Once lost but not forgotten – missing names on Avenue of Honour remembered

12 September 2018

Four diggers whose names were missing from the Avenue of Honour on Mount Clarence will receive new plaques this week ahead of the opening of an exhibition paying tribute to the more than 180 men and women remembered along the Avenue.

Titled Honouring Albany’s Own, the exhibition will be part of Albany’s program of events to mark 100 years since the Armistice of World War I on November 11 and close the four-year Anzac Centenary commemorations.

Albany’s original Avenue of Honour was planted along Middleton Road in 1921 and honoured 112 names before it relocated to the current memorial site on Mount Clarence in 1956 and over the years expanded to include names from both World Wars, the Boer, Korean and Vietnam conflicts.

While researching for the exhibition, it was discovered that Private Arthur Hugh Lyons of the 51st Battalion, Private Ralph Wilson Peacock of 11th Battalion, Corporal Ernest Ronan Gotbed Rendell of 44th Battalion and F Radford – believed to be Walter Francis Radford – were missing from the original names along Middleton Road.

New trees planted on Mount Clarence will be commemorated with a short service and the placing of new plaques on Thursday, ensuring these names are no longer forgotten.

Princess Royal Fortress Curator David Theodore said the diggers’ plaques had been lost at some stage during the relocation from Middleton Road and it was only through the exhibition project it was discovered they were missing.

“It’s really fitting that as we prepare to remember the end of the war through the Field of Light within the Avenue of Honour we are able to finally relocate the memory of these men and give them their rightful place among the memorial trees,” Mr Theodore said.

“The Avenue will now honour 187 men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice during various wars. Many were born in Albany, some families chose to settle here, while for others who immigrated to Australia, Albany was their first port of call.

“In some way they were connected to Albany’s community and that’s the reason they are remembered on the Avenue. Our exhibition will reflect on the cost of Albany’s sacrifice and allow the stories of these heroes to speak beyond the trees and plaques that are there in their honour.”

Honouring Albany’s Own exhibition will be held in the Princess Royal Fortress from 8 October, 2018 to April 28, 2019.

Anzac Albany 2018 has been made possible with the support of the Australian Government's Building Better Regions Fund, Tourism WA, Lotterywest, FORM and the City of Albany.

For more information on Anzac Albany programming for November 11, 2018 visit www.anzacalbany.com.au