Certificate presented to Barney Nugent from the Municipality of Mosman, signed by the Mayor Arthur D Walker and the Town Clerk W.F. Bray, dated 17 July 1920.
Tonight both a book and a website dedicated to Mosman’s WWI service men and women will be launched by the Mayor of Mosman, Councillor Peter Abelson.
The suburb of Mosman was grievously affected by World War One. From a population of 15,980 in 1914, it is estimated that 1,500 men and women, residents of Mosman or with Mosman affiliations, enlisted, almost all in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The females who volunteered were nursing sisters.
At least 335 of these persons were killed in action or died of wounds or disease. There are, at present, 201 named on the Mosman War Memorial. George Franki’s booklet Their Name Liveth for Evermore – Mosman’s Dead in the Great War 1914-1918 provides details on those named on the Memorial plus another 134 Mosman men who died on active service and whose names are not on the Memorial.
George Franki’s book will be launched by the Mayor.
As we approach the centenary of the Great War and the landing at Gallipoli, Mosman Library is coordinating a web-based community project to collect and display information about the wartime experiences of local service people. Who were they? What did they look like? Where did they go?
The Mayor will launch the Doing our bit: Mosman 1914-1918 website and invite your continued participation.
For a unique perspective on the Great War, Warren Fahey and Marcus Holden will present a performance capturing the spirit of the Great War as seen through stories, humour, poetry, song and music created by the diggers.
You will also be invited to partake in a glass of plonk — a diggers’ take on vin blanc? — and the cheese and fruit platters. The Library will have on display some of the photos and stories collected over the past few months.
Medals to be worn. Relatives are encouraged to wear their relatives’ medals to the function – to be worn on right chest.
RSVP online
George Franki
George Franki, the author of the booklet on Mosman WWI dead, was born in 1927. He volunteered for the Navy at 17 and post War studied dentistry under the CRTS (repatriation scheme). He served as a dentist with 1 RAR in Korea. He lived in Mosman from 1962 to 1994 and is a life member of Balmoral Beach Club. As a member of Mosman RSL Sub-branch he has attended Anzac Day services at the Mosman Memorial for many years.
George has had a lifelong interest in WW1. With a Navy mate, Clyde Slatyer, he is co-author of Mad Harry : Harry Murray, VC, CMG, DSO and Bar DCM C de G : Australia’s most decorated soldier. At present, he is completing a booklet on nearly 800 men and one woman from the North Sydney district who died in WWI.
Warren Fahey & Marcus Holden
Warren Fahey (pictured) is one of Australia’s leading cultural historians. Author of over 25 books and hundreds of recordings, he has been a regular contributor to ABC Radio for nearly 50 years. Warren has been honoured with various awards including the Order of Australia and, in 2010, the nation’s highest honour for music, The Don Banks Music Award.
Marcus Holden is a highly acclaimed multi-instrumentalist playing fiddle, mandolin and cittern.
Thank you to…
- our contributors, who have so generously shared photographs and stories;
- our volunteers & guest speakers who have contributed their time and expertise; and
- Inside History magazine for their support and assistance.
An alternative main image – ?
“Anzac Coves” Pierrot troupe / direct from the firing line. A postcard that belonged to W.J.A. “Allan” Allsop of 22 Brierley Street, Mosman. Allsop was a stretcher bearer and despatch rider for the 8th Australian Field Ambulance. More about this postcard on the AWM website.
Our Diggers Lest We Forget
He became interested in names on the Memorial and traced records to find details of each person. There are 201 names on the Memorial. Using a database, ‘The AIF Project’, he was able to find the names of another 134 Mosman men who had died and whose names are not on the Memorial.
He approached Mr Viv May, General Manager Mosman Council, Mosman concerning publication of the booklet on Mosman’s WW1 dead and is grateful to Mr May, who agreed to print 100 copies. He is also most grateful to Sarah Jackson, Executive Assistant, Mosman Council, who did the layout of the booklet. He also wishes to thank Donna Braye, Local History Librarian, Mosman Library and Geraldine Walsh and Suuzanne Ploeg of Mosman for information supplied. Further thanks for help are due to Robyn Frederick, whose grandfather, Joseph Bishop, was prominent in raising funds to build the Mosman Memorial. Mr Bishop lost two sons in the War. Also, Virginia Howard, a former mayor of Mosman, gave information on her great uncle, William Laing, who died at the terrible battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. Also thanks to Ian Henderson, President Mosman RSL Sub-branch for his support.
George Franki has had a lifelong interest in WW1. With a Navy mate, Clyde Slatyer, he is co author of ‘Mad Harry Harry Murray VC CMG DSO & Bar, DCM, C De G
Australia’s Most Decorated Soldier’. At present, he is completing a booklet on nearly 800 men and one woman from the North Sydney district who died in WW1.
George Franki wishes to thank Bernard de Broglio for his enthusiasm in arousing interest in Mosman’s part in World War One.
The Sydney suburb of Mosman was grievously affected by World War One. From a population of 15,980 in 1914, it is estimated that 1500 men and women, residents of Mosman or with Mosman affiliations, enlisted, almost all in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The females who volunteered were nursing sisters. At least 335 of these persons were killed in action or died of wounds or disease.
Their Name Liveth for Evermore – Mosman’s Dead in the Great War 1914-1918
The author, George Franki, lived in Mosman from 1962 until 1994 and is a Life Member of the Balmoral Beach Club. He served in the R.A.N. and A.R.A and is a member of the Mosman RSL Sub-Branch.
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