The Koo Wee Rup Sun had a report on the unveiling of the Nyora and District Honor Roll, which took place on July 12, 1918. The Board was in the Nyora Hall, which was destroyed by fire in 1968. Many of the men listed here had a connection to the Victorian Railways, not surprising as Nyora was a railway junction - the line to Wonthaggi, which opened May 9, 1910 started at Nyora, which was a stop on the Great Southern Line. Nyora is not on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, of course, but it is close enough. I have written a short history of the town, here.
What follows is information on the soldiers on the Nyora Honor Roll. I have included their Service Number (SN) so you can look up their full record on the National Archives of Australia, www.naa.gov.au
Berry, James George (SN 3354) James was 34 years old when he enlisted on June 8, 1917. He was Killed in Action in France on September 27, 1918.Robert and James, both farmers, were the sons of Mary Moffat Berry, of Elgrove farm, Nyora. They were both born in Little River. Their father, James, was deceased at time of the boy's enlistments.
Brown, Frederick Gordon (SN 5970) There is a Frederick Gordon Brown, railway employee listed in the 1914 Electoral Roll at Nyora. There is a Frederick Gordon Brown who enlisted on March 30, 1916 at the age of 27. He was a shunter in the Railways, so I assume he is the same man. His next of kin was his father, Charles, of Castlemaine. Frederick was wounded in action - gunshot wound, right arm - and Returned to Australia January 20, 1918 for a medical discharge
Champion, Henry Howard (SN 457) Henry enlisted on September 26, 1916. He was a 27 year old farm labourer. He was born in Wales, his next of kin was his father, Henry, of Cardiff, in Wales. His address was listed as Nyora. The Electoral Roll of 1916 has his address as Devon Meadows, Cranbourne. That makes him an early resident of the area as the first land sales took place at Devon Meadows in 1913. Henry Returned to Australia August 1, 1919. Henry was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file on the Battle to Fam website, here.
Chessell, Albert William (SN 3372). Albert enlisted on April 2, 1917 at the age of 28. He was a Labourer and his next of kin was his sister, Mrs Mable Cozens, of Nyora. Albert Returned to Australia March 25, 1919.
Cochrane, Harry Stanley (SN 5762) Harry was 19 when he enlisted on March 13, 1916. He was a farmer and he was Killed in Action in France, July 4, 1918, although the Nominal Rolls state that he Returned to Australia May 29, 1919, but sadly, this is incorrect.Cochrane, William David (SN 5761) William enlisted on the same day as his brother and he was 20 years old and also a farmer. He was wounded in action on three occasions and Returned to Australia November 8, 1918.
The boys both had their mother, Mrs Jessie Cochrane, of Musk Park, Poowong North, as their next of kin.
Conroy, John Patrick (SN 1123 / 2146) I am not one hundred per cent sure this is the right J. Conroy, but he is the best fit I can find. John was a railway repairer, his next of kin was his sister, Johanna Conroy of Cranbourne. He is listed in the 1914 Electoral Roll at Kernot, which was three stops down the railway line from Nyora on the Nyora to Wonthaggi line. John enlisted at the age of 32 on September 28, 1914; he was wounded at Gallipoli and returned to Australia and then re-embarked in April 1916 and was Killed in Action in France September 26, 1917.
Glover, Abraham Samuel (SN 1916) Abraham was a 21 year old farmer when he enlisted on April 3, 1916. He Returned to Australia July 1, 1919.Glover, Roderick Thomas (SN 4199A) Roderick enlisted on November 25, 1915 at the age of 24 and he was also a farmer. Roderick married Florence Ada McWilliams when he was in England in February 1917. He Returned to Australia July 3, 1919.
Abraham and Roderick were the sons of Thomas and Hetty Elizabeth (nee Harvey) Glover, of Nyora. Thomas was the son of Abraham and Ann (nee Lee) Glover. Three of Thomas' nephews also served - Robert and George Glover and Abraham Patullo, you can read about these three boys on my Heath Hill post, here.
Gordon, Bertrand Denman (SN 5982) Bertrand was a porter in the Victorian Railways and he enlisted on September 2, 1916 at the age of 30. Less than a year later, on May 3 1917 he was Killed in Action in France. His address on the Embarkation Roll was Nyora. Bertram's father, Thomas, of Majorca was his next of kin.
Hansen, Arnold Alfred (SN 5458) Arnold enlisted on April 5, 1916 at the age of 21. He was a farmer, and he lived at Nyora with his wife Florence Victoria Hortop Hansen. Arnold Returned to Australia July 4 1919. Arnold applied for a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file here, on the Battle to Farm website, however he was not successful as the Board did not consider it suitable for the purposes of Soldier Settlement. The farm Arnold applied for was owned by Mr Hortop, so presumably this was his father-in-law, or some relation to his wife, as Hortop was her second middle name.
Hills, RHills, T. F
My best guess for these two are brothers, Robert and Thomas Frederick Hill. Robert was born in Lillimur, between Kaniva and Serviceton, so very close to the South Australian border and Thomas was born in Murtoa. Their parents were George and Mary (nee Jackson) Hill and they were living at Hallam or Hallam's Road as it was called then, when the boys enlisted.
Hill, Robert (SN 1591) Robert was a 19 year old farmer when he enlisted on August 2, 1915. Less than a year later on July 20 1916 he was Killed in Action in France.
Hill, Thomas Frederick (SN 4516) Thomas enlisted on September 6, 1915 at the age of 23. He was a Police Constable. He was wounded in action, gun shot wound right arm. He Returned to Australia March 13, 1918 and was discharged on medical grounds in the June.
Horsburgh, Albert (SN 1931) Albert enlisted on April 3, 1916. He was a 22 year old farmer. Albert was wounded in action on three occasions and a gun shot wound to his right arm resulted in it being amputated. Albert Returned to Australia July 31, 1918.
Horsburgh, George (SN 1932) George enlisted on the same day as Albert, he was also a farmer and was 25 years old. George Returned to Australia December 12, 1918. George was a granted a Soldier Settlement Farm, you can read his file here, on the Battle to Farm website.
Horsburgh, James (SN 675) James enlisted on August 22, 1914, he was a 22 year old carpenter. James Returned to Australia October 14, 1918. James also served in World War Two in March 1942 in the 23rd Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps. James was also granted a Soldier Settlement Farm, you can read his file here, on the Battle to Farm website.
The boys were the sons of Robert and Margaret (nee Watt) Horsburgh of Nyora.
Humphries, George (SN 1081) George was nearly 36 years old when he enlisted on January 4, 1915. He was a roads and bridges contractor, from Nyora, and his sister, Sarah Wildes, of Yannathan his next of kin. George Returned to Australia May 12, 1918 and was discharged on medical grounds - 'chronic rheumatism'
Johnson, Leslie Robert (SN 2935) I presume this is the right L.R Johnson - there is a Leslie Robert Johnson on the Electoral Roll in 1916 at Nyora, his occupation is rabbit trapper and there was a Leslie Robert Johnson who enlisted on January 31, 1916, he was 22 and his occupation was a driver. His next of kin was his mother, Mary, of Fitzroy. Leslie Returned to Australia June 2, 1919.
Laidlow, R I am not sure who this is. The only Laidlow I can find who enlisted was born in Sydney and enlisted in Perth, so I do not believe he is our man. The surname is more likely to be Laidlaw. I have two possibilities - Reuben Campbell Gordon Laidlaw (SN 13959) who enlisted at the age of 25 on July 13, 1915. His next of kin was his mother, Mary, of Ballan. Reuben was awarded the Military Medal and Returned to Australia May 11, 1919. His occupation was Railway Signalman, so he was possibly based at Nyora. The other possibility is Rodney Goulburn Laidlaw (SN 2037), he was a blacksmith, he enlisted at the age of 28 on May 24, 1917. He Returned to Australia May 6, 1919. His next of kin was his father, Robert of Cranbourne. His address in the 1914 Electoral Roll was Bass - so clearly neither Cranbourne nor Bass are next door to Nyora, they are however not a long way from Nyora either, so it is possibly him. If you can identify this man, I would love to hear from you.
Littledike, Henry Hensler Neville (SN 3092) Henry enlisted on November 6, 1916 at the age of 29. Henry was born in Nyora. He was a bacon curer, his next of kin was his mother, Abigail, of Greensborough. Henry Returned to Australia January 14, 1919.
Moulton, Louis Leeds (SN 2744) Louis enlisted at Korumburra on July 12, 1915. He was a 29 year old carpenter. His next of kin was his mother, Charlotte, of Port Macquarie in NSW. Louis died of wounds July 26, 1916, he had received a gunshot wound which caused a compound fracture in the left femur.
Noonan, Richard Hugh (SN 5990) Richard was a leading shunter with the Victorian Railways when he enlisted on September 2, 1916. He was living at Nyora and his next of kin was his father, Richard, of Moriac. Richard Returned to Australia January 30, 1918 and was discharged on medical grounds in the April of the same year.
Payne, Richard Stanley (SN 1691) Richard enlisted on July 24, 1915, he was 26 years old and his next of kin was his wife, Lilian May, of Nyora, she later moved to Bait Street, St Kilda. Richard Stanley Payne is listed in the Electoral Roll at Nyora in 1914, 1916 and 1917. His occupation is baker, there is also a Lilian May Payne on the same roll. Richard's enlistment papers says that he is a blacksmith, so that does not tally with his Electoral roll occupation, so possibly one of them is a mistake. Richard was discharged on medical grounds on June 16, 1916 suffering from rheumatism. In the 1925 Electoral roll Richard and Lilian were living in Waverley Road in Malvern and his occupation was baker, so I would say that was the correct calling.
Poole, Ernest James (SN 2512a)
Poole, Harry (SN 2423)
Ernest and Harry both enlisted on June 5, 1916. They were both born in Clyde, Ernest was 27 when he enlisted and Harry was 22. They were both farmers. Their next of kin was their father, Harry, of Poowong, and their mother was Elizabeth, nee Jennings. Sadly, both boys were Killed in Action - Ernest on September 15, 1917 and Harry on October 21, 1917.
Rowe, Vernon Wasley (SN 12814)
Clive and Vernon were the sons of Alfred Rowe, the Station Master at Nyora, he was transferred to Cressy in November 1916, having arrived at Nyora from Morwell in October 1915. Clive was 18 when enlisted, on March 17, 1916 and he was a draper. Vernon was 19, when he enlisted on January 25, 1916, and he was a grocer. Clive Returned to Australia March 28, 1919 and Vernon September 22, 1919.
Stewart, Frederick Richard (SN 5468) The Great Southern Advocate, a Korumburra paper, had a list of 'Volunteers from the Shire' in their March 2, 1916 issue (see here) and it listed a Frederick Stewart of Nyora. As it appears that he enlisted in early 1916 and his initials were F.R. Stewart according to the Honor Board report, the the most likely man I can find is Frederick Richard Stewart , and as he enlisted in Leongatha on February 22, 1916, I believe this is correct. Frederick was 22 years old when he enlisted, and he was a baker. I wonder if he worked with Richard Payne, listed above, who was also a baker? His next of kin was his mother, May Merriman of Kew. Frederick Returned to Australia September 6, 1919.
Stewart, Norman James Campbell (SN 517) Norman enlisted on April 28, 1915 at Wonthaggi, his occupation was listed as miner and he was 21. His next of kin was his mother, Mary, of Nyora. Her address later changed to Boort Railway Station; her husband William was the Station Master at Nyora from around 1913 to 1915. Norman Returned to Australia January 14, 1919.
Stewart, W. William and Mary Stewart (see above) had another son, William, born in 1890 at Toolamba (east of Tatura, north of Murchison) he was listed in the 1913 Electoral Roll at Nyora, occupation clerk. I believe this is the W. Stewart listed on the Honor Roll, but can't work out who he is exactly and can't find a record at the National Archives that matches that information. Which may mean I am wrong, so if you know who this person is, I would love to hear from you.
Uren, Edgar Albert (SN 672) Edgar was a fireman with the Victorian Railways and he was 24 when he enlisted on January 24, 1917. His next of kin was his father, Thomas, of Melbourne and he Returned to Australia July 7, 1919. What was the connection to Nyora? Edgar was listed in the 1918 Electoral Roll at Nyora, so I presume he was living there when he enlisted.
Wuchatsch, Benjamin George (SN 504) Benjamin enlisted on October 5, 1914. He was a 22 year old labourer. Benjamin was awarded the Military Medal. He Returned to Australia July 10, 1919.Wuchatsch, Frederick Joseph (SN 1174/1208) Frederick enlisted on September 21, 1914 at the age of 24. He Returned to Australia September 24, 1918. Frederick's initial application is missing and a replacement form lists him as Francis Joseph, however the Embarkation and Nominal Roll list his name as Frederick.
Wuchatsch, Raymond Royal (SN 39) Raymond enlisted on March 22, 1915. He was a 24 year old grazier. He Returned to Australia April 8, 1919. Raymond made two applications for a Soldier Settlement Farm, you can read the applications here and here, on the Battle to Farm website.
The brothers were the sons of August Wuchatsch, of Bena, and his wife, Sarah, whose surname is listed in the Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages as Grundil, Grendel, Grundel, Greedel and Gruendel, so I presume one of these is the correct spelling.
