THEO PFLAUM RAY PFLAUM
In just two days time the fifth ‘Connecting Spirits’ group from Meningie Area School will travel to the other side of the globe to begin their 2015 commemorative journey. In this centenary year, the founding school is joined by four new partners; Findon High School, Mannum Community College, Unity College and Lameroo Regional School.
Over 40 W.W.1 and W.W.2 soldiers will be commemorated by the group with each man’s story shared with the group and recorded in film, photography and social media. As in previous Connecting Spirits tours, each veteran has his story told on the project website each with a dedicated page to their memory. (go tohttp://www.connectingspirits.com.au to follow the project) The 2015 CS soldiers are relatives of our group or have some local connection which enhances the impact of the commemorative process.
On some occasions students have selected ‘their’ soldier for other reasons which are of interest to the person doing the commemoration. As in previous years a number of brothers are remembered and the Pflaum boys from Birdwood have a special place in Connecting Spirits history. Ray and Theo born in Birdwood came from a family of 14 children. The Pflaum family home is now the admin centre for Birdwood Primary School and has a unique link to Connecting Spirits.
If ever there was an example of the power of our project’s name it is with these two soldiers’ stories. When Ray was killed in the Battle of Fromelles on July 19th 1916, his family would have to wait for nearly a century before they would learn of his fate. As one of the 250 men’s remains in the Pheasant Wood pit, Ray Pflaum was finally located and positively identified in 2010 and reburied in a proper grave with his name and identity returned.
In that year former Birdwood High student and CS member in 2006, 2008 and 2010, Ms Flo Bourke wrote a song dedicated to the young man who had been ‘Known only Unto God’ up to that point. When Flo wrote her evocative piece she was 19 ….Ray was 19 when he died…two young Aussies from the same town but a century apart. And to add to the Connecting of these spirits….the room where Ray was actually born in, was the very same room where Flo learnt music as a Yr 7 student at Birdwood PS.
When we play Flo’s song ‘Known Only Unto God’ on Wednesday April 15 in the early afternoon at the grave of Ray Pflaum in the Pheasant Wood cemetery at Fromelles, these two will once again be connected.
Over 40 W.W.1 and W.W.2 soldiers will be commemorated by the group with each man’s story shared with the group and recorded in film, photography and social media. As in previous Connecting Spirits tours, each veteran has his story told on the project website each with a dedicated page to their memory. (go tohttp://www.connectingspirits.com.au to follow the project) The 2015 CS soldiers are relatives of our group or have some local connection which enhances the impact of the commemorative process.
On some occasions students have selected ‘their’ soldier for other reasons which are of interest to the person doing the commemoration. As in previous years a number of brothers are remembered and the Pflaum boys from Birdwood have a special place in Connecting Spirits history. Ray and Theo born in Birdwood came from a family of 14 children. The Pflaum family home is now the admin centre for Birdwood Primary School and has a unique link to Connecting Spirits.
If ever there was an example of the power of our project’s name it is with these two soldiers’ stories. When Ray was killed in the Battle of Fromelles on July 19th 1916, his family would have to wait for nearly a century before they would learn of his fate. As one of the 250 men’s remains in the Pheasant Wood pit, Ray Pflaum was finally located and positively identified in 2010 and reburied in a proper grave with his name and identity returned.
In that year former Birdwood High student and CS member in 2006, 2008 and 2010, Ms Flo Bourke wrote a song dedicated to the young man who had been ‘Known only Unto God’ up to that point. When Flo wrote her evocative piece she was 19 ….Ray was 19 when he died…two young Aussies from the same town but a century apart. And to add to the Connecting of these spirits….the room where Ray was actually born in, was the very same room where Flo learnt music as a Yr 7 student at Birdwood PS.
When we play Flo’s song ‘Known Only Unto God’ on Wednesday April 15 in the early afternoon at the grave of Ray Pflaum in the Pheasant Wood cemetery at Fromelles, these two will once again be connected.
LEST WE FORGET.
THE PFLAUM SISTERS ALL WORE A LOCKET CONTAINING THEIR BROTHERS’ IMAGES
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