The names of 18 Griffith World War I heroes will be added to the Griffith Cenotaph within the next 12 to 18 months.
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The news comes as Griffith prepares to commemorate the 99th Remembrance Day on Saturday November 11, which marks the day guns fell silent and World War I officially ended in 1918.
A Remembrance Day ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park from 10.50am on Saturday.
Terry Walsh, president of the Griffith RSL sub-branch, is pleased that the research is now complete to include the additional names on the Cenotaph.
“The 18 World War I soldiers have been verified as having lived in the Griffith Local Government Area at the time they were enlisted,” Mr Walsh said.
“The names of these soldiers have not been recorded anywhere else”.
Mr Walsh also informed The Area News of plans to re-paint the Cenotaph, which will take place between Christmas and New Years.
Remembrance Day marks the moment the armistice came into effect – an agreement among Germany and the Allied Powers of France, Great Britan and the USA to end the first First World War.
More than 416,000 Australians volunteers served in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and around 61,000 never returned.
Mr Walsh also said a sufficient supply of poppies has been provided for the Griffith service, and they will be handed out for free on Saturday.
New South Wales RSL president James Brown has announced the RSL will not sell poppies on Remembrance Day, due to an ongoing inquiry into charitable fundraising.
The organisation suspended fundraising earlier this year, ahead of the inquiry that heard evidence publicly raised money was misused.
Mr Walsh believes the NSW RSL has taken an appropriate course of action given the controversy.
“Everything James Brown has done has made sense”.
The wearing of poppies on Remembrance Day is to honour the war dead.
Poppy flowers were the only sign of life on devestated battlefields.
In Hay, there will be a 100 years commemoration of the Charge of Beersheba.
The day commences with an RSL Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Cenotaph - (library complex) followed by a street parade along Lachlan, Moppett and Pine Streets, finishing at the corner of Morgan and Pine St where the memorial will be officially unveiled by Air Vice-Marshall Warren McDonald.
Luncheon will be held at the Hay Services Club from 1pm to 2pm.
Oliver Jacques
Moved to Griffith as a refugee from Sydney traffic and housing prices. Previously freelanced for The Guardian, ABC, SBS and Daily Telegraph. Email story ideas to oliver.jacques@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Moved to Griffith as a refugee from Sydney traffic and housing prices. Previously freelanced for The Guardian, ABC, SBS and Daily Telegraph. Email story ideas to oliver.jacques@fairfaxmedia.com.au
