We sometimes think of war memorials as edifices erected after a conflict, to honour the fallen. The Lambton Park Memorial Gates indicate a wider purpose, as evidenced in the name of the group who erected the gates – the Send-off and Welcome Home Committee.

The Great War had been fought for little over a year, when Henry Burg and Thomas Pease called a public meeting in September 1915, to form a committee to provide a “send-off to our boys for the front” and to welcome home wounded and invalided soldiers. The group resolved to present each enlisting soldier with an inscribed wallet on his departure, and a gold medal on his return.

At a farewell function in January 1917, Mayor Edward Charlton announced plans to “erect gates, as a Roll of Honour at the park.” With an estimated cost of £250, fundraising efforts ramped up. Dances, concerts, euchre parties, and sports days were held, mostly organised by the ladies on the committee, led by Mary Ott and Vera Darling. Plans for the gates progressed when Newcastle architect Eric G Yeomans agreed to be the honorary architect.

On 19 October 1918, a large crowd gathered in Lambton Park for the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone. Mr J Estell MP addressed the crowd, then placed into a bottle a parchment with the names of 39 members of the committee, “together with a copy of the Newcastle Morning Herald from August 1914, containing the proclamation of the war, and a number of old coins.” The bottle was sealed and placed into the cement foundation, over which the stone was laid. The Mayor then presented Mr Estell with an engraved gilt trowel.

The war ended just three weeks later. The gate pillars could now be engraved with a closing year, alongside the names of 140 soldiers from the district. Thanks to the efforts of the Lambton citizens, one hundred years on, we will remember them.

Items presented to soldiers

Wallet

Medal

Names on the gates

There are 140 names inscribed on the four gate pillars. Soldiers who died in service are marked with an asterisk.  By using the resources of the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives of Australia I have been able to identify almost all the men and create a spreadsheet with relevant information on each soldier, including links to Honour Rolls, embarkation rolls, and service records.

In the process of compiling the spreadsheet I discovered a surprising number of errors in the gate inscriptions. There are over 30 errors such as

• Mis-spelled surnames
• Initials incorrect, or in the wrong order
• Incorrect enlistment year
• Incorrect rank
• There are five men who were killed in action, who do not have their names marked with an asterisk
  • Daniel Edward Docwra
  • David Douglas
  • Charles Henry Nichols
  • Albert Richard Warring
  • Thomas William Wilson

The table below lists the 140 names on the gates. The first column shows the name exactly as it is inscribed on the gate pillars, and the second column shows the full correct name where it is known from their service records.

---

Inscribed Name	Full Name
Adamson D. * Pte	Adamson, Randolph
Allinson W * Pte	Allison, William Lowrie
Allsop V.J. Cpl *	Allsop, Vincent James
Amour E.J. Spr	Amour, Ernest Joseph
Amour J.V.	Amour, John Vaughan
Atkinson A.G. Pte	?
Atkinson P.G. Pte	Atkinson, Pearson Granger
Avery B.	Avery, Bertie
Baird J.B.	Baird, John Percy
Banfield G.H * Pte	Banfield, George Henry
Barrie A. * Pte	Barrie, Arthur
Barrie W.P. * Pte	Barrie, William Picken
Bartholomew L.C.	Bartholomew, Lewis Charles
Blinkhorne C.	Blinkhorne, Cecil James
Boulden R. * Pte	Boulden, Richard Nelson
Bowman R.	?
Box F	Box, Frederick Samuel
Broadhead L. Sergt	Broadhead, Leslie
Bunn G.	Bunn, George Alfred
Bunn J.	Bunn, John William
Burrowes G.	Burrows, Robert Gilbert
Butler A. Cpl	Butler, Arthur
Cameron J.C.	Cameron, Joseph Charles
Chadwick J.	Chadwick, John George
Charlton A.J. Sergt *	Charlton, Alfred John
Charlton P. Major	Charlton, Percy
Cox R.	Cox, Robert Wilton
Crooks T.	Crooks, Thomas Ray
Curtis J.	Curtis, John
Curtis S.	Curtis, Stanley
Davies C.	Davies, Cecil Frank
Davies G.	Davies, George
Davies G. Pte	Davies, George Stanley
Docwra D.E. Sgt. Major	Docwra, Daniel Edward A
Doonan F.M. * Pte	Doonan, Francis Michael
Douglas D.	Douglas, David
Easton J.W. Cpl	?
Easton W.J. Spr	Easton, William James
Elliott F. Engr	Elliott, Fred
England F.	England, Frederick
Evans G.A.	Evans, Arthur George
Farell K.A	Farrell, Kenneth Archibald
Fellowes G.H.	Fellows, George Hunter
Fitzpatrick A	Fitzpatrick, Andrew
Gibbs C. * Pte	Gibbs, Charles Alfred
Gilbert P. Pte	Gilbert, Percy
Grant H.	Grant, Henry Mitchell
Gray F. * Pte	Gray, Leslie
Gray M.	Gray, Maurice Dale
Hancock A.	Hancock, Arthur
Hardley W. Sergt	Hardley, Wilfred
Heath E.	Heath, Ernest Edwin
Hemmings T.	Hemmings, Tom Rupert
Hepple W.E. * Pte	Hepple, William Edward
Hetherington W.	Hetherington, William
Houghton G. 1917	?
James C. Capt	James, Charles
James T.	James, Thomas
Jansen H. Pte	Jansen, Henry
Jarvis P.	Jarvis, Percy
Johnson G. Sergt	Johnson, Cecil Sylvester
Johnson L.	?
Johnson T.W.	Johnson, Thomas William
Jones D.J. * Pte	Jones, David James
Jones F.	?
Jones H.T. Pte	Jones, Alexander Thomas Hilton
Jones L.S. Dvr	Jones, Leslie Stephen
Kennedy T. Dvr	Kennedy, Thomas
Kennedy W.T. Dvr	Kennedy, William Thomas
Kentish A. * Pte	Kentish, Alfred
Kentish A.Pte *	Kentish, Arthur
Kentish J.	Kentish, James Edward
Last P.B. Dvr	Last, Phillip Blaxell Clement
Law W. * Pte	Law, William Raymond
Leece A.	Leece, Alexander
Lewis A.	Lewis, Azariah
Lewis C.H.	Lewis, Claude Henry
Lewis G.	Lewis, George
Liddle J. * Pte	Liddle, John
Lilly R.E.	Lilly, Robert Edward
May C.J.	May, Cecil James
McDonald F. * Pte	MacDonald, Frederick
McLauchlan C.	?
Melville J.	Melville, John
Metcalfe J.	Metcalfe, John George
Metcalfe J.G. * Pte	Metcalfe, Joseph Charles Usher
Mills F.M	Mills, Frederick Michael
Mitchell A.B. * Pte	Mitchell, Alfred Bruce
Mitchell J.A.	Mitchell, James Alexander
Mitchell J.H. *	Mitchell, John Henry
Mitchell T.J. * Pte	Mitchell, Thomas James
Monagle W. Lcr	Monegal, William
Mulholland C.	Mulholland, Edward
Myhill L.	Myhill, Charles Arthur
Nichols C. Lieut	Nichols, Charles Henry
Oldham H.	Oldham, Herbert
Oldham W.H. Lieut *	Oldham, Walter Herbert
Orrell S.	Orrell, Stephen
Ott H. Sergt	Ott, Henry
Parkinson J.J	Parkinson, John James
Pease H. * Pte	Pease, Harry
Pease T	Pease, Thomas
Polak E.S. Sap	Polak, Edmund Solomon
Polak L.E. Engr	Polak, Emmanuel Louis
Pritchard H. * Pte	Pritchard, Herbert Ernest
Purcell J. Sig	Purcell, James
Reid J.R. * Pte	Reid, James Reginald
Rendle A.	Rendle, Albert William
Richardson T. * Pte	Richardson, Thomas
Richmond E.	Richmond, Ernest Alfred
Ridley W	Ridley, William
Roese C.	Roese, Clarence
Shakespeare J.	Shakespeare, Joseph Henry
Sheedy T. Spr	Sheedy, Thomas Francis
Smith G.	Smith, George
Smith H.	Smith, Henry
Smith H.E.R.	Smith, Henry Edward Randolph
Smith H.S. Dvr	Smith, Herschel Stanley
Smith J.W. Capt	Smith, John William
Stokes E.A. Pte	Stokes, Edwin Arthur
Stokes W.R. Pte	Stokes, William Robert
Sturey G. * Pte	Sturiali, Salvatore
Sutherland W.	Sutherland, William Inglis
Swift E.L.	Swift, Ernest Charles
Swift O.	Swift, Oliver James
Tait P.	Tait, Peter
Taylor W.H. * Sergt	Taylor, William Henry
Thornton C.	Thornton, Herbert Claude
Thornton H.G. Cpl 1915	Thornton, Herbert George
Treharne P.	Treharne, Sydney
Warren A.B. Pte	Warring, Albert Richard
Warren G.B Dvr	Warren, Goldie
Wheeler J.	Wheeler, Joseph
White J.	?
Williams C.	?
Wilson T.	Wilson, Thomas William
Woolett C.	Woollett, Charles Thomas
Worley W.R.	Worley, William Robert
Young J.H	Young, John Herbert
Young R.G.	Young, Robert Goddard

Additional Information

• “Lambton Memorial Gates” list of articles on Trove.
• National Archive of Australia service records
• Article on Thomas and Harry Pease.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event Date	Notes
21 Jun 1913 17 Jun 1913	Death of Henry Burg's German born father. "The death occurred on Tuesday of Mr. Andrew Burg, senior, who passed away at the residence of his son, Mr. Andrew Burg, junior, of Bolwarra. The deceased, who was 80 years of age, was a native of Nassaeu, Germany, but an old resident of the State. … He was a builder and contractor of some repute and ability, being closely connected with the carrying out of many colliery and other buildings at Lambton for the Croudace family."
6 Aug 1914 4 Aug 1914	England's declaration of war. It is possibly this article that is referred to in the placing of the time capsule at the laying of the foundation stone of the park memorial gates.
22 Sep 1915 21 Sep 1915	"A meeting of the residents convened by the Mayor in response to a largely signed requisition to devise means of giving a suitable send-off to the young men who had enlisted and a reception home to returned soldiers proved a failure in the matter of attendance. The meeting was called for 7.30 last night, and at, eight o'clock there were only five present, and only two of those who had signed the requisition."
29 Sep 1915	Advertisement: "The RESIDENTS OF LAMBTON are respectfully invited to attend PUBLIC MEETING, to be held In Council Chambers THlS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING, at 7.30. Business:-.Send-off to our Boys for the Front, and the Returned Wounded and Invalided Soldiers, ROLL UP. HENRY BURG, THOMAS PEASE."
1 Oct 1915 29 Sep 1915	The second meeting called to form a send-off and welcome committee is a success. A committee is formed and plans made for a fundraising concert in the Coronation Hall.
9 Oct 1915 13 Oct 1915	"LAMBTON Send-off Committee.-A General Meeting of above will be held in Council Chambers on Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 7.30. Business very important. R. D. PURCELL, Sec."
30 Nov 1915 28 Oct 1915	A meeting in the Coronation Hall "of citizens to assist the recruiting movement, and as a send-off to those who had already enlisted. The Mayor, Alderman L. E. Polak, presided, and the attendance numbered about 400, including 13 recruits." The Mayor "made a presentation of wallets suitably inscribed." [? There are two Johnsons mentioned in the list, but their initials don't match the Johnsons inscribed on the park gates?]
19 Feb 1916 18 Feb 1916	"Private Cecil May, of Jesmond, who enlisted in the fourth reinforcement of the 30th Battalion, and was granted his final leave during the week, was made a presentation of a pocket wallet, suitably inscribed, by the Mayor (Alderman Polak) at the council chambers yesterday."
3 Mar 1916	"A meeting of the Send-off and Welcome Home Committee … the object of the meeting was to accord a public reception to Private Bert Avery, who was wounded at Gallipoli, and who is expected home in a few days."
9 Mar 1916 7 Mar 1916	At a meeting of the Lambton Citizens' Volunteer Send-off and Reception Committee "it was decided that departing soldiers should receive a pocket wallet, and on their return a gold medal, with a suitable inscription."
20 Nov 1925 17 Nov 1925	Death of Henry Burg, aged 70. He was born in Raymond Terrace.