War Memorials in Strathfield Municipality
War
Memorials in Strathfield Municipality are dedicated to local residents who
served or died during wartime conflicts. Most Memorials were built to
commemorate World War I. Generally, plaques have been added to existing
memorials for subsequent wars such as World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Almost all Australians who served abroad in World War I were sent to the front
line of battlefields in Europe and the Middle East. Australian troops suffered a
high rate of casualties [61,720 dead], which was nearly one in five of those who
served abroad. Two thirds of Australian troops were either killed or wounded.
The overwhelming grief of Australians coupled with the fact that many Australian
servicemen and women died on foreign soil and did not have a final resting
place, prompted local communities to organise the erection of War Memorials in
local government areas. Though the objective of most War Memorials is to honour
those who died, many Memorials also recorded the names of those who served. Most
War Memorials were not built until many years after the war was finished.
Memorials were usually organised by local committees who raised funds through
public subscriptions [donations].
War Memorials can take many forms. Some involve outdoor large sculptures in
public places, while others may be small plaques or stained glass windows
contained in private property such as churches erected by families. Local
schools such as Homebush Boys High and St Patrick’s College partly financed the
building of Airey Oval and Hudson Oval respectively to commemorate their former
students who died during World War II.
Many memorials were erected prior to the Council amalgamations with Enfield and
Homebush Councils in the late 1940s. Therefore, memorials tend to record names
of citizens who resided in the original Council areas. Memorials relating to the
former Homebush and some parts of Enfield Council are located in Strathfield
Municipality.
Wartime in Strathfield Municipality
Strathfield was an important location for war efforts in Sydney. Many servicemen
enlisted at Strathfield and Strathfield Rail Station was the site of many
departures and arrivals during the World Wars.
During World War II, property was sought and hired by the Commonwealth
Government to assist in both Australia’s defence and general war effort.
Properties were acquired under Regulation 54 of the National Security [General
Regulations] which stated:
‘if it appears to a Minister to be necessary or expedient to do so in the
interests of public safety, the defence of the Commonwealth or the efficient
prosecution of the war, or for maintaining supplies and service essential to the
life of the community he may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, take possession of
any land’….Under this regulation, sports ovals and parks were acquired as troop
accommodation sites and many private properties were hired to accommodate
training sites, living quarters, office areas and storage sites.
The Australian Army used Strathfield Park as a military training area during
World War II. Freshwater Park was used as an anti-aircraft searchlight station,
with service personnel accommodated in a private home in Myee Avenue.
Many private homes were commissioned by the Army, according to records held by
the National Archives of Australia. ‘Springfort’ 108 Redmyre Road Strathfield
were commissioned for 1st Division Army headquarters and living quarters. 18
Kingsland Road Strathfield was used by the Bomb Disposal Company as offices and
training centre. The house ‘Inveresk’ Coventry Road Strathfield was used as
administrative offices for 1 Division Headquarters. The house ‘Avoca’ in Albert
Road was used as a camp site for 1st Division Signals. 'Waitakerei' Chalmers
Road Strathfield was used as troop accommodation for the 104th Anti Tank
Regiment. It appears that Todman Reserve in Barker Road was used as a parking
area for Anti Tank Regiment.
Jackett’s Flour Mills in Beresford Road Strathfield [now demolished] were hired
as an Army Depot for the American Army. The Catholic Institute of Sydney in
Albert Road Strathfield was also used by the Army during WWII.
Presbyterian Ladies College [PLC] Croydon was requisitioned by the Australian
Army and the school relocated to ‘Lauriston’ The Boulevarde Strathfield during
the World War II. ‘Lauriston’ is now part of Santa Maria Del Monte.
Frank Forde
Australian Prime Minister Frank Forde lived at 81 Redmyre Road Strathfield from
1937 to 1946. Forde served for a short time as Prime Minister after the death of
John Curtin in 1945. However, Forde played a critical role in Australia’s
defence during World War II. He was a member of the Advisory War Council from
1940-1945. After the Australian Labor Party assumed Government in 1941, Forde
was appointed Minister for Army. He served as Minister for Army from October
1941 to November 1946 and Minister for Defence from August to November 1946. In
1945, Forde led Australia’s delegation to the conference in San Francisco to set
up the United Nations.
Sydney War Cemetery at Rookwood Necropolis
Sydney War Cemetery is located at Rookwood Necropolis. It is Australia’s
largest war cemetery containing 734 war graves, made up of 122 casualties of the
UK Forces; 608 Australian Forces; 2 New Zealand Forces; one French sailor and
one civilian (employed by the Admiralty). The Memorial to the Missing honours
741 dead and a further 199 names of men and women of the Armed Forces whose
remains were cremated and appear on the Cremation Memorial.
Many of those contained within the cemetery died at Concord Hospital [formerly a
Military and then Repatriation Hospital] of wounds received in operational
areas, sickness or accident. The United Kingdom Forces casualties died, while
prisoners-of-war under the Japanese, and were cremated. After the war the Army
Graves Service arranged for their ashes to be brought by HMAS Newfoundland to
Sydney for interment.
In 1942 the military authorities established the cemetery as the last
resting-place of Servicemen and Servicewomen who gave their lives during World
War II. The cemetery was taken over by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in
December 1946. It was entered on the Register of the National Estate on 21
October 1986.
National Days of Remembrance
ANZAC Day [25 April] and Remembrance Day [11 November] are the two major days of
commemoration of war in Australia.
ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by
Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War at Gallipoli in
1915. Over 8000 Australian soldiers were killed and 25 April became the day on
which Australians commemorated the sacrifice of those who died in war. ANZAC
stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. 25 April was officially named
ANZAC Day in 1916 and in 1927 all the States observed a public holiday. With
subsequent wars, ANZAC Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of
Australians lost in war.
Remembrance Day on the 11 November is set aside as a day to remember the
sacrifice of those who have died for Australia in wars and conflicts. It was
originally known as Armistice Day as at 11 am on 11 November 1918 the guns of
the Western Front fell silent after more than four years continuous warfare.
‘We will remember them……’
One traditional recitation on ANZAC Day is The Ode, which is the fourth stanza of the poem ‘For the fallen’ by Laurence Binyon (1869–1943). The most well-known lines are:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
References
‘Australian War Graves’, Department of Veteran’s Affairs, information obtained
from http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/oawg/cemeteries.htm on 15 April 2006.
Frank Forde biographical information obtained from Australian Prime Ministers at
http://www.naa.gov.au. Residency at Redmyre Road Strathfield confirmed from
Strathfield Council records of ownership and occupancy.
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986.
National Archives of Australia Fact Sheets.
Jones, C ‘War Memorials in Strathfield’, Strathfield District Historical Society
Newsletter, December 2005.
Strathfield War Memorial opening ceremony booklet, 11 October 1925, Strathfield
Council.
Stone, L., Reminiscing War Time Strathfield, Strathfield District Historical
Society Newsletter Vol. 24 No. 7 July 2001.
Survey of Sculpture, Monuments and Outdoor Cultural Material, Strathfield
Council, 1999.
Information on St Anne’s Anglican Church, St Patrick’s College Memorial obtained
from War Memorials in Australia website at http://www.skp.com.au/memorials on 15
April 2006.
Author and Copyright information
This article was written by Cathy Jones, 2005
© Cathy Jones 2005. This article is subject to copyright and may not be
reproduced without permission of the author.
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Links
Strathfield War Memorial, 65 Homebush Road Strathfield
Enfield War Memorial, Coronation Parade Strathfield South
Homebush War Memorial, Rochester Street Strathfield
Memorial Park, The Crescent, Homebush