By CASEY NEILL
LIEUTENANT Raymond Alva Jeffers rose from humble beginnings on a farm in Cora Lynn to become a highly-decorated World War I soldier and Dandenong’s mayor.
His daughter Wilma Coleman today calls Pakenham home and beams with pride when she speaks about her father.
“Dad applied three times to enlist in World War I and was rejected twice due to a strained heart,” she said.
“He persisted and was accepted into the army in 1916, aged 23.”
During his service in France with the 14th Battalion he suffered gunshot wounds to his thighs and was gassed.
Ray received the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Hebuterne between 26 March and 6 April 1918.
He displayed great skill and initiative in withdrawing his platoon after his superiors fell wounded.
“Later he went forward under heavy enemy machine-gun fire and carried in two wounded sergeants of his company,” his award citation read.
“His coolness and courage created a great impression on all ranks.”
He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Morcourt on 8 August 1918.
Ray assumed control when his platoon commander became a casualty, “loading his men with great dash across a bare ridge swept by direct artillery and machine gun fire”.
He captured many prisoners and several machine guns and, under heavy fire, turned a machine gun on enemy gunners who were firing into the front line.
“He sent his medals to his parents in Australia, specifying the second medal to his mother, which I think was rather lovely,” Ms Coleman said.
Ray was promoted to corporal in May 1918 and sent to Oxford, England, to Officer Training School.
“I think it changed his life completely, seeing a side of life he didn’t know before,” Ms Coleman said.
He was a lieutenant by the time he returned to Melbourne in September 1919.
“Dad spoke little of his experiences, would just shake his head if asked,” Ms Coleman said.
“I remember him saying the most important thing was to try and find somewhere dry to sleep.
“Aunt Selena, his mother’s sister, was bed-ridden before dad left for war, and when he visited her on his return she was still lying in bed in the same position.
“Apparently he just cried and cried and cried, which he hadn’t done during the war.
“To come back and the feeling of being through it all and nothing’s changed… it’s incredible, isn’t it?”
Ms Coleman said her dad settled back into farm life. He met and married Lillian Gardiner of Yannathan and moved to Dandenong, where he stared a transport business and was a captain in the Volunteer Defence Corps during WWII.
Ray was elected to council unopposed in 1946 and remained there for the next 17 years, serving as shire president and as mayor.
“He was asked to become a councillor,” Ms Coleman said.
“He was involved in a lot of things. He was president of the RSL at one stage. He was a Rotarian and he was president of that.
“He was on the hospital board, he was on the high school board….
“I suppose they just thought he was alright. He must have had a few clues.”
He died on 11 August 1963 aged 70.
