Cowra Memorial Avenue of Honour

War Memorials in Australia

Place: Cowra, New South Wales, 2794
District: Central Tablelands
Orientation:
Location: Lachlan Valley Way
Position: 33 50 11 S 148 40 90 E
Ref: 20173

__________________________

Trees have been planted on either side of Lachlan Valley Way. There is a plaque on a rock under a pine tree in Lone Pine Park, on the southern side of Cowra Bridge, at the intersection of Lachlan Valley Way and Mid-Western Highway.

Metal plaque on rock
COWRA RSL SUB BRANCH
This plaque commemorates the
re-dedication of the Memorial Avenue of Honour
established by the Womens Club of Cowra in 1917 on the
Grenfell and Boorowa Roads. It also commemorates
the 75th Anniversary of the Returned and
Services League of Australia
The Roll of Honour of Cowra citizens who served in
World War I is located
in the Visitors Centre
This tree was propagated from seed
obtained from the Lone Pine
Battlefield of Gallipoli.
Graham Stewart Bruce Ruxton OBE
Cowra Sub-Branch President Deputy National President
RETURNED AND SERVICES LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA
Cr. Cyril Treasure
Shire President
27th JULY 1991

Descriptive plaque on edge of park
MEMORIAL AVENUE

Historical Value			Photo

	The avenue of trees located along the	Each soldier was allocated a tree, with
	Boorowa and Grenfell Roads are	a register detailing the event.
	associated with great historical significance	unfortunately the trees and the
	and represent an important era in Australian	Soldiers details were not
	wartime history.	corresponded in the field, which
		has made it difficult to match the
	The Boorowa Road and Grenfell Road were	trees up with existing records.
	selected by the "Women's Club" of Cowra during
	1917 as an ideal location to plant 465 trees in	Memorial Avenue has been
	remembrance of all the Australian soldiers from	restored with missing trees
	the Cowra district who served their country during	replaced to once again represent
	the first World War.	the numbers of soldiers listed on
		the Honour Roll.
	The variety of trees planted were Eucalyptus
	cladocalyx (Sugar Gum), Grevillia robusta (Silky	Photo
	Oak) and Schinus molle (Peppercorn Tree), none		Afternoon came - a packed hall - important
	of the trees being indigenous to the area, Schinus		Mayor - more important Aldermen.
	molle being the only non-native tree planted within		Up through the crowded hall came Myee Planta,
	the Avenue was selected because of its huge		pale, resolute, on a plan of action, with her two
	popularity at the time with farmers. The tree was		timid Committee women. The whole audacious
	considered very hardy, and soon became a common		plan was explained at some length -and before
	site [sic] around country homesteads all around Australia.		a vote was taken by the ratepayers. The Mayor
			hoped the trees would not be planted. The time
	The trees were planted on Arbour Day 1917 all		had come for the courageous Secretary to
	trees used in the original planting were donated by		address the ratepayers with a forlorn hope that
	the Sydney Botanical Gardens. The Avenue was		the trees would be saved. Public speaking was
	officially opened during 1918 with the deputy premier		not her gift but brain waves were - "Mr Mayor,
	of NSW and senior military officials present on the		Gentlemen, quoth she, I apologise for not being
	day. The Boorowa Road section of the Avenue was		aware that we had to write and ask permission
	located on the road that linked Cowra with Canberra,		to plant the trees, my committee and I were
	the site of the National War Memorial		quite ignorant on that point, not knowing that
			permission was necessary, but surely I will be
	Photo	Planting the Avenue	able to plant them - in my own garden". The
			Mayor was asked to take a vote on the question
		Myee Planta was secretary of the Women's Club during 1917, the club	of planting the Avenue.
		decided to place a Soldiers memorial in the town. The Secretary
		visualised an uncared for monument in years to come. She suggested	Myee Planta's heart almost stopped beating -
		- "An Avenue of beautiful trees which would beautify the district" the	A count of hands and the trees were saved. All
		idea was discussed and carried - local papers had letters written by	became enthusiastic; one pastoralist promised
		the secretary. A meeting of women decided to send Myee Planta to	to send twenty men to dig holes to plant the
		Sydney to collect trees, so off she went - reaching the Botanical	trees; another promised guards; a day was
		Gardens where trees were being given for such purposes. Four hundred	chosen "Arbour day for the Soldiers trees!" The
		were selected, and the Secretary felt it was an event well accomplished.	district people came nearly a thousand souls,
		But, alas, the committee had forgotten to ask permission from the	the Avenue flourishes; the town takes a pride
		Mayor of the Municipality to plant the trees and when she returned	in the lovely trees. The Avenue is three miles
		with four hundred trees also on the train, two distressed women met	long - where Soldiers children play under the
		her on the station. "My dear! Such an unheard of thing has happened.	trees and Mothers dream of their hero sons.
		You can not plant the trees," "Why!" gasped the Secretary, "Oh! The
		Mayor and Alderman say the Women's committee took too much for	Myee Planta is far away. The darkest thrill of
		granted and refuse to have them planted". "We must plant	her life was standing on a railway station with
		them somewhere, if only in a garden", said the Secretary, panic struck	four hundred trees in the truck and no where
		Travelling all night with four hundred trees and not being able to plant	to plant them.
		them was a bolt from the blue. "To make it worse they are holding a
		public meeting to protest against your action".	Ruth Fitzgerald

Soldiers' Avenue Roll of Honour

"The appended is the list of soldiers that have gone from this district, and the number correspond
with the ornamental trees standing or planted in the avenue extending from the traffic bridge to
the railway bridge on the Morongla-road, and from the traffic bridge along the Grenfell-road. On
the former road there is a double line of trees for a considerable distance, but the numbers are
consecutive on each side. There may be some discrepancies in the list but it is as correct as the
committee could make it, with the facilities at their command. The numbers commence at the
bridge end on each road; the east side of Morongla-road being the river side, and the north side
of the Grenfell-road being that on the showground side"
1 August 1917

Grenfell Road	Grenfell Road	Boorowa Road	Boorowa Road
North Side	South Side	West Side	East Side
1 Nurse Borley	1 A Slaven	1 D Houlston	1 R J Nash
2 W R Kirkwood	2 E Hearnshaw	2 R Houlston	2 A E Dowell
3 V Barr	3 J Potter	3 H J Brien	3 W Dowell
4 T J Barr	4 R A Hathway	4 H F Brien	4 R D McLeod
5 A T Bramall	5 T M Stinson	5 A R Brien	5 N R McLeod
6 E G Henderson	6 J E Stinson	6 R F Taylor	6 Quilty
7 W Gow	7 C Stinson	7 L Judd	7 A Nicholls
8 E B Fitzgerald	8 R Stinson	8 W H Sands	8 C Barrett
9 W G Woods	9 W Stinson	9 A Sands	9 T H Bryant
10 H Ward	10 D A Henderson	10 W H Myers	10 L R Bryant
11 H Hodder	11 E J Nettleton	11 C Waterbury	11 F Castle
12 W H Hines	12 P R Carlan	12 L M Fitzgerald	12 J Broadley
13 S Hodder	13 D Sullivan	13 W L Leggatt	13 Y Bennett
14 N M Woods	14 S G Bewley	14 F Leggatt	14 W J McIlhatten
15 G Hines	15 A H Bewley	15 J Leggatt	15 P Lynch
16 E W Stacey	16 A F Lane	16 R Leggatt	16 A West
17 L Woods	17 W J Lane	17 T Todhunter	17 G Lee
18 P Treasure	18 C J Kershaw	18 C H Weeks	18 I E Francis
19 F Bamgarten	19 R H Newham	19 J Davis	19 H Turton
20 S Marsden	20 R E Edmonds	20 L Roffe	20 W L Trebleco
21 S Muir	21 W H Newham	21 K Ayliffe	21 L H Bartlett
22 A G McGregor	22 E Wood	22 K E Anthony	22 G Maddrick
23 W Martin	23 J Ward	23 H O Busby	23 G E Campbell
24 J J Bourke	24 G Burns	24 H S Bartlett	24 L G Blackmore
25 W A Bourke	25 J P Jensen	25 H Bain	25 E R Shelley
26 W B Bourke	26 W Smart	26 J Schweitzer	26 R H Wordsworth
27 K Byrne	27 P Commerford	27 J McClymont	27 C S Evans
28 H Starr	28 L Commerford	28 Nurse McClymont	28 C G Williams
29 H J W Phillips	29 G Commerford	29 K O'Leary	29 H Bernie
30 H Waters	30 S Commerford	30 D McGee	30 A Wicks
31 T Slater	31 G N Copson	31 P Cleary	31 J J Brown
32 F B Bradwell	32 E J Copson	32 H E Howard	32 G E Brown
33 T E Bradwell	33 W D Keelcy	33 C J Derwin	33 E W Brown
34 A Keddie	34 S Tindal	34 H Lyness	34 F Barrow
35 S B Marsden	35 E Poignand	35 C Fitzgerald	35 P L Boyne
36 L Smith	36 J Tindall	36 W J Simeon	36 P Bollinger
37 W R Hood	37 J Veney	37 F White	37 G Burrow
38 D J Begley	38 Alex Ellis	38 W Kelly	38 N Bellamy
39 W Frick	39 C Harper	39 J V Keogh	39 D Boxall
40 G E Brown	40 H Day	40 D A Henderson	40 B Blewett
41 E Phillips	41 A W Whithingham	41 W Sullivan	41 M K Collings
42 W O'Sullivan	42 F Wiliiams	42 E Dillon	42 E Colbert
43 P A Thompson	43 H Bryant	43 J Dillon	43 R McLaren
44 W E Thompson	44 R Bryant	44 A D Smith	44 J A Dunlop
45 G Noble	45 C Hope	45 G Hogan	45 H G Dunlop
46 H G Brown	46 J R McLaughlin	46 T Bissell	46 J Davidson
47 C Garden	47 R J Strachan	47 J Allan	47 A Sherwin
48 J D Garden	48 J M Beattie	48 E H Brown	48 A Elliot
49 D J Anderson	49 A L Beattie	49 M G Brown	49 C Elliott
50 S Anderson	50 E Carter	50 C Brown	50 G Elliott
51 N Cameron	51 C Doncaster	51 T H Blewett	51 R Moore
52 D B Fitzgerald	52 C Williams	52 R Beasley	52 E F Woodrow
53 P H R Francis	53 J Campbell	53 N Beasley	53 L Scanlan
54 C W Phillip	54 J Henderson	54 A M Blewett	54 L Pidcock
55 J P McWilliam	55 H Sudgeon	55 J W Bear	55 W Barnett
56 J Northwood	56 J Newton	56 G MacAdie	56 A Rooke
57 H Northwood	57 J Casey	57 D Bruce	57 F C Rooke
58 J A Bartlett	58 P Moore	58 A P Hines	58 M J Batcheldor
59 G Bradke	59 J Wade	59 F Debenham	59 A J Cooper
60 R Farrar	60 M Hough	60 C Stendell	60 L C Cooper
61 J Wilson	61 Jerry Hough	61 E Fletcher	61 Matron Cooper
62 B R Wislon	62 T Hough	62 H Kelly	62 D Davis
63 H Chivers	63 J Hough	63 N Kelly	63 C Dovey
64 J R Chivers	64 F Ulrich	64 D Shaw	64 A Gray
65 S T Wilson	65 C Wren	65 A E Gannon	65 L Gillett
66 L V Stapleton	66 H Hanson	66 F J Gannon	66 H Wilkinson
67 J Golsby	67 G Doyle	67 W Gannon	67 S Wilkinson
68 H J Buckman	68 Matron Doyle	68 W G Crocker	68 J Herringe
69 J T Stapleton	69 P Maroney	69 F Fremantle	69 P Herringe
70 R T Buckman	70 W A O'Neill	70 C Berry	70 R Colley
71 C Hubbard	71 H S Stephens	71 J Yardley	71 P Thompson
72 G Randall	72 R Stephens	72 M Purcill	72 G Dempsey
73 J Randall	73 W Hood	73 H Conlon	73 A Griffiths
74 P M Stapleton	74 A F O Hood	74 J J Bryant	74 R M Hammond
75 S G Buckman	75 T R Hood	75 W Jenkins	75 W A Jones
76 A Collins	76 C Hood	76 A Condall	76 P A Kennedy
77 E Reid	77 A L Hood	77 S Ticehurst	77 A J Kelly
78 S N Doubleday	78 S C Hood	78 G H Wright	78 W Lee (?)
79 L Thompson	79 D Strachan	79 F H J Feltham	79 V D H Campbell
80 H Hawkins	80 W Henderson	80 R Betts	80 J A T Rochford
81 A Caldwell	81 Redfern Watt	81 I Ormiston	81 E Fogarty
82 E C Mitchell	82 Hugh Watt	82 S Burgess	82 A Colley
83 L Julian	83 R J Swanston	83 E Beplate	83 H Eastwood
84 J Kay	84 R W Worrall	84 A T Downs	84 Bert Day
85 M D O'Brien	85 W F Pratt	85 F Cooper	85 H F O'Neil
86 T Miller	86 A Vane	86 Alf Ellis	86 W A O'Neil
87 W G Bill	87 W Parker	87 G Ellis	87 H McGuire (?)
88 W H Wright	88 S A Matheson	88 F Ellis	88 L Moon
89 W Adams	89 R R Matheson	89 T Ellis	89 J F Wingate
90 G T Wilson	90 D S Matheson	90 D Cooper	90 ?
91 J Walsh	91 J Keys	91 C Nicholson	91 J R Jones
92 J Anderson	92 T W Alford	92 E Dawson	92 W J Hope
93 W H Anderson	93 L H Alford	93 J Peters	93 J Phillips
94 T R Armstrong	94 L Brown	94 G Peters	94 W Phillips
95 W Mackie	95 C E Johnson	95 W H Peters	95 Doncaster
96 H R Gillanders	96 C Marks	96 W A White	96 D J Toovey (?)
97 A D Gurney	97 H E Locke	97 H Newham	97 ?
98 R Hudson	98 S O Flint	98 J Searson	98 G Montgomery
99 A H Hathway	99 P Flint	99 D O'Sullivan	99 T Morgan
100 A Peacock	100 C L Flint	100 S Cooper	100 A G Moyle
101 McCallum	101 E Locke	101 A Anthony	101 C L Gillett
102 J Paull	102 R Pepper	102 R A Stokes	102 E C Boyd
103 E Hough	103 R C Elms	103 P Syme	103 N Campbell
104 R Hudson	104 M Donoughue	104 H Smith	104 J P Burnett
105 J H Fletcher	105 R Cameron	105 C Coe	105 W Smith
106 Bert R Smith	106 L M Mitchell	106 E J Coe	106 T Stephenson (?)
107 R W Smith	107 Grant (?) Watt	107 J H Coe	107 J Ryan
108 C Holmes	108 W Edwards	108 W Coe	108 ?
109 J C Clark	109 N P Watt	109 T Davis	109 ?
110 D H Smart	110 H R Watt	110 J Collins	110 ?
111 J W Harper	111 J H Mitchell	111 J Coe	111 ?
112 C Harper	112 P W Atkinson	112 R T Ryan	112 ?
113 Bert Moyle	113 J Bell	113 W Bozeat
114 W H Cummins	114 B Evans	114 J H Maher
115 L R Mulvihill	115 T Clark	115 Nurse Miller
116 L Robinson	116 N Davies (?)	116 C Miller
117 Mulcahy	117 H Davies	117 N Miller
118 C Osborne	118 W Hood

________________________________________________ Insignia of Shire of Cowra

History courtesy of Cowra and District Historical Society Inc

Some names in 4th column cannot be read from photo - can anyone supply?

Information current to August 2002

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