Murrurundi and Warrah Shire First World War Roll of Honor

About

The Murrurundi and Warrah Shire First World War Roll of Honor is a combined memorial for the Murrurindi Municipality and Warrah Shire. It takes the form of a printed parchment, set within a timber frame inset with glass. It lists the names of veterans who enlisted in the war from the districts served by both the municipality and the shire. The names are printed professionally in three columns. The page is decorated with the Rising Sun emblem of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, the British and Australian flags and a descending dove with a spring in its mouth. On either side of the names are two classical columns wrapped in banners that list the names of the various battles in which Australians served in the Great War. At the base of each column is a classical female figure holding an outstretched wreath. Both women sit on pedestals. The left pedestal includes the words 'Victory' and '1914' and the right pedestal has 'Freedom' and '1919'.  The origins of this roll are unknown but rolls of this design can be found in many communities throughout NSW. The template design may have been the work of the Australian Government. Local war memorial committees were then able to use the design to print their own roll. This roll may have been unveiled in Murrurundi for both the Municipality and Shire, but is now found in the Quirindi Historical Cottage and Museum. Murrurundi was established as a Municipality in 1890 and Warrah Shire was proclaimed on 7 March 1906, after the passing of the Local Government (Shires) Act 1905. The Municipality and Shire Offices were established at Murrurundi. The Warrah Shire amalgamated with the Municipality of Murrurundi to form the Murrurundi Shire on 1 October 1948. The Murrurundi town is now part of the Upper Hunter Shire.

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