Zeehan Municipality Roll of HonourPrint Page

The wooden roll of honour commemorates those from the Zeehan Municipality who served in World War One.

Zeehan was second to none among the municipalities of the State in its response to the call for men when the World War was raging, and yet it is probably the only town of importance in the State where the municipal honor roll has not been officially unveiled. This fact is accounted for by several reasons. No time was lost at the conclusion of the war in taking steps to secure a suitable board on which to inscribe the names of those men who enlisted from Zeehan. According to a statement made to an "Advocate" representative yesterday, a certain amount of disagreement arose as to certain details in connection with the erection and inscription of the memorial, and as a result the board, which had arrived from Hobart in a large case, was stored in a building at the rear of the Council Chambers for the time being.

The building was destroyed by fire, and it was generally thought that the honor board had been burned also. Such, however, was not the case. Someone had rescued it from the burning building, and it was placed on the premises of a resident nearby. Time went on, and the honor board was heard of no more until the resident referred to decided to move on, and when he "shifted" the case, still unopened, was returned to the municipal offices. Some time ago it was decided to take the board from its case, but the names of those who had enlisted had to be secured and properly listed before the inscription could be proceeded with. Advantage was taken of the presence in the town of an artist from the North-West Coast, and his services were secured for the work of placing the names on the memorial.

It is doubtful whether there is an other honor board in the State more attractive and handsomo than that at Zeehan. It is of polished blackwood, with carved pillars on either side of the same material, the latter representing tree trunks, while representations of gum boughs, delicately turned, adorn the upper portion. The board measures 7 ft. 3 in. by 8 ft. 3 in., and bears the names of 209 soldiers. The names of those who returned are inscribed in double rows on each side, while a raised panel in the centre bears the names of 40 who made the supreme sacrifice. Warden Thomas has been largely instrumental in having this handsome war memorial to Zeehan's soldiers taken from the case in which it has reposed for some 13 years, and in having it completed. It is the intention to have the unveiling ceremony performed on Armistice Day. 
Advocate (Burnie, Tas.), 17 September 1932.

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