The Karuah community has a long history of supporting the men and women who have fought to defend their town and nation.
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Before some of the men who enlisted to fight in World War I, no matter if they were of European or Aboriginal decent, had returned home the community had built a memorial to them.
Honouring their servicemen and women is a community tradition that still stands today, as recent additions to Karuah’s war memorial attest.
Last week, Karuah RSL Sub-Branch worked to add six new plaques to the town’s war memorial.
The brass plaques recognise the three Australian Defence Force services (Army, Navy and Air Force), peacekeeping efforts, the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
“This gives it [memorial] a bit more reverence,” sub-branch president Peter Fidden said.
“We’ve wanted to add plaques covering the most recent conflicts for some time, but haven’t had the room for it.”
A donation from Maureen Williams, wife of Snowy “Bill” Williams of the 2/9th Calvary Commando Regiment, helped the sub-branch build two walls at the memorial.
The walls are dedicated to Mr Williams.
The plaques were bought with a federal government Saluting Their Service grant.
They were fixed to the wall last week during a sunny period with help from Peter Aylife, director of the Karuah and District RSL Club.
During WWI the community held “big functions” to send each man off to war and to welcome them home, historian Benita Parker said.
“There was a lot of town involvement,” Mrs Parker, from Karuah History Group, said.
“War seemed to be one of the things that really brought the town together.
“It didn’t matter if you were black or white, you were sent off and welcomed back home.”
Mrs Parker and the history group spent two years researching the town’s WWI history and the lives of the men from Karuah and surrounds such as Swan Bay and Limeburners Creek who enlisted.
Of the 24 names etched on Karuah’s war memorial, 11 are described as having a “dark complexion” or being Aboriginal.
There are a further 22 men from the district that are not listed on the memorial. Half were described as having a “dark complexion”.
Of the 46 men from Karuah and surrounds that went to war, eight were killed in action.
Residents can see the new memorial additions during Anzac Day commemorations this year.
The dawn service march will start at 5.50am outside Tony King’s garage on the old Pacific Highway then proceed to Memorial Park for dawn service at 6am.
Following this, a service breakfast will be served in the RSL club.
At 9am a service will be held at the Memorial Wall outside the club.
Karuah Anzac Day 2017 program:
■ 5.50am: Assemble at Tony King's garage, old Pacific Highway, and march to war memorial located in Memorial Park.
■ 6am: Dawn service at Memorial Park.
■ 7am: Breakfast will follow at Karuah RSL for all participants.
■ 9am: Main service will be conducted at the Memorial Wall at the entrance to the Karuah RSL.