Coorparoo Methodist Church WW1 Roll of Honour

Details

Location Coorparoo Methodist Church (Now Faithworks Uniting Church), 260 Cavendish Road, Coorparoo, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia
Type honour_roll
Description

The Coorparoo Methodist Church Roll of Honour

By 1918 when the armistice to end World War 1 was declared, almost every community in Australia had been touched in some way. Over 60,000 young men had been lost across the other side of the world and would not be coming home. What was particularly difficult for Australian families was the fact that their loved ones were buried in a foreign land, in places they had never heard of, with very little prospect of ever having the opportunity to visit those graves. Also a large number of the dead had no known grave at all. In an effort to make sense of this sacrifice, communities resolved to create lasting memorials at home to commemorate the men and women who answered the call and would never return.

It is perhaps in this climate that the Coorparoo Methodist congregation resolved to create its own Roll of Honour. Few documents remain that give any insight into the creation of the Roll of Honour and therefore much of what follows is conjecture.

It is fairly evident that the prominent architect Henry Atkinson had a significant influence on the creation of the Roll of Honour, as both his son, James Atkinson and an employee, Bert Hodge are listed there, although surprisingly his son in law, Reg Verry (Reginald Herbert Verry, Lieutenant 49th Battalion) is absent. It is also possible that John Thomson, father of Lt. Fred Thomson, and a prominent figure in the Coorparoo Shire may have been involved. It is likely that the Roll of Honour was conceived when the Rev Albert Fox was minister at the church, as his son Owen is also listed. John Kidston, a trustee of the Church and son of a former premier of Queensland may also have been on the committee.

There is a possible connection between the Church and the Independent Order of Rechabites, both of which promoted abstinence from alcohol and it is likely that prominent people in the congregation were also members of that Lodge.

The Coorparoo Methodist Roll of Honour has been for some time located in the Church Hall. The plaque dedicates “This kindergarten room…..to the memory of the boys from this church and Sunday school who laid down their lives in the Great War.”

Courtesy of Ian Lang

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Built Not yet discovered
Opened 1 October 1922
Inscription

1914 1919
FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR

THIS KINDERGARTEN ROOM IS DEDICATED
To the Memory of
THEY BOYS FROM THIS CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL
WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN
THE GRAT WAR

(Names)

COORPAROO 1ST OCT 1922

Condition

To be confirmed

Names

Showing 8 people of interest from memorial

GROOM, Frederick George

Service number 144
Private
15th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 1884

MCCORKINDALE, Archibald James

Service number 2653
Lance Corporal
9th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 16 Dec 1886

AULT, Horace Alfred

Service number 799
Private
41st Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 12 Apr 1891

FRANCEY, Samuel

Service number 9544
Sapper
11th Field Company Engineers
AIF WW1
Born 26 Oct 1893

WALKER, Arthur Plenderleith

Service number 1260
Gunner
11th Field Artillery Brigade
AIF WW1
Born 29 Jun 1893

HALSTEAD, Albert Edward

Service number OFFICER
Captain
42nd Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 4 Aug 1887

KEAST, Victor Albert

Service number 1704
Driver
3rd Field Artillery Brigade
AIF WW1
Born 7 Aug 1894

ATKINSON, James Victor

Service number 182
Captain
49th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 3 Dec 1894

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