Mystery of the Missing Roll of Honour
The advertisement above appeared in ‘The Advertiser’ on Saturday 10 March 1917.
Below is an extract from the report in ‘The Register’ on Monday 12 March 1917 of the unveiling of the Honour Roll and the swim.
” ….. Prior to the race, a Roll of Honour of members of the Henley Beach Swimming Club who have gone to the front was unveiled on the jetty by the Minister of Industry (Hon. R.P. Blundell)
Mr. R.W. Webb on behalf of the Henley Beach Swimming Club requested the Minister to unveil the Roll of Honour which he said, had been presented by Mr. Perdrix. At the outbreak of the war there were 65 members of the club, and of that number 55 had since answered the Empire’s call. (Applause) That, he thought was a record in the Commonwealth. He regretted, that one of their members (Mr. Lloyd Vivian) had been killed in action in France, and another (Mr. Harold Smith) had died in England as the result of. an accident.
Mr. Blundell expressed appreciation at being asked to unveil the Roll of Honour. He was sure they all felt exceedingly proud of the magnificent record of the club. …”
The full article can be viewed at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59969028.
Minister for Marine (Hon R P Blundell) unveiling the Roll of Honour 1917
Image credit: The Adelaide Chronicle, Saturday 17 March 1917, Krischock, Photos
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87438156
Regretably the Henley and Grange Swimming Club has no idea of what happened to that Roll of Honour. It could be that it was stored in the Clubrooms but unfortunately at that time the Clubrooms were on the beach and subsequently suffered severe storm damage in which the honour board was possibly washed away. A lot of early Club history was lost in such storm damage.
Editor note:
This article written by Life Member Janine Molloy appears in the H&GHS Journal No. 44 (2023) and is reproduced here to invite members or readers to recall stories of a family member mentioned on this particular Honour Roll, Mr Perdix or have information on where it may have ended up.
Please use the H&GHS contact details or the comments field below if you have any information to share.
Hi, My name is Robert Hegarty and I lived at 427 Esplanade, Henley Beach from 1947 to the Mid 1960’s with my late older brother (Michael) and Mum – Kathleen and Dad- Patrick. Growing up in Henley, Mike and I were Members of both the ‘Henley & Grange Swimming Club’ and the ‘Henley Surf Life Saving Club’ I spent a lot of time fishing off the Jetty. Mike and I were both born at the ‘Henley Hospital’. I left Henley Beach to join the RAAF, including serving with No 2 Squadron in Vietnam. I still think fondly of growing up living at Henley Beach. Regards, Rob Hegarty FAIES