Gleniffer Union Church First World War Roll of Honour, Bellingen

About

This war memorial is a hand written roll of honour for men from the Gleniffer Union Church who served in the First World War. It is a decorative parchment, featuring illustrations of two servicemen, a woman holding a laurel wreath, the First commonwealth Coat of Arms, a crown, and the Union Jack and Australian flags.  The parchment is presented in a timber frame, inset with a pane of glass. Carved into the top of the frame are the words 'Quit you like men, be strong', which is a phrase from the Bible. It is a unique inscription for a war memorial and may reference courage.  The origins of the memorial are not known, however, the parchment is dated 1916 and includes the initials 'J.E.G.H.', which may indicate the maker or designer.  Gleniffer is a small rural village located near Bellingen, NSW. At the time of the war, in addition to the Union Church, it had a School of Arts hall, a co-operative dairy company, a Loyal Orange Lodge, a public school, a Red Cross Society Branch, and a butchery.  Union churches were created in various rural areas by members of the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist religions. In the case of the Gleniffer Union Church, most soldiers gave their religion as Church of England. It seems reasonable to assume the roll was once housed at the church or the hall. It is now located in the Bellingen Museum and is available for viewing during opening hours. Do you know more about this war memorial? Learn how you can contribute to the NSW War Memorials Register.