Australia’s involvement in World War One began on 4 August 1914. Many who joined up believed that the war would be a great adventure, but none could have imagined the scale of the endeavour on which they were about to embark. Sadly, many of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, medical support staff and nurses didn’t make it home. Their courage, sacrifice, hardship and losses brought a new maturity to our nation. In the face of atrocity and adversary, this publication recounts some of the survival stories of the men who enlisted and ultimately returned home.
The impact of World War One on Australia’s economy was significant. At that time, the majority of exports from Australia were wool, wheat and minerals. Exporters were deprived of shipping services and they found it difficult to receive payments for their goods.
For Australia, the World War One remains the costliest conflict in terms of deaths and casualties. From a population of fewer than five million, 416,809 men enlisted, of whom more than 60,000 were killed and 156,000 were wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. Another 6000 veterans died by the 1930s due to war related injuries and suicide.
The First World War and those involved with the conflict are often remembered through a variety of monuments ranging from statues to plaques. Honour rolls are a common example of such commemorative. These rolls are distinguished by their form, as they are mostly wooden, stone or bronze and feature a list of names underneath a crest. Honour rolls; commemorate specific individuals who belonged to a particular organisation. These include employees of a company, students at a school, members of a club or in the case of local council honour rolls, councillors and even mayors who participated in the conflict.
Please read the book by clicking in the link: 1914 – 1919 Roll of Honor.
Neera Sahni, Research Services Leader, City of Parramatta, Parramatta Heritage Centre, 2019