John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate notes:

(a) on 12 January 1916, the people of Inverell, New South Wales, lined the town's streets to farewell a group of 114 men who were answering the call to serve their country following terrible losses at Gallipoli in World War I;

(b) the body of men became known as the 'Kurrajongs', and at the time was the single largest group of men to leave a New South Wales country town together for war;

(c) in 1918 Inverell was presented with the New South Wales Governor's Shield for attaining the highest number of recruits per head of population during a specific recruiting campaign in May and June of that year;

(d) that among the 114 Kurrajongs was Private Alan Mather who was killed in action and whose remains were discovered in Belgium in 2008 and were buried at Prowse Point Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in 2010 with full military honours;

(e) on 10 January 2016, Inverell will host the re-enactment of the Kurrajongs march;

(f) on 12 January 2016, Inverell will host a commemorative service, and the re enactment of the presentation of the New South Wales Governor's Shield; and

(g) the Re enactment Committee thanks the Australian Government and the former Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC, Senator Ronaldson, for the support and funding of the events.

Question agreed to.