In 2006, Birdwood High School became involved in a project to study and travel to the World War 1 battlefields, cemeteries and memorials to learn first-hand of the role that Australians played in the battles. Flo Bourke was one of the students from Birdwood.
At age 19 - the age that Raymond Pflaum was when he died - Flo wrote a song, “Known only Unto God” about Ray’s story. In what seems almost too odd to be a coincidence, Flo had studied music as a year 7 student in the SAME room in which Ray Pflaum had been born.
“Known Only to God” is written from the point of view of a mother who has lost her son to war and knows not where he lies. The poignant lines include:
`“How could you not be somewhere in these rows and rows of white stones?
How could you not be found, how could you still not be known?”
And concludes with the recognition that he has now been found:
“But now not known only to God, but known unto us all.”`
[[Flo Bourke]]
This song was performed during at the commemoration ceremonies at Cobbers’ Memorial on 19 July 2010, not long before the final soldier was laid to rest. Flo sang it personally when she visited Ray’s grave later that year. See a link to the song below (shared with permission, Flo Bourke).
You can read Raymonds Soldier Story here
