Memorial Gate Plaques Research

 

 

When traveling across this great land of ours one will inevitably encounter the many WWI Memorials that were erected after the “Great War” finished in November 1918. Whether they be in the capital cities, the larger country centres or the smaller provincial areas across the continent, you will find them standing serenely in parks or represented as Honour Rolls on the walls of the local community centre.

 

A cursory glance at the names listed on those stone edifices or uniquely engraved wooden scrolls, reveals that the men of that particular area were very generous with their willingness to enlist to serve King & Country in their hour of need. However, a more exacting examination of those names listed exposes the many mistakes and errors that occurred in the way the lists were compiled.

 

Ninety odd percent of all country memorials will contain one or some of these unforeseen errors!

 

The plaques at the Memorial Gates of the Urana Road Oval in Lavington is one such memorial!!

 

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The criteria used, when the time came to gather together the names for inclusion on those memorials, would appear to have been an uncomplicated and simplistic exercise based upon local knowledge of who did and who didn’t enlist. Unfortunately for us the exact nature of that criteria seems to have drifted off into to the swirling mists of time. What we are left with are statements, opinions, and conclusions based on guesswork although one could offer “informed” guesswork!

 

For one to be included on those plaques did the criteria include the following and was it strictly adhered too:

 

• Must be born in the Lavington district

 

• Family must have lived in the Lavington district

 

• Must have been living in the Lavington district on enlistment

 

• Married, worked, and died in the Lavington district

 

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At war’s end when the official records were being accumulated and correlated, the Department of Defence, and later in conjunction with the Australian War Memorial, sent out “Honour Roll” circulars to the families of the fallen asking for more details about the personal life of the soldier: where had he been born; what school did he attend; what town should he be connected to (name to appear on memorial); etc. etc. etc.

 

Not all of these forms were returned with the most common reason being that the next of kin, or other family members, were unable to read and write.

 

The use of official records to accumulate the information needed would have been extremely difficult at that time due to the extreme distances from most major libraries faced by those in the more isolated areas of the country. However, although not readily available those records would still have come into calculations at some stage due to the diligence of some of those entrusted to compile that list of names for inclusion.

 

One of the biggest problems faced by researchers these days trying to confirm the validity and bona fides of those names included, is the fact that a lot of the families who were in existence after the war and had offered up the information to those entrusted with compiling these lists of names, have either moved on or have died out*.

 

Problems also exist when one discovers that some of those names listed don’t appear to have any service record attached to the name and appear not to be recognised by the Australian War Memorial nor the National Archives of Australia. One reason for this could well be that the family have used nick names and or more recognisable family names such as middle names rather than the given forename. We now find that we can’t ask the family for clarification for the reasons pointed out above*. Another could be that the surname has been misspelt.

 

The other problem faced, even though it would appear to be morally insensitive but does need considering, is that some names that are listed may not belong!

 

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Trying to complete the task of researching those names today is made more difficult when we discover that the listing of the names, supposedly in alphabetical order in the various sections on the plaques (RAN; RAAF, AIF; etc), have been bundled together mixing both WWI & WWII participants. This was probably caused by size and cost constraints imposed on the initial project.

 

Separating the participants of both conflicts takes time. That task is made even more difficult when one discovers that not only have WWI & WWII names been grouped together but members of the different services have also found their way into the wrong categories. It also uncovers the fact that many of those young men were “generous” enough to enlist in both conflicts!

 

A problem that is more than likely not unique poses the questions about what names maybe missing from the plaques? This opens a veritable Pandora’s box of problems. By not knowing the criteria that was used (with any certainty) by those engaged to do the initial research we find that in some instances members from the same family have either been included or excluded for no apparent reason.

 

However, what we must remember is that back in the very early 1950’s, when this work was commissioned, the availability of the necessary resources required to do justice to the project were not as readily available to those engaged as they are to us today.

 

The accompanying .PDF outlines and lists in alphabetical and conflict order those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

 

The other lists within the .PDF have headings that are self explanatory.

 

It amazes me that so many men have been left of the list. I don’t understand why 13 men who were born in the Black Range/Lavington area could be missed. And apart from these thirteen there are other names that I feel could and should have been included!

 

It must be pointed out that the local RSL sub-branch had nothing to do with commissioning this project. The project appears to have been commissioned by the local Lavington Progress Association and one Robert (Bob) Gordon Comans.