At 2.30pm on Friday the 30th of August 1940, the Stanley Flat Trees of Tribute were planted to commemorate the local men who served in World War Two. The Avenue was planted with Claret Ash trees and various shrubs, and is located along Stradbrooke Road, Stanley Flat, in South Australia. A working bee was held the month before to prepare the land and it was on Arbor Day, 30 August 1940, that the tree and shrub planting took place. The Trees are marked with a plaque on a stone at the beginning of the row.
The following excerpt from the Northern Argus newspaper details the names of the men honoured with a tree and the person who planted the tree: (“Arbor Day at Stanley Flat” Northern Argus, 6 September 1940,p. 4.)
The trees of tribute were all of the Claret Ash variety, and were planted in honor of the following men who had enlisted, by either their parents, relatives, or friends, as follows : —R. Aldridge, planted by. Mrs. E. Aldridge ; E. Burch, planted by Mr. F. J. Barrett;’ R. Coles, planted by Mrs. G. A. Coles; A. Gericke, planted by Mrs. Pavey; E. Harvey, planted by Mrs. Ramm; W. Hawker, planted by Mrs. J. Christison; A. K. P. Lee, planted by Mrs. A. Lee; H. A. V. Messenger, planted by Mrs. M. McEvoy; V. Stopp, planted by Mrs. Giles; C. Victor, planted by John Victor; E. Ward, planted by Mrs. J. Robinson. Shrubs were planted between each tree of tribute by school children. The shrubs included Oleander, Hawthorn, Plumbago, Flowering Plum, and Broom.
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