Matcham First World War Roll of Honour

About

The Matcham First World War Roll of Honour is a wooden oak board with a pediment at the top and three panels. The centre panel features photographs of 20 of the men listed on the board whilst the other two panels, one on either side of the photos, features the names of 24 men from the area who served in the First World War printed in gold coloured lettering. This includes two men who were killed in action which is indicated by a gold star printed next to their names.  This photographic honour roll was instigated at the behest of the Matcham Progress Association. It was officially unveiled in the Matcham Public Hall on Sunday 28 January 1917 at the conclusion of the Sunday church service by Reverend Arthur Renwick. At the time of its unveiling, the roll only had 17 names listed on it. The board was manufactured by Mr P Dalby and Mr C Seville of Hurstville whilst the decoration and lettering was done by Mr Alex Burt of Sydney. Mr T R Michelsen, secretary of the Matcham Progress Association, was involved in sourcing the photographs of the soldiers.  The Matcham Public Hall itself had opened in June 1915. The hall (where the Roll of Honour is still located) is recognised as a central place for the local community to commemorate all those from the area that served and particularly those that made the ultimate sacrifice. The hall is managed by a committee of volunteers who are passionate about ensuring that its history and role within the local community is maintained.

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