A photograph featuring Harold Higgs who is one of Drouin's World War I heroes.
Harold, on the right, is captured alongside some of his regiment in July 1917, presumably whilst on leave from the fighting.
Harold was born June 5, 1890, the fifth child of John and Sarah Higgs.
In 1901, the family was living in Drouin and young Harold was a student at Drouin State School.
In 1911, he and two of his brothers joined the Warragul and District Volunteer Lighthorse Squadron, which set him in good stead when war was declared. Harold enlisted only 15 days after Australia entered the war on August 5, 1914. His service number was 17.
After two months of training, Harold set sail with his regiment for Cairo, where further training took place.
Harold was part of the 4th Australian Lighthorse Regiment. His unit was the only Australian unit to serve on three fronts during World War I; Gallipoli, France and Palestine.
Harold was mentioned in field marshall Douglas Haig's dispatch on November 13, 1916 for "distinguished and gallant service and devotion to duty" during the Battle of the Somme.
This lengthy five-month battle was described as "hell on earth". On one day alone, there were 57,000 casualties on both sides. Most fell to machine gun fire.
In his tribute to Harold Higgs, Drouin RSL's Brian Milner says "how he survived the many battles must have been a combination of good training, luck and all the qualities of the man himself".
Harold was given a hero's welcome by more than 600 people when he stepped off the train at Drouin station in November 1918.
He married Ella and they had seven children.
He took up farming and was active in many of Drouin's community groups.
In World War II, Harold enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps.
The story of Harold Higgs was one of the stories told during the Drouin Cemetery Walk 2017 and the recording can be heard at www.storiesofdrouin.com.au
Information and photograph courtesy of Stories of Drouin, a cooperative oral history project between The Committee for Drouin, Drouin History Group and 3BBR FM to preserve local stories.