Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Haroldean Cummings

John came from a large family of eleven children, where he was the third child but first son. His family were originally from South Australia, his father, also called John was from the picturesque Penwortham in the Clare Valley and his mother Lily (nee Marshal) from Port Augusta. His parents were married at what was then called Petersburg, now Peterborough in 1897. John Snr was originally a blacksmith and farmer who was also part of the early, heady gold rush days which included the Barossa and Ulooloo. This spirit of adventure saw him heading for Western Australia in 1902 with his then three children and young John being just 10 months old. John senior became a pioneer in the area and the first farmer in Western Australia to open up land in the Goomalling area, importing with him the first wheat varieties from South Australia.

The growing group of siblings also were pioneers at the local Walyourmouring (Oak Park) school where at the end of the first year the Cummings girls, Lily, Alice, Eva and Ivy presenting songs and recitations and John also delivering a recitation.
1927 By the time John Haroldean was 27, his intrepid father was making headlines with a trip across the Nullarbor to Adelaide, to visit relatives then back again to Goomalling in a Studebaker averaging 22 miles to the gallon! Sadly, nine years later in 1936 this adventurous father died of pneumonia, aged 69. By this time John was an active participant in the local community, involved in a range of activities including as Vice Chairman of the Goomalling Cemetery Trust and in the sporting field on the tennis committee.

John enlisted in 1942 and his mother, Lily saw her son return from active service in WWII but she died in August 1949. John continued to be an active and successful member of the local Rifle Club where he donated a Captain’s Trophy in 1951 and also held the position of Captain as well as being very willing worker for the club. This sport became his passion as witnessed by his winning the Henry Haywood Coronation Trophy in 1953 with John scoring 203.99 out of a possible 210 points. Additionally, he also won the club spoon shoot, a performance which he had never previously equalled.

Four days after his 54th birthday, John died on the 9th September, 1955, just six years after his mother.
John Haroldean Cumming’s contributions to the community and in particular the local rifle community continues to be honoured through a perpetual John Cummings Memorial Shield which was donated by the Goomalling Rifle Club. This perpetuates the memory of John as a foundation member, one of a small band of enthusiasts who worked hard to establish the Goomalling Range and was respected as being mainly responsible for the revival of the club after the war. The winning team holds the shield for 12 months and each member of the team receives a trophy.

Tribute submitted by Kaye Lee, grand-daughter of Stan and Blanche Cummings