A Beechworth soldier killed at just 27 is among those featured in an exhibition honouring Chinese Australians who fought for their country.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Richard Wesley Wong’s story is being told in his home town thanks to a display on loan from the Chinese Museum.
At the same time Burke Museum manager Cameron Auty was in discussion with the Melbourne curators, he was contacted by the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Museum, where a photo and Richard’s WWI memorial coin were held.
“Richard’s mother, who lived in Stanley Road in Beechworth, was sent the memorial medallion in 1922 and they realised it was significant to Beechworth’s history and asked if they could donate it,” he said.
“In 1916 Richard and his brother both tried to sign up to join the war effort.
“His brother was rejected, because the White Australia policy at the time said you couldn’t fight for the country unless you were of European descent, but times were a bit desperate so one of the recruiting agencies let Richard in anyway.
“He went off to France and died a couple months after he arrived, killed instantly by a German shelling attack.
“A couple of the panels talk about Richard and his brothers’ experiences during the war.” Richard’s parents moved from Tasmania to Beechworth to work in the Methodist Church and both are buried in the town’s cemetery.
Mr Auty has been in touch with a great nephew of Richard’s and hopes to learn more about the Wongs.
Nearly 200 Australians of Chinese descent and about 1300 Indigenous Australians are known to have enlisted in WWI.
“That’s why this exhibition is important, because for a long time the Anzac story was very much focused on certain groups, including white Australian young men,” Mr Auty said.
“Now as our society is becoming more inclusive we’re making sure cultural events tell more stories, we’re broadening that Anzac legend to include Indigenous Australians, different immigrant groups, and I think it’s a really valuable thing.
“We’re really lucky there’s a local link to the story.”
The exhibition will be at the Burke museum until Friday, July 20.
- While you’re with us, did you know that you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each day at 6am from The Border Mail? To make sure you’re up to date with all the Border and North East news, sign up here