My name is Sandra Playle, I currently live in Mandurah Western Australia and have interests in history, antiques and collectables.  I have three sons and six much loved grandchildren.

I am a skilled military researcher, family history researcher and social researcher.  I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Social Research (Murdoch University W. Australia).

I am in regular contact with researchers both in Australia and overseas and enjoy discussing military history with them as well as assisting with their own research projects.

I am a member of several organisations that are involved in the historical field and have access to many databases and resources.

I have produced a number of photographic cemetery CD's and written articles for historical magazines as well as  a paper on the renewal programme currently being carried out at Karrakatta Cemetery (Perth WA). I campaigned actively against the renewal programme and would like to think that I was instrumental in many of the changes that the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board put into place.  Sadly I was not able to continue with the campaign for two reasons.  First, in 2007 one of my sons sustained a serious head injury that took up a lot of my time caring for him (and still does to a degree).  The second was the lack of active support from within the community to assist Kay and I with the campaign.

As a military researcher I was both humbled and honoured to be invited as the Guest Speaker for Town of Bassendean Anzac Day 2012. It was rewarding to meet with the families of the men I spoke about.

In February 2013 a further guest speaking engagement was for the Mandurah & Murray National Service Association during which I spoke on the Muir and Tatham families who live in the Peel region.  As a follow up to this event, in October 2013, with the assistance of military historian Andrew Pittaway, we presented the Muir and Tatham families war history and experiences to the Mandurah Family History Society.

Anzac Day 2013 saw me visiting Sandstone to be their guest speaker then for Anzac Day 2014 I returned to my home town of Yalgoo to be guest speaker at both of their Anzac Day services.

I was honoured to be appointed Ambassador for Fallen Diggers but due to the fact I wanted to focus on the WA soldiers, I resigned in 2014.  I wish Fallen Diggers the very best in their future projects.

Later in 2014 and into 2015 I have been busy with other guest speaking engagements and have several bookings for the remainder of the WW1 Centenary of ANZAC.
 

Since then I have been invited by several different organisations to be their guest speaker.  These are always inspiring as not only do I get to tell people about our defence personnel, I get to meet people who are wanting to learn more about this important part of Australia's history.

I have undertaken several personal interest research projects over the years, some are:

1. Documenting and researching soldiers from Albany WA. Although an ongoing project, I donated this database to the City of Albany Local Studies Library in 2011.  

2. Photographing War Graves for the Australian War Graves Archive.

3. Photographing all defence service personnel graves in Fremantle Cemetery.

4.  Assisting with the research for WA International Women's Day Hall of Fame inductees 2011.

5: Researching and building a database for the soldiers of Yalgoo, Sandstone, Meekatharra, Pinjarra, Broomehill and Tambellup.

6. I coordinated a research team that created individual biographies of the people named on Honour Boards held by the Army Museum of Western Australia.  The team did exceptional work on this project and you can see the results when you visit the museum.

Naturally, as you would expect, I am currently working as a volunteer on other projects relating to the AIF in Western Australia.  These are:

1. A few people are aware of a Western Australian WW1 project that I have been working on for about 6 years.  It has had a few setbacks during that time due to circumstances beyond my control.  I have a great team of researchers on board that are assisting with data entry.  I am blessed to have them share my passion for this project.
Due to the nature of Australia's WW1 documents there is no definitive list of soldiers and nurses to work from so that each state knows who their people were, where they were born, what they did or their personal history within their community, more importantly, their story.  

When finished, this project will be an important part of out state's military history, social history and demography.  It will assist children and adults throughout the state with their own community's history and provide them with the ability to easily tell the stories of our WW1 people.  
Furthermore, it will assist school children and adults that are joining tour groups to visit the battlefields, to go to cemeteries that are populated with WA soldiers.
The sample of the project has been viewed by people from the WA Army Museum, Army History Unit, historians, military history authors and other researchers, all of whom have agreed that it will be a great asset to WA and Australia as well as being a model for other states to follow.
This is a volunteer project and like most of these types of initiatives, it relies completely on volunteers to bring it to fruition.  Would you, someone you know, or a group of people you know, be interested in assisting with this project?  The main requirements are a computer, internet connection and a relatively good understanding of both.
The data that needs to be entered is very simple and easily accessible via the internet as is the database itself. There is a handbook that guides people through what is required to be entered into the database and a list of websites where the information can be located.  Volunteers are able to work from home and in their own time.  Support is readily available by phone, email or the project's online forum.

Interested people are able to contact me via the facility on this website.

2: I have created a database on the WA Boy Soldiers of WW1 that were killed in action.  The Boy Soldiers were all under the age of 18.  The youngest was 15 years and 45 days old when he was killed.  Andrew Pittaway is writing the book about the WA Boys Soldier's for me.

 

3: Since the beginning of the Centenary of Anzac (2014) I have been working my way through the Australian War Memorial's Honour Roll and sending through corrections and additions for their consideration.  To have approximately 45 names added to the Honour Roll has been an inspiration to continue on with all of my research projects.


POPPY PARK POPPIES:
if you have poppies for the following soldiers I would be so very grateful if you would consider giving them to my family.  (Two are for friends for the anniversary of their soldier's deaths).

AUSTIN, Edwin Alexander, Gunner 1298 106th Howitzer Battery (late 13th Light Horse), killed in action 17.09.1917 buried Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium.

DAY, Harold George, 2809 Private, 44th Battalion. Died of Wounds received during battle of Broodseinde Ridge 04.10.1917 buried Nine Elms Cemetery Belgium.

GILES, Edward Chichele, 4125 Private 28th Battalion. Killed in action 29.07.1916 commemorated on Villers Bretonneux Memorial.  Boy Soldier.

JENTSCH, Ernest Augustus. 3331 L/Sergeant 53rd Battalion.  Killed in action 19.07.1916 buried Fromelles Cemetery, France.