In November 1953, Mr. LG Martin ordered a window from Mathieson & Gibson, a firm which had closed by that time and the order was passed on to Brooks, Robinson & Co. by one of its principals, William Mathieson. Measuring approximately 84 x 54 inches, the window was to be installed in time for a dedication ceremony on Anzac Day the following year. The figure of Christ was taken from a Mathieson & Gibson cartoon and staff at Brooks, Robinson & Co. drew up other figures for the base and background and images of the Army, Navy and Air Force badges on rice paper. Texts taken from the Book of Samuel were not commonly used, but the same text was used for a commemorative window at the Armadale Baptist Chuch in 1920.
Of all the men who enlisted from the church, George Nicholes was the oldest, a motor mechanic aged 40 years who was married with two daughters. He sailed on the Ulysses from Melbourne towards the end of October 1916 with 38 Battalion, landing at Plymouth on 28 December 1916. After further training, a short stint in hospital with rheumatism and a transfer from 66 Battalion, Private Nicholes joined 38 Battalion in the field on 2 September 1917. Little more than one month later, on 13 October, he was reported missing in action during the battle of Passendaele. He was buried by 2 Battalion Royal Lancashire Regiment and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
One of the young men listed among those who lost their lives in the Second World War was William Joseph Lea, Flight Sergeant on a Stirling bomber that took off from RAF Wigley on a non-operational night exercise in England. Four of the eight man crew were killed when the aircraft crashed near Nottingham after an engine failed and the pilot failed to bring bring it in on the remaining three engines. The four RAAF servicemen killed were all buried in Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, England.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B2455, Nicholes George; NAA: A705, 166/24/451; Brooks, Robinson & Co. job books (1923-c.1966); http://www.awm.gov.au/catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z023_1.pdf
With thanks to Cynthia and Les for access to the church
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