History: Looking Back

Looking Back: Grog shop owner with centurion voice

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Looking Back

sid-marsh-cartoon Sid Marsh, who also operated a wine and spirit store at Woonona, commanded the voluntary drill corps at Bulli Park – Cartoon, Paul Dorin.

Down Memory Lane

With JACK DEVITT*

sid-marsh Sid Marsh

I CAN remember as a very small boy hearing Sid Marsh’s centurion voice barking commands as he drilled men and youths in Bulli Park in the early 1920s.

We lived at the corner of Farrell Road and Artis Street at the time and Sid’s voice could be heard quite plainly from that distance.

As far as I can ascertain there was compulsory military training for young men in those years, circa 1922.

These training exercises were on a Saturday afternoon when the park had its rotunda of German guns and a large flagpole on the knoll a few yards down from the Catholic church.

Almost opposite the rotunda in Park Road was the Drill Hall and in the…

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About Mick Roberts

A journalist, writer and historian, Mick Roberts specialises in Australian cultural history, particularly associated with the Australian pubs. Mick has had an interest in revealing the colourful story of Australian hotels or pubs and associated industries for over 30 years. Besides writing a number of history books, Mick has managed several community newspapers. Now semi-retired, he has edited the Wollongong Northern News, The Bulli Times, The Northern Times, The Northern Leader and The Local - all located in the Wollongong region. As a journalist he has worked for Rural Press, Cumberland (News Limited), City Hub Sydney (City News), and Torch Publications (based in Canterbury Bankstown, Sydney).

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