A special thing has happened to Splendour Rock as has happened to Armistice Day on 11 November at 11am every year. Each November 11 we now also remember all Australians who died in uniform in WWII (when war came close to Australia) plus all other conflicts.
Armistice Day marked the end of hostilities for WWI on the Western Front. The fighting was over while a Treaty (signed in June 1919) was eventually negotiated in Versailles. The Australian Light Horse had a kind of revenge for Gallipoli. They formed an important part in the final defeat of the Ottoman Turks during October 1918 in Palestine. The Ottoman Empire was gone. There was turmoil. Modern Turkiye was yet to form under Kemal Ataturk.
The “Great War to end all wars” was over. Yet it was not to be. Some say WWII was really WWI part II.
In February 1948 four bushwalkers cemented the Splendour Rock plaque in place. The plaque was dedicated on ANZAC Day 1948. A list of attendees (possibly 140 bushwalkers) was kept but is now lost. Equally, the newly established log book seems lost. The best we can do is the attached list of attendees I have found.
We always known the names of the thirteen bushwalkers remembered at Splendour Rock. From the book by Michael Keats and I “Splendour Rock – A Bushwalkers War Memorial” we now know that 191 bushwalkers from clubs of the then NSW Federation of Bushwalking Clubs (men & women) served in WWII.
The collection of Splendour Rock log books in the State Library of NSW is patchy. However, what stands out from the entries is a change in Splendour Rock. Splendour Rock is changing into a more comprehensive memorial. Many visitors reflect on family or friends lost in other conflicts.
In this troubled world we do need to remember John Lennon and “Give Peace a Chance”.
Keith Maxwell
Honorary Historian.
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DEDICATION 1948 – names
From the Blue Gum correspondence (via Andy Macqueen) in the State Library of NSW there are three further names – Dorothy Lawry, Gladlys Roberts and Alan Rigby.
| 1948 Dedication names | Role or Club | Evidence |
| Paddy Pallin | Unveiled memorial | |
| Stan Cottier | Federation President – CMW | Four fallen members |
| Tom Moppett | SBW President | Four fallen members |
| Brian Harvey | SBW encouraged site selection | |
| Jean Harvey | Wife (depends on children) | (like Brian she was a strong walker who also became a life member of SBW) |
| SBW member 1 | Assumption – more members could easily have been present | |
| SBW member 2 | ditto | |
| SBW member 3 | ditto | |
| Joan Morison | YHA Choir | See SR book |
| Bruce Morison | YHA Choir | See SR book |
| John Morcutt | CMW | CMW photo from 25-04-1948 |
| Ken Campagnoni | CMW (plaque installer) | CMW photo from 25-04-1948 |
| Ron Campagnoni | CMW | CMW photo from 25-04-1948 |
| Len Hall | CMW (plaque installer) | CMW photo from 25=04-1948 |
| Paul Barnes | SBW (plaque installer) | See SR book |
| Roy Gaddlin | Violinist | See SR book |
| Keith Jones | Newcastle Technical College BWC | See 2004 Bushwalker |
| Dorothy Lawry | SBW | Blue Gum correspondence |
| Gladlys Roberts | SBW | Blue Gum correspondence |
| Alan Rigby | SBW | Blue Gum correspondence |
| Denis Robinson | SUBW | email – 14 June 2024 |
| Dave Branagan | SUBW | ditto |
| Fred Doutch | SUBW | ditto |
| Mick Hammond | SUBW | ditto |
| Jack Kelly | SUBW | ditto |
| A. Dirks[1] | YMCA Ramblers | Two fallen members |
| YMCA Ramblers 1 | See GM Minutes 04-1948 | |
| YMCA Ramblers 2 | ditto | |
| YMCA Ramblers 3 | ditto | |
| ??? | Rucksack Club of Sydney | One fallen member |
| ??? | Campfire Club | One fallen member |
| ??? | Trampers Club | One fallen member |
[1] A. Dirks gave verbal report of trip of YMCA Ramblers to dedication ceremony in 1948 to YMCA Ramblers General Meeting of 27 April 1948. No number of walkers is listed so more than three YMCA Ramblers could have been present.
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