Wiangaree M.U.I.O.O.F. Second World War Honour Roll

About

This war memorial is a polished timber honour roll for members of the Wiangaree lodge of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (M.U.I.O.O.F.) who served in the Second World War. The board is decorated with a large carving of a laurel wreath, with a bow at the bottom. The wreath surrounds the names of 23 members of the lodge, which are neatly printed in gold in alphabetical order. This figure "represented almost fifty per cent of the pre-war membership of the lodge" (The Kyogle Examiner. 25 March 1949). The board was made by veteran Ern Paine of Kyogle and the gold lettering was completed by J. Wright. Both men also completed the Wiangaree Second World War Honour Roll, which is a similar design.  The unveiling ceremony was held at Wiangaree on 21 March 1949. The event was reported in detail in The Kyogle Examiner on 25 March. The Noble Grand of the Wiangaree Lodge, Brother S. Pratt, gave the welcoming address. The attendees included "representatives of the Kyogle, Casino and Urbenville Lodges, the Kyogle R.S.S. and A.I.L.A. and Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women sub-branches, the Wiangaree Hall committee and the Wiangaree branch of the Red Cross Society." The unveiling itself was performed by Brother R.W. Colley of Casino, who was the Deputy Grand Master. He asked for two minutes silence for those members of the broader M.U.I.O.O.F. who did not return from war service. The Examiner reported, that at that time, all 23 men on the Wiangaree roll were alive. The Northern Star, 30 March 1949, also published a report about the ceremony.