By Cathy Jones (2023)
The Burwood War Memorial Arch is located in Burwood Park and was unveiled on April 25 1923 to commemorate the war service of the local community. An exhibition commemorating its 100th anniversary is being held at Burwood Library from 14 April to 14 May 2023 during Library opening hours.
Nearly a thousand names are inscribed on the Burwood Memorial Arch commemorating war service in World War 1 of local residents and noting the 149 that were killed in action[1].
While a War Memorial lists the persons who served, it doesn’t tell the personal stories of loss, courage and grief for those that served and their families and friends. This is just one of the many stories and concerns a local Strathfield/Burwood family.
Listed on the Burwood Memorial Arch is Private Edward Frederick Conyers (1896-1918) and Robert Rowland Conyers (1898–1960), two brothers who enlisted to serve in WWI. The Conyers brothers were the sons of Burwood Council Alderman Edward Fitzgerald Conyers, who served on Council for 13 years until his death in 1929 and his wife Elizabeth Wilson Conyers (née Kennedy) (1876-1955).
Edward Fitzgerald Conyers (1862-1929) migrated to Australia from Ireland in 1884. He was the son of Eliza Blennerhassatt (1840-1903) and Robert Rowland Conyers (1827-1895). His father Captain Robert Conyers of the 9th Irish Regiment, served in Crimean War and Indian Mutiny. There is a famous photo of the Crimean War, featuring Conyers, held in the US Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2001697671/.
Alderman Conyers served in the Royal Australian Artillery (formerly the colonial NSW Permanent Artillery Forces) for over twenty years retiring with the rank of Warrant Officer. He lived at Paddington but moved to Strathfield, living at ‘Gortroe Villa’, 14 Russell St., Strathfield. Gortroe is a small town in Castletown-Conyers, Limerick, Ireland where members of the Conyers family lived.
Edward Frederick Conyers, a 19 year old civil servant, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) on 31 January 1916. He embarked to sail from Melbourne on HMAT Anchises A68 to France on 14 March 1916[2]. Conyers fought in the 31st Battalion of the Australian Infantry, Australian Artillery Forces (AIF). He was killed in action from a sniper’s bullet in the Battle of Ameins at Harbonnieres, France on 9 August 1918 at age 22. An eyewitness stated:
“Conyers was killed at Harbonnieres, 9th August by a sniper. I saw him killed. He was about four yards away. Shot through the chest”.[3]
His family dedicated the following poem in a memorial notice in the Sydney Morning Herald (20 August 1920):
Oh. why was he taken, so young and so fair.
When this world held more it could far better spare?
God bless the grave where our dear son lies.
Far away from’ home. ‘neath, foreign skies, At Harbonnieres. France, they have laid him,
Our son. so true and so brave:
Far away from the land of the battle,
He sleeps in a hero’s grave.
Robert Rowland Conyers embarked from Sydney in January 1916 at age 18 yrs on the HMAT Nestor A71 and served in the 30thBattalion Infantry. He returned to Australia and was discharged in 1918. He also served in the Australian Army in World War II.
In July 1920, a public meeting held in the School of Arts Hall resolved to erect an ‘Artistic Monumental Memorial’ in Burwood Park[4]. A committee was formed, chaired by Alderman Conyers with his wife Elizabeth Wilson Conyers as a committee member, that was dedicated to building the memorial and supporting the returned soldiers[5].
The foundation stone for the Memorial Arch was dedicated on Armistice Day 11 November 1922[6]. At the ceremony, Mrs Conyers presented the Mayor with a silver trowel on behalf of the mothers of deceased soldiers. The War Memorial Arch was unveiled on April 25 1923 by the Governor General, Lord Foster[7].
Burwood Council had advertised for designs to be submitted for a War Memorial Arch with prizes for the first and second design selected[8]. The first design selected was submitted by Reginald Grout (1903-1949). Grout was a student at the time but trained and in 1926 registered an architect and in partnership with Roy Rudder (1897-1975) designed a number of iconic Sydney buildings including Tooth Hotels and the Enfield Olympic Pool. The architectural design was completed by architect Mr Morrow on an honorary basis[9]. This is likely reference to David Thomas Morrow, a well known and respected Sydney architect. Morrow was a resident of Burwood[10]. Morrow was in partnership with William De Putron until 1927 and later with Percy Gordon. Morrow & Gordon are best known as architects of the Grace Building and AWA tower in Sydney.
The 1924 Burwood Council Jubilee Book stated the Arch cost £1928 to complete, most raised from public subscription[11].
The Burwood War Memorial Arch is one of Sydney’s most memorable WWI memorials. However, it doesn’t appear to be heritage listed.
References
ALDERMAN E. F. CONYERS. (1929, September 7). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 21. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16582070)
ALD. CONYERS DEAD (1929, August 30). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 – 1931), p. 4. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118999041
Burwood Council (1924), Jubilee Guide
BURWOOD’S TRIBUTE (1923, April 26). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 – 1930), p. 6. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245822856
Business Opportunities (1921, September 22). Construction and Local Government Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1913 – 1930), p. 18. Retrieved April 2, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108985972
Dunlop, E (1974) Harvest of the Years
Family Notices (1920, August 9). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28092787
FOR WOMEN (1920, January 3). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 – 1931), p. 8. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115872014
Foundation stone ceremony on 11 November 1922, BURWOOD’S ARCH. (1922, November 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 10. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16027465
Footnotes
[1] Dunlop, E. (1974) Harvest of the Years, p99
[2] E F Conyers embarked for Europe on 13 March 1916 on the ship HMAT Anchises A 68 (public domain photograph) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/PB0095/
[3] Eyewitness account of Conyers death from Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau Files 1914-1918 War.
[4] Burwood Council (1924) Jubilee Guide, p65
[5] Burwood Council (1924), Jubilee Guide, p65
[6] BURWOOD’S ARCH. (1922, November 13). The Sydney Morning Herald, p. 10
[7]Dunlop, E (1974) Harvest of the Years, p98
[8] Business Opportunities (1921, September 22). Construction and Local Government Journal, p. 18
[9] BURWOOD’S TRIBUTE (1923, April 26). The Daily Telegraph, p. 6.
[10] FOR WOMEN (1920, January 3). Evening News, p8.
[11] Burwood Council (1924), Jubilee
Strathfield Heritage 
My Grandfather’s 5 brothers (McKinnon) are noted inside the arch. They all returned, some with injuries but each lived long lives. Somewhere here I have their enlistment and discharge papers, even correspondence.
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Bede, I’m happy to feature any local stories on this site, if you want to share information. Cathy
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