Lieutenant Rodney Vernon FranklinPrint Page

The plaque commemorates Lieutenant Rodney Vernon Franklin who was killed in an aircraft accident in June 1917 during World War One.  He was killed when his Martinsyde aircraft S.1, 4250, crashed after failing to recover from a spin.

An impressive unveiling memorial took place in St. George's Church, Gawler, on Sunday afternoon, when Lieut.-Col. Price-Weir removed the draping that covered a marble tablet erected to the memory of Lieut. R. V. Franklin, who was killed on active service. The memorial is in black marble framed with stained oak with gilt letters, the inscription being "Erected to the memory of Rodney Vernon Franklin, Lieutenant Royal Flying Corps killed on active service in Egypt, June 24, 1917. An Anzac and Croix de Guerre. Be ye also ready." 

The Colonel spoke of the military career of the deceased. Lieut. Franklin was one who had proved ready at the call, and had sacrificed his life that friends might be protected. He had gone away as a private, and was in the memorable landing of the Anzacs, and afterwards was one of the six selected by the authorities from the 10th Battalion to receive commissions. The Rev. S. T. C. Best also made a short address, pointing out that the monument was a tribute to one who had done his duty. The tablet should also prove an incentive to others to do all in their power to assist in the war, and that if unable to go away and fight, there were other means of assisting the congregation was large.

As the deceased was formerly connected with the Boy Scout movement, the local detachment paraded and attended as a tribute of honour to their fallen friend. Special hymns were sung, including the hymn for the Flying Corps, "Thine eyes survey the earth, Thine eyes the surging spaces of the deep."  A special collection was taken up to aid the Church of England Fund for Soldiers Overseas. The deceased was in the employ of Messrs. Martin & Co., Ltd., at the time of his enlistment. His father is now the Station Master at the Gawler Railway Station.
Bunyip (Gawler, SA ), 9 August 1918.

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