Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The location of the Memorial Avenue is, Honour Ave, Wyalkatchem, W.A.

The tablet is located on the wall of the Town Hall, also on Honour Ave.

At the meeting of the Wyalkatchem sub branch of the R.S.L. held on the 13th March 1929 it was proposed that the Road Board be approached and asked to have the name of Gnucah Street in Wyalkatchem changed to the name Honour Avenue and that permission be obtained from the Board to affix an Honour Plaque to the outer front wall of the new Town Hall. The Plaque would set out the reason for the name of the Avenue.

There was considerable discussion and it was felt generally that the district should do something tangible to honour the memory of those from the district who fell in the war. A sub-committee was appointed to obtain the necessary permission from the Road Board and if successful secure a suitable tablet which would be unveiled on Anzac Day.

On 24th May 1929 the Wyalkatchem Road Board approved the erection of a Memorial Plaque on the front of the Town Hall. They also agreed to change the name of Gnucah Street to Honour Avenue, however this did not occur until the first week of July 1929 when the street name change was gazetted.

In March 1932 the Memorial Plaque was placed on the front of the Town Hall in readiness to be unveiled. On Anzac Day the 25th April 1932 about 250 people, including a number of returned men wearing their medals and ribbons, attended the combined commemorative service at the Town Hall in Wyalkatchem. The Reverend’s R. Atken and G Hitchings officiated at the service, the latter delivering a stirring address.

After the service the gathering assembled at the front of the hall, where Mr Horace A. Sear, the President of the local sub branch of the R.S.L., introduced the Honourable Mr John Lindsay, M.L.A., Minister for Works, and requested him to unveil the marble Memorial Tablet which bore an inscription explaining that the name Honor Avenue had been given to the street leading past the Town Hall in honour of those who enlisted from the Wyalkatchem Road District.

The tablet was purchased and erected by the Wyalkatchem sub branch of the R.S.L.
Courtesy of Chris Abbott