Gidleigh Station Memorial TreesPrint Page

Flowering chestnut trees commemorate the men from the station who served, and those who died in World War One. The pink flowering trees commemorate those who returned, and the white flowering ones commemorate those who died in service or were killed in action. 

We have already recorded the planting at Gidleigh on June 27 of a row of trees as a memorial to the men who enlisted from that station. Following are the names of the soldiers:  - Lieut-Colonel T. F. Rutledge, Lieutenant H. F. (Pat) Rutledge (killed in action), Sergeant A. C. Taylor, Lance-Corporal J.T. Flynn, (M.M), Trooper W. J. McKay (died on Gallipoli), Trooper J.O. McKay (killed in action), Privates E.R. Flynn, J.T. Flynn, Trooper W.J Wark, Privates A.H. Donnelly, H. Harrison, S. McFadzean, W.C. Bootes and S. Parker.

A brass plaque is attached to each tree. The trees are flowering chestnuts – pink for the men who came back, double white for the three who died – and should do well in the alluvial flat along the main road through Gidleigh, where their growth will be watched with interest. At the head of the row is a brass plaque with the inscription: - “Lest we Forget”. These trees are planted as a memorial to the men who volunteered from Gidleigh to take their part in the Great War. “God gave them a hard thing to do and they did it”.

We hear that Mrs. Rutledge has received a communication from the War office saying that in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatch of November 8th Lieut.-Colonel Rutledge’s name was mentioned for conspicuous service during the war, for the second time.'
Extract from “Queanbeyan Age and Queanbeyan Observer ,
4th July, 1919
The Soldier's Memorial Trees at Gidleigh from the Goulburn Post
5 July, 1919:

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