Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
MEDIA ALERT
WWI ORPHAN MEMORIALISED
A crumbling memorial to an orphan who captured the hearts of Australians during the First
World War has been restored and will be re-dedicated on Sunday.
Henri ‘Digger’ Hermene was a French boy orphaned by German artillery bombardments early in
the war and adopted by the Australians from the 4th Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps
(now the RAAF).
After being orphaned, Henri was wounded, then adopted by the French, the British and finally
by 4th Squadron when he walked into their Christmas dinner on 25 December 1918. The
Australians smuggled him out of France to the UK, then onto a ship returning troops home to
Australia – all with the authorities in pursuit. He was threatened with arrest, saved by the
Premier of Queensland, then settled in Australia and raised by his adoptive parents before
tragically dying in a motorbike accident on 23 May 1928.
A memorial was raised in his honour, but it fell into disrepair until being restored recently by the
Royal Australian Air Force Association with the help of several personal donations and a grant
from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The memorial will be re-dedicated on Sunday in the presence of the Minister for Veterans’
Affairs, Alan Griffin, Henri’s adoptive sister, Edith Lock, and members of the Royal Air Force
Association.
When:
Sunday 29, November 2009
Media to arrive by 1.45pm for 2.00 pm start
Where:
Fawkner Crematorium and Memorial Park
1187 Sydney Road, Fawkner, Victoria
Images are available for media only via the Australian War Memorial website:
Login: media
Password (case sensitive): images@AWM2009
Image captions are available by typing the image ID number into the search at
Media inquiries: Belinda Cole 0437 863 109
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a
week on 1800 011 046.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
NEWS 
