In his book Their Name Liveth for Evermore: Mosman’s Dead in the Great War 1914-1918, George Franki was unable to identify all those whose names appear on the western face of the Mosman War Memorial. As a result of research for the Mosman Library website, Doing Our Bit, Mosman 1914-1918, those eight unknown Mosman war dead are now fully identified below.
John Bryan, 17 August 2020
BARTON, Harold Pryor (Barton, H F on Mosman War Memorial)
35; KIA 19/5/1915; 2nd Battalion; Gallipoli.
Draftsman. Wife Eva Monaro (nee Falkner), Captain Cook Hotel, Botany. Mother, Harriet (nee Norrie), 68 Muston Street, Mosman.
Killed in action at Gallipoli on 19 May 1915 during a sustained attack on Anzac lines during which three Turkish soldiers entered the 2nd Battalion’s lines. Harold Barton shot one of them but was immediately killed by the others who in turn were killed.
BRUCE, Roderick Malcolm Livingstone
34; KIA 13/4/1918; Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force, 15th Battalion, 17th Battalion; Gentelles.
Labourer. Parents James and Harriett (nee Pabst), Holbrook, NSW. At the time of enlistment in ANMEF, he stated his mother lived at Mosman but there are no other records to confirm this. Possibly one of her relatives lived in Mosman.
Enlisted in August 1914 and served with the ANMEF on garrison duty at Thursday Island. He then departed for German New Guinea but, because of trouble with the crew, the ship returned to Townsville where he was discharged in September 1914. He enlisted in the AIF days later and served at Gallipoli with the 15th Battalion before he returned to Australia to be discharged medically unfit due to his rheumatism. He again enlisted in the AIF in 1916 and served with 17th Battalion.
EVANS, Daniel George (Evans, D C on Mosman War Memorial)
24; KIA 9/10/1917; 19th Battalion; Broodseinde.
Waiter. Wife Eva Pearl (nee Markham) in March 1919 married Archibald Fullerton Wooley who before and after the war served with the Royal Australian Engineers at Georges Heights. They were living in Mosman at the time the Mosman War Memorial was being planned and constructed.
GRANT, Harold Edward
29; KIA 3/9/1916; 4th Battalion, AIF, 16th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, British Army; Somme.
Draftsman. Edward and Elena (nee Bertoli), Lismore, NSW. Working for the Department of Lands in Sydney at time of his enlistment and possibly living in Mosman.
Landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 with the 4th Battalion. After being wounded four days later, he was evacuated and eventually sent to England for treatment. While there, he transferred to the British Army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He was killed while serving in the Rifle Brigade.
HAIG-PHILP, Richard William Manning
27; KIA 5/10/1916; 91st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery; Somme.
Architect. Wife Kathleen (nee McIlwaine). Mother Gertrude (nee Manning) living in Mosman at the time of her death in 1924.
He was in London at the outbreak of the war and joined the British Army. He had prior service in Australia as an artillery officer and received a commission in the Royal Field Artillery.
JAMES, Gordon Carl
26; Died of illness 8/5/1919; SS Quito, Merchant Navy; Liverpool, England.
Marine engineer. Parents William and Harriet, 1 Union Street, Mosman.
Serving on the SS Quito at the outbreak of the war and became a member of the Merchant Navy. Following the Armistice, he was engaged on HMT Karon transporting Belgian refugees from the UK to Belgium before he became ill.
ROBERTS, George Leatham (Roberts, C L in Franki)
16; Died of illness 16/10/1915; Royal Australian Navy; Mosman.
Sailor. Parents George and Agnes (nee Leatham), Whare Koa, Kirkoswald Avenue, Mosman.
Enlisted in the RAN in September 1914 and served as a Boy sailor on the training ship HMAS Tingara during which time he must have served outside Sydney Harbour to qualify for war service. He was invalided from the Navy on 30 September 1915 and died at home less than three weeks later. He is the youngest to appear on the western wall of the Mosman War Memorial.
WALKER, Harold Shaw
31; KIA 19/7/1916; 3rd Battalion, South African Infantry Brigade; Longueval.
Commercial manager. Parents Arthur and Doratia (nee Lemm), 14 Merlin Street, Neutral Bay.
Enlisted in the South African Army soon after the outbreak of the war and participated in the German South West Africa campaign before being sent to Europe. He was serving with the 3rd Battalion, South African Infantry Brigade, when he was killed in action at the Battle of Delville Wood.