Another Farewell

At the Inverell railway station on Tuesday 28 March 1916 there was another send off for twenty district volunteers.  They were photographed by Mr. H.A. Robertson and the Austral Band played ‘patriotic selections’ as final goodbyes were made.

The previous night these men marched from the Orderly room to the Town Hall for a formal farewell function conducted by the Mayor, Ald. G.B. Ring. After the usual spirited speeches and some musical items, Private Robertson spoke on behalf of the volunteers, thanking the community for their kindness.

The Inverell Times newspaper 28 March 1916 recorded the following names of volunteers in this group:- Charles Harold Harris, Hubert H. Robertson, Hector Cook, Alfred J. Taylor, Thomas Lowrey, William V. Wright, Alex Sutherland, J. T. Ryan, L. Nesbitt, H.G. Tonkin, W.S. P. Morris, S.B. Hanley, G. W Anderson, C. H Stevens, W.J. Morris, K. M. McLeod, W.C. Buxton, A. E. Buxton, S.R. Honey and T. Burke. On their way to the Narrabri camp they were joined at Warialda by Thomas H. Jones, Charles C McCusker, Dorsay Riley and William E Walters and at Gravesend by Nathaniel Bartlett, Athol, Henry and Lloyd Gainey. Service records for Ryan and Stevens have not been located.

Although not referred to as being Kurrajongs, these men were part of the same recruiting campaign and some were relatives of Kurrajong men.