On Saturday, July 19, 1919, Australia formally celebrated the signing of the peace treaty at Versailles in June, which followed the end of fighting in World War I the previous November.

Mr Arnold joined the contingent from Back Creek State School who travelled by horse-drawn lorry six kilometres to the festivities at Yackandandah.

The schoolchildren wore their best clothes, with Victory medals and lollies part of the national celebrations.

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Historian Noel Jackling, a grandson of J. W. Arnold, said the families represented included Galloway, Climas, Arnold, Collins, Garvey, Paull and Beattie.

Born in 1869 to German parents in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, Mr Arnold's schooling was taught in German.

"His English had a slight German accent for the whole of his life," Mr Jackling said.

In his late teens he moved to Walla and worked on district farms before marrying Maria Klemke in 1891 and moving to Munyabla, near Henty.

"After a severe drought in 1901, he and his family moved to a farm opposite the school at Back Creek via Yackandandah," Mr Jackling said.

"The family tradition is that the day that the Great War started was the last day on which German was spoken in the household."

J. Wilhelm Arnold was a brother of J, G. Arnold, the founder of Arnolds Fruit Market, Wodonga.

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