Murrurundi War Memorial Gate Storybook
Vivian Ernald Baker
ww1 · Private, 55th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Labourer · Born: Blandford, NSW, 10 December 1893 · Service No: 3247 · 20 July 1916 · Fromelles, France
Vivian enlisted at Newcastle in August 1915 and was killed in action at Fromelles on 20 July 1916 - part of one of the bloodiest single nights in Australian military history, when the 5th Division suffered more than 5,500 casualties in under 24 hours. He was 22 years old, and has no known grave; he is commemorated at V.C. Corner, Fromelles.
He is also honoured individually, with his own portrait certificate, in the Murrurundi ANZACs Storybook.
John Henry Barnes
ww1 · Sergeant, 14th Machine Gun Company, AIF · Teacher · Born: Grafton, NSW, 21 February 1895 · Service No: 3213 · 7 December 1920 · Wentworth Falls, NSW
John enlisted at Sydney in November 1915 and served with the 14th Machine Gun Company. He survived the fighting overseas but died at Wentworth Falls, NSW, on 7 December 1920, aged 25 - one of the many servicemen whose deaths in the years just after the war were still counted among its cost. He is buried at Wentworth Falls General Cemetery.
Charles Baskett
ww1 · Driver, Camel Corps, AIF · Farmer · Born: Wetheringsett, Suffolk, England, 1876 · Service No: 2182 · 13 October 1918 · Syria
Charles was born in Suffolk, England, in 1876 and had settled at Willow Tree, near Murrurundi, as a farmer before enlisting at Tamworth in December 1916. Serving as a Driver with the Camel Corps in the Middle East campaign, he died of illness - dysentery - in Syria on 13 October 1918, just weeks before the war's end. He is buried at Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery.
James Robert Blakey
ww1 · Private, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Bullock driver · Born: Burnley, Lancashire, England, 1892 · Service No: 228 · 2 May 1915 · Alexandria, Egypt
James was born in Burnley, Lancashire, and made his home on Mayne Street, Murrurundi, working as a bullock driver. He enlisted within weeks of the war breaking out, in September 1914, and was one of the earliest Murrurundi men into action - wounded by gunshot to the chest, he died at the 15th General Hospital in Alexandria on 2 May 1915, only days after the Gallipoli landing. He is buried at Chatby Military Cemetery, Alexandria.
Arthur Donald Boyd
ww1 · Private, 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Labourer · Born: Mudgee, NSW, 1882 · Service No: 709 · 7 July 1918 · France
Arthur was born at Mudgee in 1882 and later lived at Moree, where he is also remembered on local honour rolls. He died of wounds in France on 7 July 1918 and is buried at Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery.
George Septimus Brookes
ww1 · Private, 13th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 3019 · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
George served as a Private with the 13th Battalion. Beyond his service number and unit, his full record hasn't yet been traced - his surname is inscribed "Brookes" on the gate itself, though some AWM indexes record it as "Brooks". If you know more about George's story, the Murrurundi Historical Society would love to hear from you.
George Bunn
ww1 · Corporal, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Railway cleaner · Born: London, England, 9 December 1889 · Service No: 216 · 6–9 August 1915 (missing in action) · Lone Pine, Gallipoli
George came to Murrurundi as a cleaner at the Locomotive Depot in December 1913, and was made a permanent railway employee just months before the war began. He enlisted within a fortnight of the declaration of war in August 1914, and was promoted to Corporal at Gallipoli in early May 1915 - a promotion that, fittingly for a railwayman, sparked a dispute with the Railways over his pay.
He went missing during the ferocious fighting around Lone Pine and The Nek between 6 and 9 August 1915; his body was never found, and he wasn't formally ruled killed in action until a Court of Enquiry in France, eight months later. He is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli.
Frank Terence Bush
ww1 · Gunner, 4th Divisional Ammunition Column, AIF · Farm labourer · Born: Gunning, NSW, 1898 · Service No: 2158 · 1 January 1917 · France
Frank grew up at Mount Pleasant, near Murrurundi, working as a farm labourer before he enlisted at Newcastle in September 1915. He died of illness in France on New Year's Day 1917 and is buried at Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery, where his headstone reads: "Sacred to the memory of our dear son safe in the arms of Jesus."
S. Chapman
ww1 · Possibly Sergeant Wesley J.L. Chapman, service no. 35595, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 35595 (unconfirmed) · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records only "Chapman S." The closest match found on the wider Murrurundi & Warrah Shire honour roll is a Sergeant Wesley J.L. Chapman - though the initials don't quite align, so this identification isn't certain. Further local research may confirm or correct it.
D.G. Clarke
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Clarke D.G." among the men of Murrurundi who served in the First World War. No matching service record has yet been found - if you can help identify him, please get in touch with the Murrurundi Historical Society.
Vincent Thomas Clifford
ww1 · Private, 15th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Labourer · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 1896 · Service No: 2125 · 22 August 1915 · Alexandria, Egypt
Vincent was born at Murrurundi in 1896 and lived at Blandford before he enlisted in March 1915. He died of wounds in Egypt on 22 August 1915, less than four months after the Gallipoli landing, and is buried at Chatby Military Cemetery, Alexandria.
Frank Robert Cooper
ww1 · Private, AIF · Railway fuelman · Born: near Murrurundi, NSW, 12 December 1888 · Service No: 2548 · 6 June 1917 · France (died of wounds)
Frank was born near Murrurundi and worked as a fuelman at the Locomotive Depot from March 1914, before transferring to Hamilton. He joined the AIF in September 1916. On 4 June 1917 he was hit by shell fire that fractured both his thighs; his wounds were too severe to operate on, and he died two days later at the 54th Casualty Clearing Station.
John Laurence Costello
ww1 · Private, 30th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Teacher · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 2304 · 4 September 1916 · France
John was a schoolteacher before he enlisted, and is remembered on the Parramatta Public School Teachers' honour roll as well as at Murrurundi, Quirindi, Scone and Willow Tree. He was killed in action in France on 4 September 1916 and has no known grave.
T. Doyle
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Doyle T." among Murrurundi's First World War servicemen, matching a "T Doyle" on the wider Murrurundi & Warrah Shire honour roll - though no further service details have yet come to light.
Albert James Hibbs Edmonds
ww1 · Private, 35th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Labourer · Born: Timor, NSW, 1895 · Service No: 2179 · 29 July 1917 · Belgium
Albert was the son of James H. and Sophia J. Edmonds of Timor, near Blandford. He enlisted at Maitland in May 1916 and was killed in action in Belgium on 29 July 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres. He is buried at Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Flanders.
K. Eipper
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Eipper K.", matching a "K Eipper" on the wider district honour roll - no further service details have yet been traced.
Edward Fanning
ww1 · Private, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Railway fireman · Born: Newcastle, NSW, 1890 · Service No: 65 · 5 November 1916 (missing in action) · France
Raised by a foster mother from the age of 11, Edward left school at 15 and joined the NSW Government Railways as an engine cleaner at Hamilton in 1908, becoming a fireman in 1911. His postings took him to Murrurundi, back to Hamilton, then to Muswellbrook and Murrurundi again before he enlisted at Armidale in November 1915.
He reached France in September 1916 and joined the 1st Battalion on 1 October - just five weeks before he went missing on 5 November 1916, later ruled killed in action. His grave was lost after the war; he is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
George Norton Field
ww1 · Private, 54th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 4208 · 13 September 1916 · France
George was killed in action in France on 13 September 1916 and is buried at Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier.
Henry Crawford Gault
ww1 · Private, 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW · Service No: 2608 · 23 June 1916 · France
Henry called Murrurundi home before he enlisted. He was killed in action in France on 23 June 1916 and is buried at Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier.
George Victor Goodwin
ww1 · Private, AIF · Railway clerk · Born: Sydney, NSW, 1890 · Service No: 1745 · 7–12 August 1915 · Gallipoli
George was educated at Ryde Superior Public School and joined the NSW Government Railways as a telephone boy in 1905, working his way up through junior porter and clerk postings at Grafton and Quirindi before joining the District Superintendent's Office at Murrurundi in 1913. He enlisted at Liverpool in January 1915.
He was killed in action at Gallipoli between 7 and 12 August 1915. When word reached Murrurundi, the town's shops flew their flags at half-mast, and a memorial service packed the Methodist Church despite a dark, wet night.
James Frederick Harvey
ww1 · Private, 14th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Clerk · Born: Tamworth, NSW, 4 July 1892 · Service No: 7021 · 8 August 1918 · France
James was educated at Murrurundi and worked as a clerk before enlisting in June 1916. He was killed in action in France on 8 August 1918, aged 26, and is buried at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery.
Samuel Vincent Heffernan
ww1 · Private, 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW · Service No: 2072 · 29 June 1917 · Belgium
Samuel called Murrurundi home before he enlisted. He was killed in action in Belgium on 29 June 1917 and is buried at Ration Farm (la Plus Douve) Annexe.
Reginald Augustus Holt
ww1 · Gunner, 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, AIF · Carpenter · Born: Murrurundi, NSW · Service No: 10170 · 23 July 1917 · Belgium
Reginald was a carpenter from Murrurundi who enlisted in August 1915 and served as a Gunner with the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, keeping the guns firing in support of the infantry. He was killed in Belgium on 23 July 1917 and is buried at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery.
He is also honoured individually in the Murrurundi ANZACs Storybook.
Robert Thomas Hull, MM
ww1 · Lance Corporal, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, AIF · Farmer · Born: Dubbo, NSW, 8 April 1891 · Service No: 1152 · 11 August 1918 · near Framerville-Rainecourt, France
Robert lost his mother when he was two years old. He enlisted in January 1916 and reached France with the 33rd Battalion late that year. On the night of 26–29 May 1917, during a raid at St Yves, he led a bayonet charge and then bayoneted a German soldier who was about to attack his officer, Lieutenant Campbell, after Campbell had lost his revolver - saving the lieutenant's life. For this he was awarded the Military Medal.
Wounded by shrapnel at Ypres later that year, he recovered in England before returning to France in July 1918, now with the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. He was killed by a machine gun bullet near Framerville-Rainecourt on 11 August 1918, aged 27, and has no known grave; he is remembered at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. His brother, Private Henry George Hull, had died of illness in France about eighteen months earlier.
W. Hunt
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Hunt W.", matching a "W Hunt" on the wider district honour roll - no further service details have yet come to light.
Valentine Frederick Idstein
ww1 · Private, 35th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Dairyman · Born: Blandford, NSW, 20 March 1887 · Service No: 2173 · 29 May 1917 · Messines, Belgium
Valentine was a dairyman from Blandford who enlisted at Broadmeadow in May 1916. He was killed by a shell blast at Messines on 29 May 1917, aged 30, and is buried at Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert.
J.A. Irwin
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Irwin J.A.", matching a "JA Irwin" on the wider district honour roll - no further service details have yet been traced.
G.J. Kiernan
ww1 · Private, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 2359 · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
Private G.J. Kiernan is recorded on the wider Murrurundi & Warrah Shire Roll of Honour with this service number - further details of his service haven't yet come to light.
John Alexander Knox
ww1 · Lance Corporal, 19th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Railway engineman · Born: Tamworth, NSW, 5 September 1893 · Service No: 2165 · 3 May 1917 (missing in action) · Bullecourt, France
John worked his way up as a railway engineman - cleaner at the Murrurundi Locomotive Depot from April 1912, then Hamilton and Werris Creek. He enlisted at Liverpool in July 1915, was hospitalised twice in Egypt with illness, and finally rejoined his battalion at the end of March 1917, making Lance Corporal within a month.
He was reported missing at Bullecourt on 3 May 1917 - a fellow railwayman, Harold Bindoff, gave an account of his fate to the Red Cross - and was ruled killed in action seven months later. He has no known grave and is remembered at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
Joseph Meek, DCM
ww1 · Company Sergeant-Major, 13th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Railway driver · Born: West Maitland, NSW, 24 August 1889 · Service No: 3085 · 17 August 1918 · near Harbonnieres, France
Joseph joined the NSW Government Railways as a shop boy at the Murrurundi Locomotive Depot in 1906, working up through cleaner, fireman and driver postings at Taree, Murrurundi and Werris Creek. He enlisted at Liverpool in July 1915 and was wounded in February 1917 - a bullet passed through his neck and out his mouth, and he narrowly survived. Back in France by September 1917, he rose to Company Sergeant-Major and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in July 1918 for "conspicuous gallantry" in holding his company together after most of its officers became casualties.
A month later, on 17 August 1918, he was buried alive when a high-explosive shell burst on his dugout near Harbonnieres. He was buried on the spot by the chaplain and later reinterred at Heath Cemetery.
A.J. Mills
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Mills A.J.", matching an "AJ Mills" on the wider district honour roll - no further service details have yet come to light.
John Nicol
ww1 · Sergeant, 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW · Service No: 2654 · 4 October 1917 · Belgium
John called Murrurundi home before he enlisted. He was killed in action in Belgium on 4 October 1917 and has no known grave; he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Dennis O'Neill
ww1 · Private, 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 1464 · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
Private Dennis O'Neill served with the 33rd Battalion - further details of his service haven't yet been traced.
Thomas Alwyn McDonald Page
ww1 · Bugler, 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Railway clerk · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 11 August 1894 · Service No: 542 · 18 August 1915 · Mudros, Greece
"Alwyn" was a gatekeeper for the NSW Railways at Murrurundi from 1911, and a junior clerk in the District Superintendent's Office by mid-1912. Already serving in the militia, he enlisted at Randwick on 1 September 1914 and embarked on HMAT Euripides that October as a Bugler with the 3rd Battalion - one of three Page brothers who joined up.
He landed at Gallipoli and was hit in the head and shoulder by shrapnel while serving with the machine gun section on 8 August 1915, at Lone Pine. He was able to walk to the dressing station, and his brother, Private Clarence Page, wrote home that he was "doing splendidly" - but Alwyn died of his wounds ten days later at the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital, Mudros, aged 21. He was fondly remembered locally: "his bright face and cheery manner won him many friends." He is buried at Portianos Military Cemetery, and also remembered on the Tamworth ANZAC Park Memorial Gates.
Ralph Pendleton
ww1 · Private, 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Quirindi, NSW · Service No: 3209 · 1 March 1918 · Belgium
Ralph was born at Quirindi and was killed in action in Belgium on 1 March 1918. He is buried at Somer Farm Cemetery.
Francis Richard Rawson
ww1 · Private, 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Willow Tree, NSW · Service No: 4276 · 13 September 1916 · Belgium (died of wounds)
Francis, of Willow Tree, died of wounds in Belgium on 13 September 1916 and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
B. Sheppherd
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Sheppherd B." among Murrurundi's First World War servicemen. No matching service record has yet been found - if you can help identify him, please get in touch with the Murrurundi Historical Society.
A. Singleton
ww1 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Singleton A." among Murrurundi's First World War servicemen. No matching service record has yet been found - if you can help identify him, please get in touch with the Murrurundi Historical Society.
Joseph Surtees Sowerby
ww1 · Private, 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Willow Tree, NSW · Service No: 7070 · 24 June 1918 · France (died of wounds)
Joseph, of Willow Tree, died of wounds in France on 24 June 1918 and is buried at Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery.
Robert Thorpe
ww1 · Private, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 978 · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
Private Robert Thorpe is recorded on the wider Murrurundi & Warrah Shire Roll of Honour with this service number - further details of his service haven't yet come to light.
Edwin Herbert Watson
ww1 · Private, 35th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW · Service No: 2178 · 12 October 1917 · Belgium
Edwin called Murrurundi home before he enlisted. He was killed in action in Belgium on 12 October 1917 and has no known grave; he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
He is also honoured individually in the Murrurundi ANZACs Storybook.
J. Whitmore
ww1 · Private, AIF · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: 6121 · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
Private J. Whitmore is recorded on the wider Murrurundi & Warrah Shire Roll of Honour with this service number - further details of his service haven't yet come to light.
John Hardwell Wilkins
ww1 · Private, 16th–27th Reinforcements, AIF · Wharf labourer · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 17 December 1891 · Service No: 66080 · Survived — d. 29 April 1930 · Balmain South, NSW
John survived the war and returned home, working as a wharf labourer. He died at Balmain South on 29 April 1930, aged 38, and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery - a reminder that not every name on a Roll of Honour marks a wartime death; some record lives cut short by the war's long shadow in the years that followed.
John Francis Godfrey Alford
ww2 · Private, 2nd/15th Field Regiment, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 26 June 1919 · Service No: NX45906 · 23 January 1942 (presumed) · Malaya
John was born at Murrurundi in 1919 and enlisted in June 1940. He died, presumed killed, in Malaya on 23 January 1942, aged 22, during the disastrous early weeks of the Pacific War, and has no known grave; he is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial and the Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial, Ballarat.
Jack Abbott Eley
ww2 · Lieutenant, 2nd/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment, AIF · Born: Sydney, NSW, 23 October 1921 · Service No: NX49281 · 4 May 1945 · Tarakan, Borneo
Jack enlisted in October 1941 and served as a commando officer with the 2nd/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment. He was killed in action at Tarakan, Borneo, on 4 May 1945, aged 23, in one of the closing campaigns of the Pacific War. He is buried at Labuan War Cemetery and also remembered on the Australian Commando Memorial at Rocky Creek.
Francis William Flanagan
ww2 · Lance Corporal, 2nd/30th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 16 March 1908 · Service No: NX45759 · 28 September 1943 · Thailand
Francis was born at Murrurundi and enlisted in June 1940. His battalion, the 2nd/30th, was among those captured at the fall of Singapore, and he died of illness in Thailand on 28 September 1943, aged 35 - almost certainly while forced to labour on the Thailand–Burma Railway. He is also remembered on the Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial, Ballarat.
Caryle Benjamin Jones
ww2 · Sergeant, 2nd/15th Field Regiment, AIF · Born: NSW, 25 April 1914 · Service No: NX45920 · 22 March 1942 · Djambi Camp, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies
Caryle enlisted in June 1940, in the same unit as fellow Murrurundi man John Alford. Taken prisoner after the fall of Singapore, he was executed as a prisoner of war at Djambi Camp, Sumatra, on 22 March 1942, aged 27. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial and the Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial, Ballarat.
Wallace Martin, DFC
ww2 · Flight Lieutenant, No. 21 Squadron RAF (RAAF) · Born: Scone, NSW, 17 September 1919 · Service No: 402450 · 6 December 1942 · near Eindhoven, Netherlands
Wallace, of Murrurundi, enlisted in August 1940 and flew with No. 21 Squadron RAF as part of RAF Bomber Command, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. His Ventura bomber, AE940, was lost in a flying battle near Eindhoven on 6 December 1942; the whole crew - Sergeants Gregory and Milton and Flight Lieutenant Smith, all RAF - were killed alongside him. He was 23. He is buried at Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery and remembered on the International Bomber Command Centre Memorial.
Sidney Frederick Moore
ww2 · Private, AIF · Born: Huddersfield, England, 6 November 1905 · Service No: NX59851 · 15 February 1942 (presumed) · Malaya
Sidney was born in Huddersfield, England, and enlisted in September 1940. He died, presumed killed, in Malaya on 15 February 1942 - the day Singapore fell - aged 36, and has no known grave; he is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.
Clarence Joseph Murphy
ww2 · Private, Australian Army Medical Corps, AIF · Freezing Works labourer · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 24 November 1920 · Service No: NX128395 · 11 May 1945 · Morotai Island, Netherlands East Indies
Clarence worked at the Murrurundi Freezing Works before enlisting in October 1942, serving with the Australian Army Medical Corps. He died of illness on Morotai Island on 11 May 1945, aged 24, in the closing months of the war, and is buried at Ambon War Cemetery. His headstone reads: "Ever remembered by your loving mother and sister Nell… R.I.P."
Roger Bede Murphy
ww2 · Sergeant, RAAF, Bomber Command · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 9 September 1914 · Service No: 403143 · 3 January 1942 · United Kingdom
Roger enlisted in December 1940 and served with the RAAF as part of Bomber Command in Britain. He died accidentally in the United Kingdom on 3 January 1942, aged 27, and is buried at Pershore Cemetery, Worcestershire, and remembered on the International Bomber Command Centre Memorial.
Duncan Forbes Niven
ww2 · Corporal, Motor Transport Company, AIF · Born: Edinburgh, Scotland, 7 June 1905 · Service No: NX70072 · 2 February 1944 · Thailand
Duncan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and enlisted in March 1941. He died of illness in Thailand on 2 February 1944, aged 38 - another Australian who died forced to labour on the Thailand–Burma Railway. He is buried at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, and also remembered on the Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial, Ballarat.
Ronald Leo Schuemaker
ww2 · Private, 2nd/13th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF · Labourer · Born: Blandford, NSW, 27 August 1912 · Service No: NX24475 · 31 October 1943 · New Guinea
Ronald, of Blandford, enlisted in May 1940 and was killed in action in New Guinea on 31 October 1943, aged 31. He is buried at Lae War Cemetery, where his inscription reads: "His duty fearlessly and nobly done, ever remembered." (His name is recorded as "Shuemaker" in some Australian War Memorial records, and "Schuemaker" on the Memorial Gate itself.)
J. Thompson
ww2 · Not yet identified · Born: Not yet identified · Service No: Not yet identified · Not yet identified · Not yet identified
The gate records "Thompson J." among Murrurundi's Second World War servicemen. No matching service record has yet been found - if you can help identify him, please get in touch with the Murrurundi Historical Society.
Robert John Hodson
korea · Private, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) · Born: Murrurundi, NSW, 11 March 1932 · Service No: 24603 · 28 February 1952 · Korea
Robert was born at Murrurundi in 1932 and later lived at Long Jetty. He was killed in action in Korea on 28 February 1952, aged just 19, and is buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Busan.
He is honoured on the Memorial Gate's later plaque for Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam and the Gulf - conflicts that, unlike the two World Wars, don't yet have every individual name inscribed in stone at Murrurundi. A dedicated certificate design for these more recent conflicts hasn't been created yet, so Robert's page here doesn't carry a certificate image the way the others do - but his story deserves to be told all the same.
