Skip to main content

St John's Church of England First World War Memorial Lamp, Molong

St John's Church of England First World War Memorial Lamp, Molong
Middle
Image
St John’s Church of England First World War Memorial Lamp, Molong
0 / 0
-
Description / Background

This war memorial is a brass lamp with a glass top that is suspended from the dome of the sanctuary in St John's Anglican Church in Molong. It has a light burning in perpetuity. The lamp is not accompanied by a dedicatory plaque or honour roll.

The Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, 18 April 1936, reported that the newly installed memorial lamp had been "presented by the returned soldiers of the district and their friends" and would be "an everlasting memorial to those who made the supreme sacrifice during or after the Great War." On 25 April, the Express advertised that the lamp would be dedicated on Sunday, 26 April by the Right Reverend A.L. Wylde, Bishop Coadjutor of Bathurst.

On the day of the service, the church was filled. Those gathered heard that the movement to establish the lamp was commenced by Reverend J.A. Poole and a list of those who had served and fallen was developed among the relatives and friends of the soldiers. Miss Kathleen Finch had the honour of turning on the lamp. A detailed description of the event was published in the Express on 2 May 1936, including the names of the soldiers read out by the Bishop.

The names of three soldiers who returned to Australia were included among those who died and were buried overseas. These three men were Corporal Albert Robert Pease, who died on 5 April 1935; Gunner Donald Tanner, who died on 11 November 1930; and Sergeant Alfred Woolbank, who died on 15 July 1932. Each man died as a result of war injuries.

The sanctuary lamp is available for viewing when the church is open for services.

Note: the names in the veterans table below are not inscribed on the lamp itself. They have been sourced from the names listed in the newspaper articles mentioned above. 

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 WG Starr First World War, 1914–18 1291 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Somme 1916 - 1917 view
Gunner D Tanner First World War, 1914–18 969 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Driver FA Taylor First World War, 1914–18 28904 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Ypres Salient 1917 view
Corporal SC Tilling First World War, 1914–18 4612 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Somme 1916 - 1917 view
Sergeant A Woolbank First World War, 1914–18 491 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
Private HC Wythes First World War, 1914–18 6589 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Somme 1916 - 1917 view

Do you know more about this war Memorial?

Click here to learn how you can contribute
Sidebar
Address
St John's Anglican Church
42 Edward Street
Molong NSW 2866
Local Government Area
Cabonne Shire
Setting
Building – inside
Location status
Original location
Memorial type
Lamp
Recorded by
Graham Wilson
Year of construction
1936
Dedication date
26 April 1936
Conflict/s
First World War, 1914–18
Materials
Brass
Glass
Timber