As a memorial to those who fought and died in the Great War, the parishioners of St. John's, Colac renovated the chancel of their church and set up two Honour Rolls, one commemorating the 136 men and 4 nurses who enlisted from the parish, and another in honour of the 32 who 'paid the supreme sacrifice'.
The stained glass memorial window was commissioned by the surviving children of John and Margaret Meredith, Annie Frances T and her younger brother, the Rev. Charles W Meredith. The Rev. Canon Davison wrote to stained glass artist William Montgomery in May 1919 suggesting the subject of St. George for a memorial window in the church. Montgomery sent the sketch on 24 May and estimated the price to be £65. St. George,was usually a lone figure in any commemorative window and here represented soldier Bejamin Meredith. An account for £74 was issued on 1 September 1920, a cost that reflects the more complex nature of the final design, with three figures and a lengthy inscription. The badge of the Australian Commonwealth Forces was placed prominently above the lengthy inscription.
On 31 August 1914, 32 year-old grazier Benjamin Peter George Meredith, enlisted in the 4 Australian Light Horse and went to Gallipoli via Egypt but was invalided out to England with enteric fever in September. He returned to Egypt in July 1916 where he undertook several postings before his promotion to 2nd Lieutenant in his old regiment, and then to Lieutenant in June 1917. After further officer training he returned to 4 Light Horse on the 19 August 1917 and was killed in action at Beersheba on 31 October 1917. Lieutenant Meredith was buried by Chaplain Dunbar on 1 November 1917 and his name recorded at Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; AWM Image No. P00133.001; NAA: B2455 Meredith, Benjamin; 'Diamond Jubilee St. John's Colac 1870-1930', [1930]; Montgomery Letterbooks 1/893 NGA Research Collection, Canberra. Folio 146, Montgomery ledger William Montgomery Collection State Library of Victoria.
