Skip to Content

Hartzview marks World War One

Hartzview marks World War One

The historic Hartzview vineyard at Gardiner's Bay, just south of Cygnet, is doing its bit to help to commemorate the Centenary of WW1.

Its owners, Anthea and Robert Patterson, have put together a small WW1 military history display that consists of British and German Army artefacts and memorabilia from ANZAC Cove and the Somme.

Many of the artefacts on display have direct family connections, including personal photographs and a Demobilization Certificate.

Robert is also conducting further research to discover more information in relation to the actual service career of his great uncle Private Fred Warren who volunteered as a very young soldier into the British Army.

According to his Demobilization Certificate, Fred had served on overseas active service (Somme) as a specialist machine gunner and was transferred to the Army Reserve after becoming a casualty (Mustard Gas) all before his 18th Birthday. It is interesting to note that at that time the British Army minimum age before a soldier could be sent overseas on active service was 18 years.

It is hoped that this display will be of interest to visitors to the winery especially the descendants of local Tasmanian WW1 servicemen and service women who also served on the Western Front.

For example, in David Coad's recently released 'Port Cygnet 1914-1919 A History of Tasmania Volume 4 p74

'…Mrs. Cowen wrote the following letter to themilitary authorities from Gardners Bay 12 October 1916: "I have a son in camp now under age which is only just turned 18 and I never gave him my consent or signed any papers of any kind and therefore I am not going to allow him to go on active service but if you want to keep him in the citizen forces I am quite willingfor him to do as I have got five sons gone now on active service which I think is enough from one family as I have no husband as he is dead and I am very lonely without him. He is my youngest."

A month later Joseph Cowen was discharged. The official reasons for discharge being; father was dead and mother had refused to give her consent.

Robert believes the Hartzview WW1 Military History Display will help to complement the fine work of David Coad.

Contact: Anthea and Robert Patterson

Phone: 6295 1623

Email: