Currabubula and District First World War Roll of Honor

About

The Currabubula and District First World War Roll of Honor is a rare parchment honour roll, painted with watercolours. The top of the roll features a long pale blue banner, decoratively furled into five sections with the dates from 1914 to 1917 painted in black on each fold. A pale red banner embellished with yellow Victorian leaf scrolls features the name of the honour roll, painted in red and black lettering with yellow highlights. A royal blue banner sits below with yellow shadow lettering. Between these two banners sits the crossed Union Jack and Australian flag in front of the rising sun.  The dedication to the servicemen from the district who enlisted in the First World War is painted in ornate lettering. Below the dedication sits a decorative scroll, adorned with laurel wreaths in the two top corners. The scroll contains the names of the 50 servicemen who enlisted in the Australian Infantry Forces painted in black lettering. Eight of those listed were killed and their names are marked with a black cross. The honour roll was unveiled in front of a large crowd at the Currabubula Hall on Saturday 10 March 1917 (The Daily Observer (Tamworth), 14 March 1917). Councillor T Phillips, President of the Peel Shire Council, presided over the ceremony. Following the National Anthem, Mr James Scott of 'Aberfeldie', whose two sons were serving at the front, performed the unveiling with a very moving address. Other speakers included Mr Beck, Presbyterian clergyman from Tamworth, Mr James Byrnes, teacher at Swansea and late of Currabubula Public School, and several local residents. The honour roll is hung inside the Currabubula Memorial Hall and is available for viewing when the hall is open.