Media Release - Gunbar's Honour Boards Finally Returned Restored

10 November 2021

Gunbar’s World War 1 and World War 2 Honour Boards have finally returned to their rightful place in the Gunbar Pioneer Memorial Church. The Boards were sent to Sydney in 2018 for some much-needed conservation work after almost 100 years of being exposed to the elements in the old Gunbar Church.

But the Boards nearly didn’t survive a robbery attempt way back in 1981. In March of that year, thieves broke into the Gunbar Hall. The thieves had already stacked their ill-gotten gains (including the Honour Boards) by the side door ready for collection later in the day under the cover of darkness. As luck would have it, Gunbar local, Pat Flanagan, was driving past the Hall that afternoon after a day away in Hay. Pat’s eagle eyes spied the broken door at the hall so he stopped his car, and hastily repatriated the Boards and other associated loot out to his farm Sunrise, where they then lived safely in the woolshed.

In 2017, Carrathool Shire Council’s Economic Development Officer, persuaded Pat and others from the Gunbar community that there was grant funding available through the NSW Government’s Memorial Fund to have the Boards expertly restored to their original condition. The Boards were freighted to Sydney in 2018, but because a range of delays including COVID-19 lockdowns, transport difficulties and a shortage of skilled tradesmen, the Boards didn’t return to Gunbar until some 3 years later.

On Saturday 30 October 2021 at the Gunbar Church Councillor Russell Campbell on behalf of Carrathool Shire Council, handed over the Boards to a gathering of the local community at the Gunbar Church.

“It’s great that the Boards are back with us now. A lot of you would remember the very sorry state they were in after being stored down in the Gunbar Hall and then out at Sunrise. Of course, after almost 100 years, most of us would need some TLC, and that’s what the Boards have had in Sydney so they can last another 100 years or more.” Cr Campbell said. “It’s good when Council can seek funding opportunities to achieve the results that we see here today; because Council knows only too well the joy that such projects can bring to our local groups.”

Pat Flanagan accepted the Boards on behalf of the community, and thanked Council for their ongoing interest and support for Gunbar, in particular for securing the funds for the restoration project and also all the work necessary in getting the job done. Mr Flanagan also noted that the WW1 Honour Board shows the name of Gunbar’s most famous wartime hero, William Jackson VC who was awarded his Victoria Cross for valour during the conflict.

After the hand-over ceremony, photos were taken and many of those attending were actual descendants of the names on both the WW1 and WW2 Boards. Morning tea then followed in the best Gunbar tradition in the Church Hall.

End Release