Deborah C Wheeler

What will 2024 bring …..

In 2024 I have been tasked with creating a Register of War Memorials for the whole of the Goondiwindi Council region. The Goondiwindi Regional Council covers an extensive area and I am keen to collect as much information as I can. Anyone with any information on any memorials or details on any of the Veterans from this region are encouraged to contact me to share their knowledge. Photographs of the memorials and the Veterans will be most welcome.

Freestone Honour Board Unveiling 2023Queensland Governor unveils my new Honour Boards at the Freestone Memorial Hall.

On Tuesday the 5th December 2023 Her Excellency the Honourable Doctor Jeannette Young AC PSM, arrived at the Freestone Memorial Hall to unveil the new World War One & Two Honour Boards I had been commissioned to created.

The children from the Freestone State School provided excellent entertainment for the official party, ladies and gentlemen who gathered for this very special occasion. Each and every child was presented with the Governor’s Medal. It was humbling to know something I had been involved in resulted in such a magnificent honour for the children.

The work I do is in a large way about teaching children the importance of our history and to learn, know and respect the men and women of the Australian Defence Forces past, present and future.

I would like to thank the Freestone Memorial Hall committee for entrusting this project to me. To the families of the servicemen I researched, thank you for your support. Knowing I have helped families of our Veterans makes the work I do so very worthwhile.

 

WE WON !!!!

Our documentary, ‘Second Generation ANZAC: Stories from the Battle of Crete’ went on to win the ‘Best Short Documentary’ category at both the Mykonos International Film Festival and the Mumbai Internation Film Festival. I am so proud of the effort everyone put into recording this documentary on the life of the late, great Alf Carpenter. Alf would have been really chuffed to know people thought so highly of him. His love and respect for the Greek and Cretan communities was very strong.

Jeff Hughes from This Story Australia has done the most amazing job of putting this documentary together and I must also thank Rupert McCall OAM for doing the main narration on the film.

 

DOCUMENTARIES

Alf Carpenter group photos2023  Best Short Documentary awarded to Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter at  Mumbai International Film Festival

2023  Best Short Documentary awarded to Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter at Mykonos International Film Festival

2022  Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter: Finalist – Kalamata International Short Documentary Film Festival

2022  Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter: Selected – Our Stories: Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival

2022   Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter

2022   Corporal Ziggy Gnojek, Polish Army

 

BOOKS by Deborah C Wheeler

2021     Silk Clouds & Olive Trees: Stories from the Battle of Crete

2018    My Pop was a Kangaroo ANZAC

2018    Kyoomba Sanatorium 1916-1935 Volume II

2018    Kyoomba Sanatorium 1916-1935 Volume 1

2016    Kyoomba Sanatorium – Set of 5 broadsheets

2015    Tales of a Military Medal Recipient and a Lancaster Bomber Rear Gunner

2015    I Remember in 2015

PRE 2015 – Written / Published

2007-2013 Australian Bowls Directory;  4 Ingredients Calendars 2009, 2010 & 2011; Mandurah Bowling & Recreation Club, Celebrating 125 years 1887-2012 Glen Aplin State School; Applethorpe State School Centenary 1911-2011; 100 years of school, Thulimbah State School 1914-2014; Travelling Bowler 2013-2023

Deborah Wheeler at Wagga Wagga signing the Kangaroo