By Cathy Jones (2005, revised 2021)
The Strathfield War Memorial is located outside the Strathfield Council Chambers facing Homebush Road Strathfield. The memorial commemorates contains the World War I and II service of residents of the Strathfield area.
The original memorial commemorated World War 1 service and was opened in 1925. The honour boards feature the names of residents of Strathfield who served during these wars.
The architectural firm of Wilson, Neave and Berry were selected to design the Strathfield War Memorial. Their design was a bronze sphere, representing the world, surmounting a trachyte pedestal.
The sphere rests upon a cast base, enriched with the laurel wreath, and bound by the endless knot symbolising victory and ties binding the British Empire. At the four angles of the base are dolphins, emblems of British naval prowess. On the sphere the Empire was depicted in electro-gilt (which has now faded), and the front face of the trachyte pedestal bears the inscription “Golden the links that bind our far flung Empire 1914-1918”.
The firm of Loveridge and Hudson carried out the trachyte works and Messrs Esdaile, the bronze work in connection to the memorial. The cost of the memorial in 1924 was 960 pounds.
The World War I consist of Honour Roll tablets are erected on a wall of the Council Chambers.
The World War I War Memorial was dedicated on 11 October 1925 by the Governor of NSW, His Excellency the Governor, Admiral Sir Dudley de Clair, KCB, MVO. Among those on the plaform were Mr Percy Coleman MP, Sir Thomas Henley, Mr T R Bavin (leader of the State Opposition), Mr E Sanders and Major Milton Jarvie, Colonial-Chaplain H J Rose, Chaplain H S Grimwade, Aldermen F J Wallis (president of the memorial committee), Paine, Wheeldon, Kessell, Boden, and Pilgrim, Colonel R H Beardsmore DSO, VD, Captain Rose and Mr E C Elliott (president NSW Branch Returned Sailors and Soldiers’ League of Australia).
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Sir Dudley de Clair said that the memorial would be an everlasting reminder of the 350 gallant men of Strathfield who came forward to help the Empire in its hour of need. Everybody should remember what they owe to those men and that those who fell had not died in vain. His Excellancy unveiled the memorial and honour roll while the guard stood at the salute, and the Last Post was sounded.
The World War I memorial consists of Honour Roll Tablets and the Memorial shaped as a globe symbolising the unity of British Empire. In the opening ceremony booklet, states:
‘The Memorial symbolises the unity of the British Empire. On a firm base of trachyte a bronze sphere shows the gilded units of the Empire as a chain of golden links encircling the earth. The sphere rests upon a wreath of victory, which is supported from the four corners of the base by dolphins, emblems of the sea.
From the wreath hang ribbons in the form of endless knots suggesting the Empire’s continuity.
The three hundred and fifty names of those to whom the Memorial has been erected are engraved on two large bronze tablets, which are placed upon the wall of the Council Chambers.’
A small cast plate is set between the Honour Roll Tablets, having the following description:
‘This memorial is erected in honour of those associated with Strathfield who served the cause of the freedom in the Great War and whose names are here inscribed’.
| STRATHFIELD WAR MEMORIAL ROLL OF HONOUR 1914-1918 | |||
| ANDERSON | ARNOTT B.H. + | ARNOTT J.MCL. | ARNOTT W.H, |
| ATKINS L.J. | AYRES P.A. | AYRES R.F. | BARKER R.R. |
| BARRETT O.S. | BEARDMORE R.H. | BEGNALL J.W. + | BEGNALL S.T. |
| BELL R.E. | BELLIA F, + | BENSON C.W.R + | BENSON S. |
| BERRY A.C.E. | BIDGOOD M. | BINGE L.M. | BISSETT H.V. |
| BLAND F.E. | BODEN E. | BOWEN C.J. | BRANDER A.R. |
| BROADFOOT E.C. | BROWN W. | BROWN W.B. | BROWN W.J. |
| BUGGY A.H. | BULL L.M. | BUTCHER R.W. | BYRNES W.H.V. |
| CAMERON A.R. | CAMERON H.V. | CAMPBELL S.H. | CANN G. |
| CANT L.H. | CARTER P.T. | CASHMAN F.T. | CASWELL T.M. |
| CRAPMAN R.B. | CHRISTIANSON .W. | CLARK R.C. | CLAYTON C.H.J. |
| CLINCH C.H.J. | COCKS R.J. | COLMAN G. | COLMAN L.C. |
| COLMAN W.F. | COLYER C.H.C. | CONDON H.N. | CONDON R.S. |
| COOKSON C.H. | COOKSON S.N. | COWDERY F.R. | COX H. |
| CUNDY A.V. | CURNOW R.M. | CURRY F. + | CURRY W.C.+ |
| DALLAS W.A.+ | DAVEY G.O. | DAVIES N.S.+ | DAVIS E.R. |
| DAVIS G.R | DEERING D.H. | DEERING H.H. | DINNERVILLE L. |
| DINNERVILLE L.I. | DOCKER C.T | DOCKER P.W. | DRANSFIELD G. |
| DRAPER M. | DUFFY W.E. | DUNHILL W.A. | EDWARDS R.A.L. |
| EDWARDS W.F. | EDDY J.H.W. | ELLIOTT E. | FALLE H.A. + |
| FALLE J.S.A. | FARLOW H, | FARLOW H.O. | FARLOW J.W. + |
| FEHON D.W. | FENTON C. | FERGUSON C. + | FINDLAY B. |
| FINIGAN H.T.U. | FITZGERALD E.J. | FITZGERALD E.M. + | FITZGERALD J.A. |
| FITZGERALD J.J. | FOARD A. + | FRY C.A. le R. | GELLING R.D. |
| GENGE A.C.B. | GIBBONS W.L. | GODDEN G.E. | COWING R.M. |
| GRAHAM A.V. | GRAHAM F.J. | GRAINGER J.G. | GRATTAN R.D. |
| GRAY A.W.W. | GRAY J.F. | GREAR C.W. | GREAR H. |
| GREENING A.R. | GREENING E.C | GUNN R.M.C. | GUTHRIE G.B. + |
| GUTTRIDGE F.J. | HADFIELD C.H. | HADFIELD W.F. | HAMMOND H.T. |
| HARDY D. | HARDY H. | HARRIES E.L. | HARRIES H.J.G. |
| HARRINGTON S.A. + | HARRISON E. + | HARRISON F. | HARRISON R.A. + |
| HENDERSON R.S. | HERBERT F.T,H. | HERRIOTT A.E. | HERRIOTT W.M. |
| HOBSON G.E. | HOBSON W. | HOBSON W. | HOGAN C.G. |
| HOGAN W.J. | HOLDEN E. + | HOLMES W.J. | HOOD A. + |
| HOWELL J.J. | HOWELL L.M. | HUDSON H.A. | IKEN A. |
| IKEN J.A. | IRELAND A. + | IRELAND D.C. | IRELAND H.E. |
| IRISH C.A. | JACOB F.B. | JACOB H.A. + | JOHNS H.P. |
| JOHNS J.G. + | JOHNSTON H.J. + | JOHNSTON H.J. | JONES C.W. |
| JONES S.H. | KEBBLEWHITE F.E. + | KEEP J.L. | KENT G.M. |
| KEW W.C. + | KILLIP J.H. | LACEY A.J. | LACEY E.F. |
| LACEY 0. | LACEY W. | LANCE A.F. | LANCE L.A. |
| LANCE F.D. | LANE H.E. | LANE J.B. | LAURENCE N.C. |
| LAURENCE B.E. | LAWSON E.C. | LAWTHER S.R. | LECKY C, |
| LEE A.E. | LEE E.E, | LEWIS A.J. | LEWLIS H. |
| LEYSHON C.H. | LITTLEMORE H.R. | LLOYD H.S, | LOVE N.B. |
| LORD B.St.L + | LORD J.M. | LYNCH A. + | MACE W.R. + |
| MACEY N.J. | MACKENZIE K.L. | MARSHALL J.W. | MARTYN H. |
| MELDRUM E.A. | MELDRUM W.G. | MILLER E.D. | MILLER W.H.S. |
| MITCHELL G | MOORE C.E. | MOORE G.S. | MORAN E. |
| MORGAN I. | MORGAN J. | MURRAY C.A. | MULLENS F. |
| MCALPINE H.G. | MCCALLUM S | MCCAUGHAN W:A. | MCCOURT J. |
| MCDONAGH J.F. | MCDONAGH L.M. | MCDONNELL S.A. | MCDONNELL W.F. |
| MCFARLANE P. | MCLAUGHLIN A | MCMAHON J.J. | MCPHILLIMY N.R. |
| MCPHILLIMY S.J. | NALL E.F. | NALL L.L. | NASSOOR F. |
| NEIL W.W.K. | NEWMAN A.L. | NOTT E.R. + | OAKES R.M. |
| ON H.J. | ON W.P. | OTTAWAY H.J. + | O’DONNELL E.S. + |
| O’HARA H.L. | O’HARA H.L. | O’HARA T.V. | PARTON R. + |
| PEARSE E.W. | PEARSE M.W. + | PELITH F.D. | PERKIN W. + |
| PILGRIM A. | PILGRIM H. | PONTIFEX C. | PRICE J.S. |
| PRICE P.T. | PRICE T.M. | PRING P. | PROTT C.G. |
| RABONE E.T. + | RICH L.H. | RICHARDS C. + | RICHARDS C.H. |
| RICHARDS O.E. | RICHARDS R. + | RICHARDS W.E. + | RILETT G.J. |
| RITCHIE H.C. | ROBB E.A. | ROBERTS A.A. | ROBERTS J. + |
| ROBERTS L.A. | ROBERTSON C.M. | ROBERTSON H. + | ROCK C.D. |
| ROCK H.O. | ROGERS G.T. + | ROGERS H.E. + | ROSE A.E.A. |
| ROSE B. | ROSE H.H. + | ROSE L. | ROSSELL J.M. |
| ROTHWELL C.G. + | ROTHWELL C.T. | ROTHWELL J.R. | ROURKE H.G. |
| ROURKE J.K. | RYLAN S.W.S. | SCHOLES G.W. | SCHOLES L.R. |
| SEAGE A.J. + | SHARP G.R. | SHARP H.J.D.+ | SHARP W.J. |
| SHAW D.B. | SHEARSTON I.S. | SLY G.L. | SMALL R.C. |
| SMITH B.T. | SPARKS H. | SPITTLES G.E, | SPURWAY H. |
| SPURWAY S.C. | STAINER A. | STANTON L. | STEVENSON A.A. |
| STEVENSON J.R. | STEVENSON R. | STEVENSON V.T. | SUTTON W.H. |
| SWEET W. | THOMAS N.S. | THOMSON R.M. | THOROGOOD G.E. + |
| TOWN D. | TWEED E.C. | UPJOHN G.M. | UTHER E. + |
| VICKERY J.A. | WAILES C.E. + | WALKER H.J. | WALTON J.H. |
| WARD H.N. | WARD W. | WAREHAM A.L. | WAREHAM E.J. |
| WAREHAM S.C. + | WARTON S.W. | WARTON W.B, | WEBSTER G. |
| WEBSTER H. | WEIDNER L.R. | WEIR J.S.D. | WEST S.J. |
| WHEALEY S.H. | WHITE F. | WHITE K.M. | WHITEMAN R.S. |
| WHITTLE F. | WILKINS R. | WING A.G. | WISE H. |
| WOOD M.C. + | WOODLEY W. | WOODS G.W. | WORDSWORTH R.G. |
| WRIGHT E.D. | |||
World War II Memorial
The memorials for World War II consist of a trachyte seat and a bronze plaque containing the names of all those residents of the Strathfield Coincil area who died in the Second World War. The bronze plaque is attached to the Strathfield Council Chambers building. The World War II memorial was dedicated on 26 September 1953 by the Governor of NSW, His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Northcott, KCMG, KCVO, CB, KtSt.
The granite seat has the following inscription:
‘In honour of those citizens who gave their lives in World War 1939-45. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.’
| STRATHFIELD WAR MEMORIAL WORLD WAR II ROLL OF HONOUR 1939-1945‘We are the dead, short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow’ | ||
| ABBOT B. | HARRINGTON C.F. | MAY J.P. |
| ADAMS H | HARRIS G | MONKS W.J.C. |
| AUSTIN N. | HARVEY J.G. | MOORE J.R. |
| BANKS R.J. | HEASMAN V.F. | MULLENS P. |
| BLACKMAN R.A. | HENDRY J.G. | NICHOLLS S.T.A. |
| BROWN, M. | HERRON A.A. | O’GRADY F.J. |
| BROWNE, A.H. | HEUSTON R.S. | PARKIN R. |
| BURRELL L.C. | HOARE L.T. | PASTOORS W.C. |
| BURRELL W.C. | HOBSON B. | PERCIVAL R.E. |
| CLARKE G. | HOOKLEY A.J.N. | PRITCHARD S. |
| CORDUKES A.S. | HORTON W.G. | ROBERTS H.J. |
| CORKHILL M. | HORNBROOK J.H. | ROGERS V.B. |
| COSTELLO J. | HOUSTON J.R. | ROXBURD D. |
| COSTELLO J.M. | HOWARTH F.S. | SHORE G.R. |
| CRANE P.G. | KENNEDY W.J. | SMITH R.G, |
| DALY H.C.M. | KENNY L.J. | SPURWAY J.S. |
| DENT I.W. | LEA J. | STEPHENSON J, |
| DOUGLAS J.W. | LEE T. | STURDAY B.L. |
| DUFFIN K.I. | LINCOLN B.H. | SWINBOURNE G.C. |
| DUKE W.J. | LOBBAN J.G. | TAUBMAN K.J. |
| DUNBAR G.J. | LUSKAN E.L. | TEMPLEMAN B.A. |
| DUNLOP I.B. | MCEGAN E.F | TYAS R.C. |
| EAST M. | MCLEAN W.C. | VAUGHAN W.L. |
| EDGLEY J.L. | MCMILLAN K.J.M. | WALSH J.J. |
| ELAND S. | MCPHERSON H.McN. | WARD H.J. |
| FARQUHARSON I.C. | MANTON P.R. | WATSON M.J. |
| FRANK P.R. | MARSHALL P.O. | WHITE G.M. |
| GARBUTT W.E. | MARTIN C. | WHITFIELD K.G. |
| GAZZARD R.G. | MARTIN C.G. | WIESENER R.F. |
| HANCOCK W.S. | MARTIN H.L. | WOOD S |
| HOOD D. | MOLAN A.W. | TATE C.S. |
References
OPPORTUNITIES (1924, April 23). Construction and Local Government Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1913 – 1930), p. 18. Retrieved June 18, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109759724
Strathfield War Memorial [World War I] – Opening ceremony booklet dated October 11th 1925, Strathfield Council.
Survey of Sculpture, Monuments and Outdoor Cultural Material, Strathfield Council, 1999.
“War Memorial at Strathfield”, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 October 1925, page 12
© Cathy Jones 2005 (updated 2021).
Strathfield Heritage 