100 Days of Heroes: An avenue of family memories for many Tasmanians

THE Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue on the Queens Domain in Hobart holds a special place in Helen Hartley’s heart.

Helen Hartley next to her great uncles Arthur Fowler’s plaque on the Soldiers Memorial Avenue, Queens Domain. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

THE Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue holds a special place in Helen Hartley’s heart.

“It’s wonderful,” Mrs Hartley. “I’ve been taken up there since I was very young and it always brings up memories.”

As well as having two relatives commemorated on the avenue, Mrs Hartley is also affiliated as a Friends of Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue committee member and treasurer for the last eight years.

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Logo for 100 days of heroes in the Mercury newspaperhundred days of heroes

Mrs Hartley’s great uncle Arthur Fowler and her grandfather William Copcutt both lost their lives serving in World War I.

William, a telegraph linesman, was married to Arthur’s sister Ruth. He enlisted with the 12th Battalion in July 1915 and was reported missing in action in France a year later.

An official inquiry later determined that he had been killed in action at Pozieres on July 26, 1916, and he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.

Mrs Hartley recalled visiting William’s tree on the Memorial Avenue as a child but eventually lost track of its location and feared it may have been bulldozed during 1960s roadworks.

“I was so relieved when I found my grandad’s tree on the avenue,” she said. “I’ve taken my grandchildren and great grandchildren up there — they think nanny has a great big park with lots of trees.”

Private William Copcutt.

Her great uncle Arthur, who was known as Georgie, enlisted in January 1916 aged 23. He attended South Hobart State School and worked as an orchardist before embarking with the 40th Battalion in July 1916.

While stationed in England he was found absent without leave and fined four days’ pay.

“He was a naughty boy,” Mrs Hartley said. Deployed to France in November 1916, he suffered a bout of influenza requiring hospitalisation in July 1917.

On October, 5, 1917, he was shot in the chest during an attack at Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium, and died in a casualty clearing station the next day, aged 25. He was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

Privates William George Copcutt and Arthur George William Fowler are remembered at trees 84 and 312 respectively on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue.

Cameron Allen is a UTAS journalism student.

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