Skip to main content

Oxley Island Soldiers Great War Honor Roll

Oxley Island Soldiers Great War Honor Roll
Middle
Image
Oxley Island Soldiers Great War Honor Roll
Image
Oxley Island Soldiers Great War Honor Roll, close up of pediment
0 / 0
-
Description / Background

The memorial is a simply designed honor roll for the First World War. It consists of a white marble tablet, inset into a maple timber frame. Both the frame and the tablet have a classically shaped pediment at the top. The names of those who enlisted from Oxley Island are inscribed in the centre of the tablet and blackened. They are divided into two sections, under the headings 'In Memoriam' and 'Honor Roll'. The memoriam heading is highlighted with a gold banner and a small gold cross. Above the names is the emblem of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, carved into the marble.

Initial discussion and fundraising for a memorial began at Oxley Island's Empire Day celebration in 1921, which was reported on in The Manning River Times on 4 June 1921. On the day:

Several items of a patriotic nature were rendered by the children, one being specially written to draw attention to the absence of any memorial to the men of the Island who took part in the Great War, and to strengthen the hands of Mr. J. W. Evans, who is taking the leading part in rectifying this omission.

Mr. J. W. Evans made an appeal for subscriptions towards a memorial to the soldiers, and the result was a strong working committee and about £13 in cash.

A meeting of subscribers to the Oxley Island Soldiers Memorial Hall was held in November 1921 to "decide what form the [m]emorial will take" (Manning River Times, 26 November 1921). It was decided to erect an honor roll, the committee called tenders and funds were raised by locals. Six tenders were received and the work was completed by Russell and Belford of Wallsend, whose names appear at the bottom of the tablet. 

The roll was unveiled at the Oxley Island School of Arts Hall on 6 April 1922 by Mrs Fred Schmitzer, who lost two sons in the war. A detailed description of the ceremony and roll was published in the Northern Champion, 12 April 1922, including the list of names.

Access to the memorial is restricted to the opening hours of the hall. 

Several names on this roll also appear on the Oxley Island Public School Great War Honour Roll and Library Cabinet

Inscription

OXLEY ISLAND SOLDIERS HONOR ROLL

THE GREAT WAR

Australian AIF Commonwealth

Military Forces

1914-1918

IN MEMORIAM

[Names]

HONOR ROLL

[Names]

UNVEILED BY MRS FRED SCHMITZER

6th APRIL 1922

Russell and Belford Wallsend

Veterans listed on this memorial

Veterans listed on this memorial

Last held rank Given name Family name Conflict/s Service No. Service Campaign Read more
Private A N Richardson First World War, 1914–18 742 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private F Rix First World War, 1914–18 9753 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private J P Ryan First World War, 1914–18 1055 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private F C Schmitzer First World War, 1914–18 1244 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private L Schmitzer First World War, 1914–18 4311 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
T J Schmitzer First World War, 1914–18 2165 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private R L Smith First World War, 1914–18 187 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Driver S G Smith First World War, 1914–18 1940 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
A Taylor First World War, 1914–18 view
G Waller First World War, 1914–18 view

Do you know more about this war Memorial?

Click here to learn how you can contribute
Sidebar
Address
Oxley Island School of Arts Hall
Oxley Island Road
Oxley Island NSW 2430
Local Government Area
Mid-Coast Council
Setting
Building – inside
Location status
Original location
Memorial type
Board/roll/plaque/tablet
Recorded by
Graham Wilson
Year of construction
1921-1922
Dedication date
06 April 1922
Conflict/s
First World War, 1914–18
Materials
Marble
Timber