Swan Bay First World War Roll of Honor

About

This decorative cedar roll of honor for the First World War features colourful illustrations, turned columns, and gold lettering. The carved pediment at the top is decorated with paintings of the Union Jack and Australian flags, flanking the earliest version of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. In the centre of the board are the names, which are presented in a table with four columns. The first and third columns list the names, in non-alphabetical order, and the second and fourth columns record whether the corresponding soldier was missing, killed, retired due to illness, or wounded. The board is finished with a simple base piece, inscribed with the words 'Freedom Truth Justice'.  The roll was made by Brown and Jolly of Lismore, NSW, a noted cabinetry and furniture making company. It was unveiled at the Swan Hill Public School on Friday, 6 July 1917. The ceremony was reported in detail in the Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser on 22 July. Mr J. Pursey unveiled the roll, after which Miss Jean Dolby read the list of names. Mr Bondfield indicated the roll was incomplete and names would be added as they became known. When unveiled, the end year of the war was not included in the inscription. At some later date, the year was changed to '1918' and the following names were added after Henry McNamara: George Ruthford, Jack Kirkland, Harold Leeson, Donald Dolby, Claud Upton, and Reg Honniball.  The Swan Bay Public School was open from 1876 to 1942. The Northern Star, 29 March 1951, reported the Bungawalbyn Memorial Hall Committee had decided to organise the transfer of the roll from the school to their hall. It has since been moved to the Mid-Richmond Historical Society Museum, also known as the Coraki Museum. The society received a Federal Government Anzac Memorial Local Grant to refurbish the roll and this work was completed in 2015 (Northern Star, 1 April 2015). Access to the memorial is restricted to the opening hours of the museum.