Bunbury history group seeking stories behind names on 100-year-old stained glass war memorial

Bunbury history enthusiasts are hoping to collect stories of local servicemen memorialised on a 100-year-old stained glass window in an effort to put faces to the names. Unveiled in April 1921 by the WA Governor at the time, Sir Francis Newdegate, the window details names of Bunbury’s old Wesley Church congregation members who served in World War I. After refurbishing the corroded window last year, the Bunbury Historical Society wants to connect with relatives of those honoured to discover more about them. Secretary Tyril Houghton said they wanted to find out what type of people the servicemen were, to bring attention to their experiences. “We would like to honour them and eventually write a story about the window and their experiences,” she said. Among those listed on the window is Harold Alfred Campbell, a journalist who upon returning to Australia in 1919 worked his way to become editor at The Age and was among the Australian delegation to the conference at San Francisco which drafted the charter of the United Nations. Campbell was knighted in 1957 for his services to journalism. Another name was Dardanup farmer Lewis Alexander Poad, who also returned to Australia in 1919 after serving in the Middle East for two years, but faced an unfortunate fate. While he recovered from his physical wounds, he never recovered from his mental wounds and committed suicide in 1934. Researcher Lachlan Kelly said Poad’s tragic death was a “regular post-war story” the society hoped to bring attention to. “We want to help highlight the mental health impacts of serving time at war,” Mrs Houghton said. The society hopes to organise an event with descendants and wants anyone with information about the servicemen to contact bunburyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.