Roll of Honor
The St Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church (High Street Penrith) Roll of Honor was unveiled on Sunday 12 August 1917. The Honor Roll contained the list of the Catholic men from the parish who were serving or who had been killed during the war.
The unveiling ceremony was performed by Father Ryan. In a speech to the congregation, Mr M Dolahenty, explained that it had been decided to erect a suitable memorial in memory of the men of the parish who had gone forth to battle the enemy. Around 30 men from the parish had already enlisted, with several killed in the line of duty. He also referred to public statements made in the Penrith district about the disloyalty of Catholics, adding that ‘these people would see their error when they noted the names of 30 staunch Catholics on the roll of honor’. He further added that if “nominal Catholics” were added to the list, many more names would appear.
After the blessing, the roll was unveiled by Father Ryan, who eulogised the men whose names appeared on the tablet for their brave sacrifice. “Although not a conscriptionist, he gloried in the man who acknowledges his duty to go and fight, and does so voluntarily. The Catholic boys have gone forth provided, and provided well, with the one thing most essential for a soldier to possess, and that was faith – a strong faith in the cause he was fighting in, and a strong faith in the Almighty God, who does all things in His own wise way, and when He sees fit will bring this dreadful scourge to a finality.”
The roll of honor, made by Messrs Murray Bros of Parramatta, was constructed of polished oak, neatly pannelled with fluted columns, moulded base, and neatly moulded canopy, surmounted by a Celtic Cross. The words “In Memory of Men Who Enlisted for Active Service”, and, “Pray for them” were written in gold letter on the tablet.
The honor roll contained their surname and initial(s). The full names (when known) of these men are now listed below.
| C. Brown | E. Lack |
| W. J. Burnett | Vincent Lahood |
| Austin Joseph Burke [Bourke] | Louis William Alexander Le Breton |
| T. Brett | James Francis McBride |
| W. Crothers | J. Mason |
| James Dolahenty | # * Robert James Perrau |
| W. Fowler | W. Potter |
| C. Fowler | D. Power |
| Patrick Flannery | John Reddan |
| * George Henry Giddy | Basil Reddan |
| George Hughes | N. Smith |
| * Luke Hughes | F. Smith |
| * Francis Henry Haylen | Harold Leslie Gray Stieme |
| P. Lane | Roy Bede Young |
| Leo Kearey | J. Stinson |
| * Octavius Kenneth Bloomfield | Lance Reid Bloomfield |
| L. T. Masters | C.E Andrews |
* Denotes Killed in Action
# Listed as R. Perran
Source: “Unveiling Roll of Honor”, Nepean Times 18 August 1917, p4 c5