Ora Banda sent more men to the First World War than any other town of its size in Western Australia. Of the 100 men who enlisted 35 were to make the ultimate sacrifice. – From the Kalgoorlie Miner 21 October 1920, page 6
HONOUR ROLL UNVEILED. Ora Banda, Oct 18th 1920.
On Sunday afternoon a number of people journeyed to Ora Banda to witness the unveiling of the roll of honour. Amongst the visitors present were Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Leslie (Mayor of Kalgoorlie), Dr. Bridgeford,
Rev. Sullivan, Mr. I Campbell of the R.S.L. and many others. Mr. J. Geddes presided. Rev. Mr. Sullivan said it was always with mixed feelings that these gatherings were held.
While they were pleased so many had returned to Australia, it was with sorrow they had to remember so many were sleeping in foreign lands and he deeply sympathised with those parents whose sons would not return. After the hymn ‘Lead Kindly Light,’ had been sung, the reverend gentleman offered up a prayer. Mr. G. Lambert, M.L.A., said he thought it a great honour to be present that afternoon. He referred to the manner in which the men on the goldfields had answered their country’s call, and how the women had worked for those who had gone to fight for the honour and glory of the Empire. It gave the speaker very much pleasure in calling on Mrs. Wilson, whose five sons had gone to fight (one making the supreme sacrifice) to unveil the honour board. The school children then sang ‘Bells of Peace.’
Ora Banda Roll of Honour – Photo Nora Stanley
Mr. Geddes introduced the Mayor of Kalgoorlie, who said it was a great pleasure to him to have the honour of being invited on such an occasion. He congratulated the people of Ora Banda and district on the beautiful board that had been unveiled that day. On looking around one could hardly imagine, the large number who had enlisted from such a small place 100 in all, of whom 35 had given their lives. Mr Campbell, of the R.S.L. congratulated the people of the district on their noble record. The proceedings terminated with the National Anthem. The honour board is a beautiful piece of work of polished jarrah with 100 names on brass plates. The work was done by Millars Jarrah Company. In the evening the Rev. Mr. Sullivan conducted a special service in the ‘Miners’ Hall’ to commemorate the unveiling of the roll of honour, a large number being present, Solos were sung by Mrs Pool, Mrs Peck (see below) and Miss Campey. The National Anthem concluded tho service.
Charles Henry MINDNER
The original honour roll was destroyed in a fire, however a replica is now displayed at the Ora Banda Hotel.
ROLL OF HONOUR
| C. ABBOTT | E. ABBOTT | A.H. ALLSOPP |
| T. ARCHIBOLD | W.H. BATHURST | H.A.BLACK |
| E. BASTOW | J. BROUGHTON | L. BLOOM |
| W. BOUNSELL | H. BECK | J. BOYD |
| J. BUTLER | A.W. CAMPBELL | R. CRUCKSHANK |
| F. COOPER | J. COUGHLAN | S. CRAWFORD |
| C. M. DARCY | J. DATSON | J. DAVEY |
| A.C. DINSDALE | C.E. DINES | C.W. DUCROW |
| T.E. DUCROW | J. DUGGAN | G. DUNCAN |
| W. EDDY | F. EDMONDS | J. EDWARDS |
| J. FRASER | J.R. GEDDES | J.J. GEORGE |
| B.D. GREEN | R. HARGREAVES | W. HARWOOD |
| E. HAWKINS | T. HESKETH | B. HICKEY |
| F. HURLEY | J. HUGHES | R. HUNTER |
| T.A. JOHNS | T.A. JOLLEY | R. JOLLEY |
| J.R. KEITH | J.A. LANE | C. LEHNER |
| H. LORD | W. LUTTRELL | F.H. MARGETT |
| J. MARTIN | C. MINDNER | T. MORCOM |
| W. MONGHAN | T. MORRIS | P. MURRY |
| A. McCALL | D.A. McCARTHY | J. McKENNA |
| J. McLOUGHLAN | A.C. McPARLIN | W. O’BRIEN |
| E.J. O’DONNELL | A. PEARSON | R. PELL |
| J. PERRIS | G. PHELPS | O.F. PRITCHARD |
| R. RENDALL | H. RIDDELL | F. ROBINSON |
| R.W. ROSE | W.J. ROWLANDS | O. RUSSELL |
| S. SHARP | S. SHEPARD | W. SHEPARD |
| E. STEWART | R.J. SUITER | H. SURRIDGE |
| C. TAYLOR | S. TAYLOR | J.W. TAYLOR |
| W. THIRLOWAY | A.THOMAS | C. TRETHEWEY |
| J. TREWEEK | F. WASHBOURNE | A. WATERS |
| T. WATSON | E.W. WILLIAMS | S. WILLIAMS |
| G. WILSON | R.L. WILSON | W.H. WILSON |
Moya Sharp
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“LEST WE FORGET”
“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”
5 OF MY GREAT UNCLES ARE ON THE ORA BANDA ROLL OF HONOUR ALL BORN IN VICTORIA AND LEFT FREMANTLE 4 ON THE SS WARILDA 1JUNE 1916 AND ONE ON THE SS SUEVIC ON THE 6 JUNE 1916 UNFORTUNATLY ALL THE SOLDIERS THAT LEFT FROM FREMANTLE ARE NOT RECOGINISED LIKE THE ALBANY MEMORIAL WHERE THE BULK OF THE SHIPS LEFT FROM.
Hi 🙂 Why are the Fremantle Soldiers not recognised ? Ailsa
Hi Jan This web site if for the Goldfields of Western Australia. Fremamtle soldiers will be honoured on other web sites.
Hi Moira,
Firstly I would like to say I do appreciate your work and research on this page and like you I am a history buff.
I would like you to know that the Mrs Wilson mentioned in the above article is in fact Margaret Wilson my great great grandmother. Yes 5 of her sons were fighting in France in the first world war only 4 came home. C Abbott is Charles Henry Abbott was her son from her first marriage along with E Abbott (Edmund). R L Wilson is Robert Leslie, G Wilson is George and W H Wilson is William Henry. These are the names of her 5 sons who went to war. Charles Henry Abbott was killed on the 26th May 1917 and is interred in the Hersin Communal Cemetery France. I have visited his grave for the past 2 years. I have photo’s of his grave and copies of the original photo sent to my Gran. I also have photo’s of all the boys in uniform, my cousin Kerry Earl has the originals from her grandad Robert Leslie Wilson.
Mrs Wilson was married three times and she had 2 more sons with Abbott, they were James Thomas Abbott who was deceased in WW1 and John Edward Abbott (Jack) who happened to be a owner of the Victorious and Gimlet gold mines in Ora Banda. ( he was too old to go). With her third husband George Wilson they had Philip Wilson who was deceased in WW1 and 3 daughters Elizabeth, Martha and Agnes my great grandma who’s married name was Longwood. I have a lot of stories about the Kalgoorlie goldfields area, handed down from my grandparents and family in general. You are welcome to contact me for more information and keep up the great work.
Cheers
Bev Whiteman
Hi Bev
Thanks for all your information, I wonder if I might add it to the blog post credited to you of course?
Kind regards Moya
Hi Moya,
Of course you are most welcome to use any and all information, I am glad to share all with you and your readers. It is my belief that if we all work together it helps to bring our ancestors and their stories to life and fills in the missing pieces where possible. Jan McKinlay is a relative of mine and has a good knowledge and researches the family also and along with Kerry Earl. ( Kerry lives in Kalgoorlie, still, at least, I think so) I will send you a copy of photo’s as soon as I can get someone to show me how, haha. It would be worth contacting the girls (Mentioned) and see if you can get a copy of the original photo of the Abbott and Wilson boys as mine is not a very good copy. I also have a photo of Margaret Wilson ( she lived to 92 yrs), Elizabeth, Martha and Agnes, (when they were quite young) I will dig that out too. Alas I don’t have, nor have I ever seen a photo of George Wilson Snr, although as a child I remember my Gran (Agnes) telling me the names of people in her photo’s adorning the walls and sideboard as I pointed them out, I would love to have half and hour or ten with her again. Apparently Gran had them dumped at the tip when she sold her house at 13 Outridge terrace, an didn’t offer them to anybody else. I was 10 years old. She lived till 1 month before she turned, 92yrs. Her daughter my Nana (Lavinia) was 90 yrs of age when she passed away. Anyway thanks again and keep the yarns and photo’s coming.
Cheers
Bev
Just realized I spelt your name wrong Moya, I am really sorry.
Charles William DUCROW, Thomas Enos [Eni] DUCROW, Arthur Charles McPARLIN and a couple of other names to be verified to be in the family..
Honour and Respect to all fighting men
Hi Pat I was wondering if you might be able to put together a short piece on each of them for the blog?
Dear Moya
Arthur Henry Allsopp – My grandfather’s name was on the roll and marked with an asterisk – I was told the asterisk was because he died in WW1 – he did not die until 1965 – however he never returned to Ora Banda but returned to Perth. He did marry in Westonia in 1921 to Elizabeth Maud Williams whose father was Henry Kirwin Williams, the underground manager of the Edna May mine.
Thankyou Moya my Great Uncles were the 2 Abbott Boys and the 3 Wilson Boys that are on that Honour Roll Regards Jan