Chatsworth Island and District 1939-1945 Roll of Honour

About

Chatsworth Island and District 1939-1945 Roll of Honour is a stately timber board, made of maple. It features carved columns and gold lettering. The roll includes the names of 63 community members who served in the Second World War.  Planning for the memorial spanned from 1946 to 1952. A brief outline of the project from newspaper coverage is provided below: The Daily Examiner, 1 April 1946 - The annual meeting of the Chatsworth District War Memorial Committee was held in the Temperance Hall, led by Mr J. Ryan. The committee would write to the Chatsworth RSL for a list of names to inscribe on a monument. However, the Main Roads Department informed the committee that the road was not wide enough for a monument. The Daily Examiner, 28 May 1946, reported on another meeting, at which attendees discussed that the Chatsworth RSL only wanted to include the names of those who were killed in action on the monument. It was decided to write again to the RSL, the Ladies Auxiliary of the RSL, the Country Women's Association and Parents & Citizens to contribute the names.  The Daily Examiner, 26 June 1946, reported responses had been received from the above organisations and they were in agreement with the RSL that only names of the deceased should be included. A meeting was held and several attendees disagreed, stating "that the people had a duty towards all men who served." A public meeting for all residents was planned to gather more opinions.  The Daily Examiner, 20 April 1949 - The honour roll was still under discussion by the annual meeting of the committee held in April 1949. It was finally decided to include all those who served on a roll to placed in the Chatsworth Public School. The Daily Examiner, 22 June 1951, reported the board was ready for the names to be printed and the cost would be 100 pounds.  The Daily Examiner, 31 March 1952, announced the unveiling of the roll would be included in the upcoming Anzac Day service. At that stage, the board was completed and the names were inscribed. After many years in the making, the roll was unveiled at a ceremony held on the banks of the North Arm river, near the Chatsworth Cenotaph. Councillor John Ryan, president of the Harwood Shire, presided and Mr C.G. Wingfield M.L.A. also spoke. Reverend Geoff Oliver (Methodist) dedicated the memorial. The unveiling was performed by Mrs W. Addison, who lost a son at the war. After the service, the roll was moved to the school (The Daily Examiner, 28 April 1952). The memorial is now located in the Chatsworth Island Hall and is available for viewing when there is a social function held on site.