evacuated to England where a finger was amputated.

Discharged in October, he spent the remainder of the war in England, eventually being promoted to temporary Corporal. He left England to return to Australia on the Beltana in June 1919, spending several days in the ship's hospital en route, 'suffering with Neurasthenia'. He reached Melbourne in July but was subsequently admitted to the 11th Australian General Hospital where he died of a 'cerebella tumor and exhaustion' on October 29th 1919. He is buried in the Ballarat Old Cemetery and is remembered on the honour boards of the Urquhart Street State School and the S.M.B. He was 32 years of age.

Clarence Blomeley

Clarence Albert Blomeley (SN 52) was a 20-year-old clerk from Barkly Street in Ballarat East when he enlisted on August 19th 1914. He was attached to the Australian Medical Corps and embarked, aboard the Wiltshire, with the first contingent in late October 1914.

He served on Gallipoli with the 2nd Field Ambulance until he was evacuated to hospital at Alexandria in late August suffering from dysentery. He rejoined his unit in Egypt in January 1916, before serving right through the war in France. He returned home aboard the Port Sydney in early December 1918.

Alfred Blomeley

Born in Ballarat, Grenville and an Ironfounder by trade, Alfred Alexander Blomeley was 35 years and married when enlisted on the 13th of July 1915 in the 4th Light Horse Regiment, 12th Reinforcement, Australian Imperial Force, with the rank of Private, Number 1693. His Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A40 'Ceramic' on the 23rd of November 1915.

On the 29th of March 1916, he was admitted to No. 3 Auxiliary Hospital for Debility and Varicose and on the 10th of June 1916, invalidated to Australia per 'Itonus' ex Suez for an operation and was listed as returned to Australia on the 10th of June 1916. He disembarked at Melbourne on the 18th of July 1916 and was discharged from the 3rd Military District at Melbourne, Military Unit, with disability Varicose Veins on the 22nd of September 1916.

Thank you to Garry Snowden, president of the Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee, for providing this information.