The Hamilton War Memorial, at Melville Oval, was unveiled in 1926 to honour eighty-three Hamilton men who lost their lives during WW1. The Minister of Defence, Sir Neville Howse arrived in Hamilton on Sunday 25 April 1926 to officiate at the unveiling. He then travelled on to Warrnambool to unveil that town’s war memorial, as reported in the Camperdown Chronicle of 29 April 1926.
“GEELONG.” The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954) 26 Apr 1926: 10. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201637113>.
HAMILTON WAR MEMORIAL c1930-1954. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Image no. H32492/2728 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/63654
The small figurine standing on the orb in the female figure’s hand, as seen in the photo above, is no longer there, as seen below.
The Hamilton War Memorial also honours the Hamilton men who died during WW2.
Click on an underlined name to read that soldier’s WW1 story
AUSTIN, G.B. (see notes)
DOUGLAS, Claude Campbell Telford
FENTON, John Wilfred (M.M)
HENRY, E. E. (see notes)
KNIGHT, T.L. (see notes)
LOWDEN, A .H. (see notes)
PARR, Alfred John (D.C.M.)
RICHIE, George (see notes)
SMITH, Edwin Richardson (M.M)
SMYTH, James Norman (D.C.M.)
WARING, Frederick Charles MacLeod
Photos courtesy of the Australian War Memorial. Photos of W.H.Waters, R.J.Coutler, W.A.Hind, R.L.Stagoll courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator (1914-1918) at Trove
Notes
AUSTIN, G.B.-The name of Glenister Burton Austin is given on the memorial. He returned to Australia in early 1920. The name should be Glenister’s brother William John Austin, who died from influenza in October 1918 in England.
HENRY, E.E. – Maybe Horace James Henry, who was discharged in England in December 1918, but returned to live in Casterton.
KNIGHT, T.L. – Most likely James Alfred Knight for whom a tree was planted along Anzac Avenue. Thomas Leonard Knight was the younger brother of James Alfred Knight, sons of Thomas Robert Knight and Agnes Mason. Thomas married Agnes Mary Kenny in 1902. The Hamilton Spectator of 7 January 1915, reported Thomas Leonard Knight had enlisted on 6 January 1915 pending a medical likely held on 7 January 1915 by Hamilton’s Dr Norham Scott. If it was the same Thomas Leonard Knight he’d have been thirty-eight years old at the time, the maximum age for enlistment. There are no service records for Thomas Leonard Knight suggesting he failed the medical on 7 January 1915. Thomas Leonard Knight, the son of Robert and Agnes Knight died at Footscray in 1945 aged sixty-nine. James Alfred Knight was killed in France on 8 June 1916.
LOWDEN, A.H. – Most likely Andrew Harry John Louden who served with the home forces. The Hamilton Spectator’s report on Anzac Avenue published on 4 July 1918 listed a A.H.Loden as a tree recipient.
RICHIE, G – Listed on memorial as RITCHIE, G. Most likely George Richie. Killed on 5 February 1917, he was the son of Issac and Janet Richie of South Hamilton. The Hamilton Spectator also listed this soldier as G.Ritchie in the paper’s article on the Anzac Avenue planting published 4 July 1918.
The Recessional by Rudyard Kipling (1897)
(Sung at the unveiling of the Hamilton War Memorial in 1926)
MELVILLE OVAL, HAMILTON. Image Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. Image No.H32492/2800 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/63848
©Merron Riddiford 2017
Western District Families 