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Bedfordale Roll of Honour

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Bedfordale Roll of Honour
AK1987-51.JPG
Bedfordale Roll of Honour
Monument Details
Name Bedfordale Roll of Honour
Location Originally hung in the Bedfordale Hall, Admiral Road, Bedfordale
Dedication Date 24th May 1916

Bedfordale Roll of Honour commemorates those from Bedfordale who served in World War One.

History

In October 1915, it was reported that seventeen men from the Bedfordale community volunteered to serve in WWI;

Mr. A. V. Cross (president of the local Agricultural Society) eulogised the patriotic spirit which had prompted them to take up arms in the common cause, and mentioned that a total of 17 Bedfordale boys had enlisted. Of these, eight had already gone to the front, viz: — R. Salter (wounded), L. Livermore (wounded), F. Plant (wounded), J. Winning (killed), D. Winning, R. Smith, S. Champion, and W. Butcher; whilst the later contingent, whom they were now entertaining, were A. J. Egan, F. Waters, F. Ryniker, F. Dowell, A. Symons, W. Stevens, V. Chandler, W. Kerridge, R. Champion. Mr. Cross also made sympathetic reference to the death of Mr. James Winning (late secretary of the society), who was recently killed at the Dardanelles [1]

The Roll of Honour Board was donated by John Thomas Smith, JP, of Bedfordale, who owned Roscrea orchard which was adjacent to the Butcher family property in Wungong. Mr Smith's son was John Harold Rupert Smith who was serving in the AIF at the time. The Roll of Honour was unveiled at the Bedfordale Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s Empire Day celebrations 24th May 1916, by local pioneer Thomas Ottaway;

… to commemorate the brave lads who have joined the A.I.F. from Bedfordale … placed there to commemorate the action of those brave men who volunteered for duty in the defence of the Empire ... proud of what Bedfordale had done in the matter of answering the call for volunteers for the defense of the Empire. They owed a debt of gratitude to the patriotism of Mr Smith in donating the handsome Roll of Honour board. Mr Smith also had-a son at the Front.[2]


Setting

The Bedfordale Roll of Honour was originally hung in the Bedfordale Hall, Admiral Road, Bedfordale, from 1916. It is currently held in the History House Museum, Armadale.

Monument Details

Title

1914 - 1919
Lest we forget

Names

Those who died on service were marked on the Roll with an asterisk

References

  1. "Bedfordale Jottings.". Harvey Chronicle. I, (4). Western Australia. 1 October 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 1 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia. 
  2. "Empire Day at Bedforddale. UNVEILING HONOUR ROLL". South Western Advertiser. VI, (285). Western Australia. 2 June 1916. p. 2. Retrieved 1 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.