{"id":157633,"date":"2016-09-12T20:53:01","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T10:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=157633"},"modified":"2020-10-05T15:50:53","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T05:50:53","slug":"maclagan-salutes-its-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/09\/12\/maclagan-salutes-its-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Maclagan Salutes Its History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Selwyn Peters, from Maclagan, and Bob Windsor, from Crows Nest, were humping their blueys<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 12, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maclagan’s unique history was celebrated by hundreds of former residents and visitors at the “Bismarck To Maclagan” Day held in the town on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The town’s population at least tripled for the celebration of the centenary of the change of name which occurred during a bout of patriotic fervour – and perhaps, economic necessity – during the Great War.<\/p>\n

After all, less than a year after almost 9000 Australian troops died fighting the Kaiser (or at least his allies) on the shores of Gallipoli, no one wanted to be seen celebrating a German hero, Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck, who is credited with creating a united Germany.<\/p>\n

And Mt Bismarck butter, complete with a stencil sketch of the Chancellor on their crates, was being greeted coolly in export markets abroad.<\/p>\n

Far better to celebrate an Australian Gallipoli hero, Ewen George Sinclair-Maclagan, who was in command of the 3rd Brigade 1st Division AIF when it landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, and later fought in France at\u00a0Pozi\u00e8res and Mouquet Farm.<\/p>\n

So the good citizens, many of whom were of German descent themselves, successfully petitioned the Governor-in-Council to change the town’s name.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, a bygone era was recalled with schoolchildren and Maclagan residents dressed in period costume.<\/p>\n

A large parade – featuring horses, cattle, old tractors and farming equipment, as well as an interesting collection of cars – traversed\u00a0a cleared farming paddock at the rear of the Maclagan Memorial Hall.<\/p>\n

A large crowd lining the fence greeted the parade participants as they went by.<\/p>\n