"Maroochydore Club's growth was curtailed by the efforts of the First World War raging overseas and, obviously, manpower was short. The work of patrolling the beach during the period was carried out almost exclusively by Venning and Betts. Venning at that time lived on a cane farm on the Maroochy River near Coolum Creek and Betts bought land at Cotton Tree, close to where Weir's Garage now stands." (Home of the Black Swans, 1991, A History compiled by Ralph Devlin, p. 2).
With the digitalisation of Nambour Chronicles in recent years, and the research efforts of Dr Berenis Alcorn, we now appreciate more fully what were the effects on this fledgling 'branch/club', as the young men of the district were called up by mid-1916.
Duncan George Martin...aged 25 on 1.1.1916; enlisted in the AIF 2/3/1916...discharged 21/8/1918.
Jack Parry...aged 33 on 1.1.1916; married (1909); did not go to First World War, however enlisted in the AIF in 1941, aged 61, and served 6 years in the army, part of which was in New Guinea.
Hjalmari Hannus...aged 17 on 1.1.1916; enlisted in the AIF 9/5/1916...discharged 12/9/1919.
Harold Weston...turned 21 on 5th March 1916; did not go to First World War, however enlisted in 1940.
Marshall Espin...aged 23 on 1.1.1916; married (1911); did not serve in the armed services.
Carl Oscar Anderson...aged 27 on 1.1.1916; did not serve in the armed services; farmed 64 acres adjoining Deans Boatshed on Petrie Creek.
Richardson Eli (R E) Nichols...aged 25 on 1.1.1916; did not serve in the armed services; occupation farmer at Bli Bli (1913-).
Percy Wells...aged 18 on 1.1.1916; did not serve in the armed services; farmhand at Bli Bli (1911-).
Michael Hubert Wells...aged 24 on 1.1.1916; did not serve in the armed services; farmer at Bli Bli (1913-).
Thomas (Tom) Prentis...aged 18 on 1.1.1916; enlisted in the AIF 8/3/1918...discharged 5/10/1919.
Owen Hidworth Youngman...aged 50 on 1.1.1916; did not serve in the armed services.
Jack Youngman...
Roy Grainger...aged 15 on 1.1.1916; enlisted in the AIF 23/6/1916.
Leslie Avery...
James Bertram (Bertie) Nuttall...aged 19 on 1.1.1916; enlisted in World War 1 from 1914 [NAA World War 2 Records].
Clem Prentis...
