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 Integra Office in Lilburne Street, we want to honour Lt. Arthur Lilburne.

Lt. Arthur Melville Lilburne from Drummond Street in Ballarat was educated at Grenville College and the School of Mines before graduating from Melbourne University as a mathematics teacher. He enlisted in February 1916 and sailed from Melbourne later in the year.

In August 1917, he was evacuated to England suffering a gunshot wound to his hand. Once recovered he returned to the battlefield where he earned a Military Cross, 'For gallantry and devotion to duty at Verbrandenmolen Ridge, south of Ypres, on 11th March 1918.

While the battery was being subjected to very heavy shell fire he, at great personal risk, supervised the evacuation of all ranks to places of safety. On the following day, observing one of the gun pits received a direct hit, he, assisted by a N.C.O., collected a party of men and got under control the fire which had broken out, thus saving a large amount of ammunition. He showed great courage and coolness throughout.'

Soon after this he became ill and was again evacuated to the London General Hospital where he died of cerebral haemorrhage on July 11th 1918, aged 31. He was buried with full military honours in the Australian section of the Brookwood Military Cemetery in England.

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