Second World War inscriptions

By highlighting the background stories behind the names of the service men and women inscribed on the Cenotaph, provides an understanding of the significant contributions our veterans have made to the local area. It also provides students with a resource to explore the impact of war on families and communities. A joint project between Empire Bay Primary School and Empire Bay Progress Association, it was made possible with the support of the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Grants program, Saluting Their Service - ​https://sites.google.com/education.nsw.gov.au/ebps-community-and-remembrance/home

Alfred  Henry Chester ADAMS

Rank: Private
Service: Australian Army
NX66638
Date of birth: 28 May 1909
Place of birth: Gosford NSW
Mother: Sarah P
Enlisted 16 December 1940
Locality of enlistment: Bondi NSW
Next of kin: Ivy ADAMS
Date of discharge; 31 July 1942
Posting at discharge: 1 Reserve Motor Transport company

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Craddock  George ADAMS

Rank: Staff Sergeant
NX38663
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 12 April 1921
Place of birth: Paddington NSW
Enlisted: 14 July 1941
Locality of enlistment: Bondi NSW
Next of kin: Sarah ADAMS
Date of discharge: 20 February 1946
Posting at Discharge; 2/1 Fort Eng
Prisoner of war

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Ernest  Rockwell ADAMS

Rank: Private
N225696
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 1 July 1912
Place of birth: Gosford NSW
Mother: Sarah P
Enlisted: 12 January 1942
Locality of enlistment: Bondi Junction NSW
Next of kin: Judith ADAMS
Date of discharge: 29 June 1942
Posting at Discharge: Darwin Details Report Eastern Command


Francis Herman Rich ADAMS

Rank: Sergeant
9418
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Date of birth: 10 January 1905
Place of birth: Gosford NSW
Mother: Sarah P
Enlisted: 27 February 1940
Locality of enlistment: Waverley NSW
Next of kin: Ernestine ADAMS
Date of discharge: 24 September 1945
Posting at Discharge 2 Central Recovery Depot

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Harry John BEATIE

Rank: Leading Aircraftman
134369
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Date of birth: 7 December 1923
Place of birth: Paddington NSW
Enlisted: 25 May 1943
Locality of enlistment: Marrickville NSW
Next of kin: Clarence BEATTIE
Date of discharge: 26 September 1945 
Posting at Discharge; 17 Air Observation Post

Harry John Beattie was in the RAAF and served on Bougainville during WW2.  He lived his whole life on the family farm at Bensville and, like his father and grandfather, he was the milkman (with his sister, Clarice) for the Bensville, Empire Bay, Daley’s Point and St Huberts Island areas.  When not delivering milk, he was much sought after as a builder and handyman.  He helped to build the Empire Bay Progress Hall and built extensions to the Union Church (later All Saints Anglican Church) in Rosella Road.

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Percy  Edward COZENS

Rank: Private
NX58359
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 24 April 1912
Place of birth: Concord NSW
Mother: Emily O
Enlisted: 19 July 1940
Locality of enlistment: Bensville NSW
Next of kin: Lesley COZENS
Date of discharge: 27 February 1941
Posting at Discharge: RRDAASC


Thomas  Richard DANKS

Rank: Able Seaman
S5863
Service: Royal Australian Navy
Date of birth: 4 August 1920
Place of birth: Waterloo NSW
Enlisted: 26 January 1942
Locality of enlistment: St Peters NSW
Next of kin:  Enid DANKS
Date of discharge: 17 April 1946
Posting at Discharge; HMAS Moreton

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Garnet  Edgar DAVIS

Rank:  Private
NX22178
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 12 December 1906
Place of birth: Davistown NSW
Mother: Elizabeth
Enlisted: 28 May 1940
Locality of enlistment: Empire Bay NSW
Next of kin: Annie DAVIS
Date of discharge: 26 November 1941
Posting at Discharge: H Q Guard Battalion


William Dollamore DAVIS

Rank:  Sergeant
NX55348
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 12 April 1917
Place of birth: Reading England
Mother: Nellie
Enlisted: 28 June 1940
Locality of enlistment: Marrickville NSW
Next of kin: Oswald DAVIS
Date of discharge: 16 January 1946
Posting at Discharge: 2/3 AUST TK/A REGT SIG SECT

William (Billy) Davis, son of Oswald and Nellie, served in WWII and was a Rat of Tobruk.  He was the manager of the Gosford Co-operative Packing House and was a president of Gosford RSL.

He was an AIF Sergeant, NX55348, 2/3 Tank Attack Regiment, RAA.  He is buried in St Paul's churchyard, Kincumber with many of his relatives.
 

David  Andrew FRANCKE

Rank: Private
N286428
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 14 December 1923
Place of birth: South Kensington NSW
Enlisted: 12 February 1942
Locality of enlistment: Empire Bay NSW
Next of kin: Samuel FRANCKE
Date of discharge: 20 June 1946
Posting at Discharge 5 Works Company

 

Claude R FRANCKE

Claude R Francke is registered in BDM, 1917, with mother Elsie and father Samuel, but there is no service record.


Frederick William  FRANCKE

Rank: Private
N367211
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 18 April 1905
Place of birth: La Perouse NSW
Mother; Elsie
Enlisted: 2 June 1942
Locality of enlistment: Hurstville NSW
Next of kin: Samuel FRANCKE
Date of discharge: 25 October 1944
Posting at Discharge: 38 employment Company

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John Alexander MCDONALD

Rank: Corporal
422634
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Date of birth: 18 February 1923
Place of birth: Gosford NSW
Enlisted: 22 May 1942
Locality of enlistment: unknown
Next of kin:  Edwina MCDONALD
Date of discharge: 5 June 1946
Posting at Discharge Headquarters Eastern Area


Edward  David  MERRETT

Rank:  Private
NX9119
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 22 April 1907
Place of birth: Launceston Tasmania
Enlisted: 13 December 1939
Locality of enlistment: Woy Woy NSW
Next of kin:  Dorothy MERRETT
Date of discharge: 7 June 1943
Posting at Discharge 2/5 Australian General Hospital


Donald  Kenneth  SETTREE

Rank: Private
NX147457
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 9 August 1919
Place of birth: Cronulla NSW
Enlisted: 29 October 1942
Locality of enlistment: Woy Woy NSW
Next of kin: Betty SETTREE
Date of discharge: 1 November 1945
Posting at Discharge; 11 Aust Div Salvage

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James  Lachlan SETTREE

Rank: Sergeant
NX66655
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 6 September 1916
Place of birth: Camperdown NSW
Birth not listed as a registered with BDMs
Enlisted: 21 November 1940
Locality of enlistment: St Peters NSW
Next of kin:  Vera SETTREE
Date of discharge: 13 October 1945
Posting at Discharge; 2/102  G T COY

There are 3 other SETTREEs, with links to the area, that are do not have the same initials as those inscribed on Empire Bay war memorial: 
DANIEL JOSEPH SETTREE, Davistown
http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=313267

HECTOR SETTREE, Kincumber
http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=321876

MERVYN ALBERT MORROW SETTREE, Davistown
http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=321876

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Donald Wilkes SLATER   

Rank: Private
NX18717
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 16 November 1913
Place of birth: Tighes Hill NSW
Enlisted: 29 May 1940
Locality of enlistment: Darlinghurst NSW
Next of kin: Winifred
Date of discharge:18 October 1945
Posting at Discharge; 2/1 Pioneer Battalion

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Janie Salome WILLOUGHBY

Rank: Private
NF447180
Service: Australian Army
Date of birth: 14 February 1921
Place of birth: Tullibigeal NSW
Enlisted: 12 January 1943
Locality of enlistment: Woy Woy NSW
Next of kin: John ALLEN
Date of discharge: 7 May 1945
Posting at Discharge; 3 Ordnance Vehicle Park AAOC

A certificate of service can be generated from:

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au

​​Thank you to Mary Gray