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In 1911 the Federal House of Representatives made a decision to build its proposed Royal Australian Naval College on the annexed Australian Capital Territory land at Jervis Bay. Construction of the new naval college buildings at Jervis Bay began in July 1913 however the Royal Australian Naval College was officially opened on 13 March 1913 at its’ temporary location in Geelong by Prime Minister Andrew Fisher and Governor General Lord Thomas Denman. Vice Admiral Sir William Creswell, commonly considered to be the ‘father’ of the Royal Australian Navy was also in attendance. The Jervis Bay construction site attracted both local and out of area men due to the new employment opportunities for labourers and carpenters.
World War I
Construction on what was to become known as HMAS Creswell continued throughout 1914-1915 and the college moved to the Jervis Bay site in July 1915. The first naval officers to complete the full college course passed out on 12 December 1916 and many of the new naval officers were soon deployed in wartime roles on naval vessels overseas.
In 1915 the Waratahs Recruiting March led by Captain Ernest Blow of Kiama formed and were farewelled from the Nowra Post Office on 30 November, 1915 by a crowd of approximately 2000 people as they began their walk to Sydney. The Waratahs marched to the Domain in Sydney, arriving on 17 December 1915 with almost 100 men who enlisted at numerous towns along the way.
Of the many men from the local area who had joined the march, five workers were from Huskisson and Jervis Bay. Many of these men worked at the Huskisson shipyard and timber mill. Private Donald Black was working as a Surveyor’s Assistant.
Another three local men enlisted in 1916. Most of the Huskisson men returned home but sadly brothers Donald and William Black were killed in action.
The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL Australia) was formed in 1916 in response to the lack of a unified approach to the organisation of repatriation facilities and medical services for those returning from the Great War (WW1). New South Wales was admitted to the League in 1917.
During the period 1919 to 1939, the RSSILA was recognised as the appropriate body to represent the interests of returned Australian service personnel.
In February 1922 Huskisson’s returned servicemen were honoured alongside their fallen comrades when an Honour Roll in the form of a copper plaque was erected at the Huskisson School of Arts building. Along with the names of the eight WWI enlistees are the words ‘Men Who Served the Empire in the Great War’.
Seven of the eight men listed on the Huskisson Honour Roll can also be found on the Nowra War Memorial WWI Honour Roll.
Private Cyril Claude BATTYE – 5283
Born: 1891 at Albury.
Enlisted at Nowra 25 November 1915. Unit 1st Australian Infantry Battalion.
Served in France. Discharged 16 April 1918.
Private Donald Mervyn BLACK – 5652
Born 1892 at Merimbula.
Enlisted at Nowra 26 November 1915. Unit 1st Australian Infantry Battalion.
Served in France. Killed in Action 5 November 1916 at Flers, France.
Private William Morton BLACK – 6358
Born 4 February 1894 at Merimbula.
Enlisted at Nowra 26 November 1915. Unit 1st Australian Infantry Battalion.
Served in France. Received gunshot wound to head and arm 4 October 1917.
Killed in Action 13 April 1918 at Hazebrouck sector, France.
Driver Henry RAWLINSON 5212
Born 1892 at Paddington.
Enlisted at Nowra 11 October 1915 and reenlisted at Liverpool on 22 December 1915.
Unit 1st Australian Infantry Battalion.
Served in France. Received gunshot wound to back on 30 September 1916.
Discharged 28 August 1919.
Private Carl Magnus Thorston SYNNERDAHL 5231
Born 1894 at Hobart.
Enlisted at Nowra 25 November 1915. Units 1st Australian Infantry Battalion and 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion.
Served in France.
Discharged 5 May 1919.
Lance Corporal James KENNEDY 6546
Born 1895 at Nowra.
Enlisted on 15 May 1916. Units 13th Battalion and 21st Reinforcement.
Served on the Western Front.
Wounded in September, 1918 resulting in double amputation of his lower legs.
Returned to Australian in June 1919.
Lance Corporal David Earl LYNCH
Born 1885 at Moruya.
Enlisted at Liverpool on 10 January 1916. Unit 3rd Pioneer Battalion.
Served in France.
Returned to the Shoalhaven on 3 July 1919.
C LAWLESS
No formal records can be found however it is presumed that Charlie Lawless may have enlisted under another name as he was well known and referenced in numerous public forums including local newspapers as serving overseas during WWI.
In 1939 WWII broke out and various Army and Navy Units were established across the Shoalhaven. Boats of up to 20 metres in length were built for the Australian Army at the Huskisson shipyards and were utilised in New Guinea.
In 1940, the name of the RSSILA was changed to reflect the increased number of aircraft being used by defence forces and the RSS & AILA became the name of the organisation. This stood for Returned Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Imperial League of Australia.
While many of Huskisson’s WWI diggers were itinerant workers, many of the servicemen listed on the WWII Honour Roll had longstanding links to or were born in the local area.
Bill (Ronald Marshall) Williams and Bob (A. A.) Martin were the first locals to enlist in December 1940 and were presented by the town’s people with a gold watch at their farewell held at Huskisson School of Arts.
Seven local brothers known as the Guppy boys also enlisted with one joining the RAAF, five joining the Army and one discharged due to ill health. All brothers returned home at the end of the war to a very thankful mother.
The Huskisson R.S.L. was born on 7 June 1947 by fourteen veterans of both the First and Second World War who had both a wish and a need to share their wartime experiences with likeminded men. These men became the first Huskisson R.S.L. members.
The first meeting of this group was held at Cecil House in Hawke Street Huskisson and were held every Monday night thereafter. The Charter for the Huskisson R.S.L. Sub-Branch was issued on 29 June 1947 so the men moved rapidly to obtain their charter after their first meeting.”
During the early years of 1948/49, the meetings continued to be held weekly at Cecil House, which was owned by the founding President Mr Aub Rees, along with the Huskisson Hotel and land to the west up to Currambene Street.
Aub Rees generously donated land to the Huskisson R.S.L. at no cost to enable them to build a clubhouse which was urgently needed to hold meetings, social events, and to raise monies for future developments.
During the formative years, many businesses donated goods to the sub-Branch for raffles. Aub Rees very generously donated one dozen bottles of beer every week for a raffle prize, at a time when beer was in very short supply.
The first clubhouse was built on the waterfront in 1949 with a small rock pool serving as a swimming pool. The foundations were laid by the members and the building was put up by local builder Mick Henkel who donated his services free of charge. Many other businesses were recognised in a plaque for rendering services in connection with the erection of the memorial hall including local businessmen E. M. Davis, A Settree and C. Donelly.
This history comes from a speech Barry Edwards gave in 2012 at a dinner to mark the 65th Anniversary of the Huskisson R.S.L. Sub-Branch.
As membership of the Huskisson RSL sub-Branch grew it became apparent that the original small weatherboard club house was inadequate to host social events for the growing numbers of members. In 1957 Huskisson RSL became a registered licensed Club becoming very popular with members and visitors. In 1958 the sub-Branch purchased the land on which Club Jervis Bay stands today and in 1960 construction of a new and large brick building commenced with the official opening on 4 February 1961. Note: Further extensions were completed in 1977.
Voyager Disaster links to information and later establishment of Voyager Memorial Park.
The organisation became known as the Returned and Services League. This modification reflected the encompassing of all personnel who enlisted to serve the nation, whether that service was undertaken in Australia or overseas.
on the 18th June 1998 the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Jervis Bay Branch of Vietnam was formed.
Sale of club.
Voyager War Memorial Park – new monument
Celebrated 75 years in 2022. Auxiliary will celebrate their 75th in 2024.
