Parkes Presbyterian Church First World War Honour Roll

The memorial is a timber honour roll commemorating 76 members of St Andrew's Church, now known as Parkes Presbyterian Church, who served in the First World War. The memorial is made of oak with three marble tablet insets which contain the names of the men and women who served written in gold. The dedication is written in gold at the top of the honour roll, with the Australian Imperial Force emblem in the centre. 

The honour roll was a gift to the church from Mr and Mrs Edwin John Witts, in memory of their son Bombardier Russell Gordon Witts. At the bottom of the honour roll, affixed to the timber frame, is a memorial plaque dedicated to Russell Witts.

The honour roll was unveiled by Captain Roy Stewart MC on Sunday 25 May 1919, at a service led by the Reverend C F McAlpine and attended by over 500 people. The Western Champion, 29 May 1919, described the event in detail including a description of the honour board, manufactured by Messrs F Dodd and Co, with the lettering by Messrs Bigelow Bros, and a list all the names.

Russell Gordon Witts was a 26 year old farmer in Parkes when he enlisted on 31 January 1915, with the 12^th Light Horse Regiment. He embarked from Sydney on 13 June 1915 and was absorbed into the 1^st Light Horse Regiment on 29^th August 1915, at Gallipoli. As a member of the 5th Medium Trench Mortar Battery, he was wounded twice. He died of disease on 2 November 1918 whilst recovering from his wounds in Sutton Veny Military Hospital. He was buried in St John's Churchyard at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England.