Unveiling Bunbury’s Honour Roll 1916
Bunbury Drill Hall was the scene of celebrations on the first anniversary of the Gallipoli landing with locals gathering for the unveiling of a roll of honour to the town and district’s fallen heroes. Reverend Rodger (Chaplain, Forrest Park Camp), commended the Well-Wishers Women's Sewing Circle for their initiative in undertaking “the sacred duty” of producing an honour roll. He said these ladies had realised the glorious sacrifices made 12 months ago on the heights of Gallipoli, when the brave men whose names they were honouring laid down their lives for all that they held most near and dear. The Mayor Ephraim Mayo Clarke told the crowd they were there that day to do some small thing to celebrate that glorious 25 April 1915 and honour those who took part in the Gallipoli campaign. The Southern Times reported Mr Clarke as saying the roll contained the names of “those splendid fellows from Bunbury who took part in the Landing, also of the other men from here who had fallen in the Gallipoli campaign”. He said whatever was done in Bunbury "would seem almost unworthy in comparison with what had been done by the gallant Australians during the campaign, when they realised the huge sacrifice those men, with others, had given to keep the Empire where it was at present”. He continued, “when the word came in August 1914 for men, thousands offered and those who went were selected to do the work. Men from Bunbury and the South West joined others from the rest of the State in training at Blackboy Camp. They did not fear any danger they would meet.”
Mr Clarke noted “many had mentioned a possibility that those who took part in the after battles might be overlooked. They would not be so. Australia recognised that the men who left in the 10th to 16th, the reinforcements, and other units, and those in camp today were just as capable of the same bravery and unselfishness as those who went away at first. The name ‘Anzac’ after all was only a name regarding this Landing, but later on a day would be set aside to commemorate, not only the doings at Anzac, but by all the men at Gallipoli.”
It was noted that the current honour roll had not been completed owing to the difficulty experienced in getting a full list of all who had gone from Bunbury and district, with any omissions to be added later.
Bugler Smith, from Forrest Park Camp, sounded the Last Post before Mayor Clarke unveiled the roll, which contained the following names: Captain Gordon Levason Curlewis, Capt. P. H. Fry, Sergt-Major V. A. Emmett, Privates W. Mincham, J. M. Platt, W. C. Rose, R. Davis, R. Delaporte, H. A. L. Fowler, K. MacNish, H. Smart, W. Delaney, J. H. Murray, S. Johnston, L. Smeeth, W. H. Thyer, Thomas William Stokes, D. Blythe, W. Coonan, and W. Holywell.
Written by Christine Hunter for the Streets of Bunbury project.