DESCENDANTS of Grong Grong’s World War I soldiers will unveil a new honour roll in the village on June 20.
Among the 90 names on the black granite memorial is Robert Hamilton Hoskin, whose name for an unknown reason has never been written on any of Grong Grong’s WWI honour boards – until now.
Mick Batchelor, who organised the new memorial at the All Services Memorial Club, said 16 of the 90 men on the honour roll were killed in action, including Private Hoskin in the last weeks of the war, and another two died before they left Australia.
He decided a new honour roll was needed because the three pre-existing memorials – in the memorial club (the hall), the now-closed school and the former Uniting Church hall – were not easily accessible.
“I thought something had to be done to fix this,” Mr Batchelor said.
The date of the unveiling has historical significance because it is the closest weekend to June 23, the day in 1924 when the first section of the hall was opened and the day in 1954 when the second section was opened.
The unveiling will be preceded by a march, starting at 11am, from the school to the hall.
Leading the march will be Leeton army cadets, followed by a bugler from Kapooka, the Leeton Pipes and Drums Band and direct descendants of men named on the honour roll.
Following them will be members of the Narrandera RSL sub-branch, Gundagai 7th Light Horse troop, local horse riders, and school children and friends and relatives of people on the honour roll.
Mr Batchelor is vice-president of the Gundagai 7th Light Horse.
A barbecue lunch will be cooked after the unveiling by the Grong Grong Progress Committee, while the village’s sports club will operate a bar.
Research by Mr Batchelor’s sister, Kathleen Foster, revealed wrong spelling of some names on previous honour boards, which have been corrected for the new memorial.
Underneath the honour roll will be a separate bronze plaque containing the names of four men who were awarded the Military Medal during the war.
A state government grant, money donated by spectators at the Grong Grong rodeo and other private donations have helped meet the cost of the new honour roll.
