Did you know? Honour rolls are the most common type of war memorial in NSW

An honour roll is a written list of men and women who enlisted and served in the defence forces. They often focus on veterans from a particular geographical area or community group, such as ex-pupils from a school or members of a local social club. They also generally identify those who lost their lives during service.

Honour rolls are the most common type of war memorial in New South Wales. There are more than 1,300 recorded on the NSW War Memorials Register, and counting. They come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and materials, from modest timber boards, to decorative marble tablets, to stone panels attached to monuments or buildings.

The most common type we have on the Register are timber honour rolls, which are often found hanging in community halls, churches, schools, or local museums. The charming timber roll shown below (left), was hand-carved by Mrs Priscilla Patch Jr. in 1919. It lists men from Bungawalbin (aka Bungawalbyn) who served in the First World War. Each name is accompanied by a black and white photograph of the man in uniform. It is located in the Mid-Richmond Historical Society Museum in Coraki.

The oldest honour roll on the Register dates to 1888 (below right). It is a brass plaque in the shape of a Maltese Cross, surrounded by a circular frame. It is inscribed with the names of four men from the New South Wales Contingent who died serving in Soudan (Sudan) in March–June 1885. It is in excellent condition for its age and is located in St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney.

Search the Register for honour rolls in your area today, using our improved suburb and postcode search. Are we missing one? Learn how you can contribute to the Register.

Left: Bungawalbin (Bungawalbyn) Great War Roll of Honor. Photographed by Mid-Richmond Historical Society Museum. Provided by Graham Wilson, 2021.

Right: NSW Field Battery Soudan Memorial, St Andrew's Cathedral. Photograph provided by David Roden, c2012.