Empire Vale First World War Roll of Honour

Note: This honour roll was temporarily relocated in 2022 due to flooding in the region. It is in storage awaiting conservation at Southern Cross Public School in East Ballina and is not available for viewing. 

The memorial is a decorative and colourful timber roll of honour for the First World War. The top of the board is carved and there are turned columns on the left and right sides. The centre panel is richly decorated with gold lettering and illustrations in bright colours. The main image is a simplified version of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, which is surrounded by a green wreath. Directly beneath this are several branches of multicoloured leaves and a banner with the words 'Advance Australia'. Flanking the wreath are the Union Jack and Australian Red Ensign, painted in full colour. A small piece of timber is attached to the board, slightly above each flag, painted with the words 'Liberty' and 'Justice'. 

Below these decorations is the roll of honour, expertly handwritten in gold. The names are laid out in a table with four columns, two containing the names and the other two containing 'Remarks'. Only five veterans have remarks recorded, and they indicate those who had been killed in action or died of wounds at the time the roll was created. Underneath the table is another decorative banner, inscribed with the words 'God save the King'. This is surrounded by delicately painted leaves and flowers. 

The memorial is located in the Empire Vale Public School and is mentioned in its centenary book, Empire Vale: A history of the school and district, published in October 1991. The book says teacher David O'Brien received permission in July 1916 for a roll to be placed in the school and for suspension of ordinary school routine during the unveiling. Many schools on the North Coast of NSW unveiled their honour rolls during the war, rather than at the end.

The memorial is located with the Empire Vale-Keith Hall Second World War Roll of Honour. 

Research on the soldiers listed on this roll was conducted using the following sources:

• Ian Kirkland (researcher Alison Draper), They served Us Well. WW1 Service Personnel of Tintenbar Shire, Alstonville Plateau Historical Society, 2015
• The A.I.F. Project website