FROM THE ARCHIVES Our war memorials dedicated 100 years ago On Thursday 11 May 1922, in a ‘unique and impressive ceremony’, the Governor-General, Lord Forster, unveiled three memorials honouring Newingtonians who served and died in the First World War. An account of the event appeared in the August 1922 issue of The Newingtonian. Two of the memorials will be familiar to A Roll of Honour listing Newingtonians anyone who has visited the Stanmore on active service, and a growing list of campus, but the third is long gone. those who had died, had been published in each issue of The Newingtonian Newington’s first WWI memorials were during the war. The ONU sought further brass plaques erected during the war in names to make the Roll for the Vestibule what is now the Prescott Hall, in memory as complete as possible, resulting in of individual Newingtonians who had died. 611 names, including 104 identified as The tablets now line the walkway on the ‘Fallen’, at the time of its dedication. Most south side of the Chapel. were past students, but the Roll included staff and ‘Divinity Students’ — men who The war had barely ended when, on 22 had trained as Methodist ministers at November 1918, a luncheon was held Newington — and even some names that at Farmers Restaurant ‘to inaugurate remain a mystery. Despite the ONU’s a memorial fund in honour of Old efforts, a further 27 names had to be Anzac Day 1932. David Hughes, Senior Prefect, Newingtonians who enlisted for King and added in the following decades, while we is second from left. Donated by Dr Keith Hughes Empire, 1914–1918’. This was followed by (ON 1960). further fundraising efforts by the College have evidence of WWI service by another and the Old Newingtonians’ Union (ONU). 13 Newingtonians whose names are not on the Roll. The third memorial dedicated that day was By August 1921, it was reported that an a German heavy machine gun captured Construction of the other remaining by Australian troops in 1918, one of Honour Roll in the Vestibule of what is memorial, the Memorial to the Dead many such ‘war trophies’ distributed to now the Founders Building was almost 1914–1918, had been delayed by municipalities and schools across the completed. Comprising 18 marble panels difficulty in obtaining stone for its country after the war. Initially installed set in polished Queensland maple, along foundation. By the end of 1921, it too near the flagpole and, later, on a dais in with side doors of maple and stained was almost completed. Designed by the Vestibule, the gun disappeared some glass, the space had ‘now almost the architect and artist William Hardy Wilson time later and was never recovered. Its appearance of a small chapel’. At this (ON 1898), the memorial’s beauty and story is told in more detail online at: stage though, the names had still to be the ‘severe simplicity of its style’ were newsletter.newington.nsw.edu.au/ painted on the panels. inspiring. Viewing it on completion, the blackandwhite/article/mystery-of-the- poet Leslie Holdsworth Allen (ON 1899) machine-gun-memorial/ was moved to write the meditative ‘To Our Beloved Dead’ (see following page). The Memorial to the Dead, which now The prominent Sydney photographer and honours Newingtonians who have WWI veteran Cecil Bostock captured the died in all Australia’s armed conflicts, memorial in a photograph appearing has been the focal point of our Anzac in the December 1922 issue ofThe commemorations — including the Cadet Newingtonian and made available for Catafalque Party ceremony and the laying purchase. It was also photographed of wreaths — every year since 1923. The by Bostock’s famous protégé, Harold WWI Honour Roll played a special part in Cazneaux. On the sundial in the centre the Centenary of Anzac commemorations of the memorial are inscribed the words in 2015. In their prominent locations, both ‘Time dims not their sacrifice’. are daily reminders to all who pass by of the service and sacrifice of Newingtonians This and later photographs show the more than a century ago. lush grove in which the memorial was The Founders Vestibule with the Honour Roll, constructed. This remained its home until Mr David Roberts c.1960. The staircase in the background was 1962, when it was moved further north to College Archivist moved in 1985. make room for the Centenary Hall. 46 | Curiosity |News Autumn 2022 | Alumni, Community and Development