Bublacowie Museum: via Minlation in the Yorke Peninsula Region of South Australia

On a quiet back road on Southern Yorke Peninsula stands one man's tribute to all those Australians who served their country in war.

Bublacowiwe Military Museum Curator Chris Soar talks of his motivation.

"Like all of them in here - they're like my family. I believe history should be carried on. People should know what people have done to give us a free country. To give us a good country. Not all laid down their lives during the war. But many came home crippled and lost in their way. But they carried on and I believe that's why this museum is here. It's to remember everybody who did something for their country and their uniform."

Like Ken Keatley, a Minlaton bloke who flew thirty nine bombing raids over Germany with the RAAF and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. When Ken died his wife Doris asked that his medals be returned to the Peninsula he loved.

Chris says he was very brave. "One raid over Germany would be enough."

Chris Soar emigrated from England in the late 50s and enlisted in the Australian Army in 1962. He served in Malaya, Borneo and later as part of the advance party to Vietnam. In peacetime this decorated ex soldier became a builder - a skill which he's used to great effect in retirement having restored the old Bublacowie School. Some of the children seen in the early photos probably played their part in the Australian war effort in World War Two.

As Chris explains, many young lads from the Peninsula like Private Lance Chapman would later write themselves into the annals of military history.

"He was wounded at Tobruk." Says Chris as he points out the Tobruk hospital the Germans bombed.

"And then he was killed at El Alemain and that's where he's buried, in the desert."

Chris shows the telegram Private Chapman sent to his next of kin and his unit. "Later he was exhumed and placed in the El Alemain cemetery about two years later."

Lance never made it home. Thankfully his three brothers did.

"They went on to New Guinea to fight the Japanese in some of the roughest areas, and I'm now carrying on their life story before it disappears. These are fairly average sort of blokes from Yorke Peninsula but ordinary blokes living in extraordinary times."

"Yes. They're actually a very well known farming family up in the Moonta District..The Chapmans. Actually Des in the centre (of photo) is actually out on the crops now."

"He'd be out on the tractor ?"

"Yes even at his age...no insult Des."

Chris Soar treats all of these blokes with infinite respect. In fact, in many cases he's collected medals on their behalf.

" A lot of people never applied for their medals because the actual application form said "I beg to apply" for my medals and they said they shouldn't have to beg for them. They'd already earned them. So you'll notice on every Australian discharge certificate there is a "nil" in the medals and decorations section of what they're entitled to."

"It would be a bit annoying wouldn't it ?"

"Very. Some of the medals I've got here which are genuine medals for second world guys in particular...I've actually applied for after they've deceased because they refused flatly to apply. Their families wanted them to have them in the museum with their documentation."

Now, they are all part of a moving collection at the Bublacowie Military Museum. It's on the Bublacowie Road between Minlaton and Yorketown in Yorke Penincula. It's open on Sundays from 10am until 4 or by appointment. You can contact Chris Soar on 8853 4379 or if you have any further questions please email info@postcards.sa.com.au