In the Georges River area, this remembrance carries a deeply local meaning. This year, flags displayed across the region will honour several individuals whose lives and service remain part of our local story.
These flags do more than mark a National Day of Remembrance. They bring history into the streets where these individuals once lived, worked, and built their lives.
Among those honoured is Frank Derwent Thompson of Oatley. Born in 1891, Thompson attended Mortdale Public School and Kogarah Superior Public School before working as an electrician.
In 1915 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and joined the 19th Battalion. After serving overseas for two years, Thompson died in France in February 1917 at only 26 years of age. His bravery and service were later recognised with the Military Medal and the Bronze Medal for Valour.
Private Frank Thompson
Another powerful story belongs to Lieutenant John Patrick Hamilton, who lived in Penshurst before the First World War.
Hamilton worked as a butcher in his father’s shop before enlisting in the very first contingent of Australian forces sent to war. At just 19 years of age he performed acts of exceptional courage during the Battle of Lone Pine at Gallipoli.
His actions under heavy enemy attack earned him the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour awarded for bravery.
The flags will also recognise Major General Arthur Samuel “Tubby” Allen, who grew up in Hurstville. Allen served in both the First and Second World Wars and rose through the ranks to become a senior commander.
His leadership saw Australian troops through some of the most difficult campaigns of the era, including battles in France during World War I and the defence of Port Moresby during World War II.
Service to the nation was not limited to the battlefield.
Lieutenant John Patrick Hamilton VC
Clara Jane Shumack represents the courage and dedication of Australia’s military nurses. After training and working at St George Hospital, Shumack joined the Army nursing service and served as matron aboard the hospital ship Manunda.
During the bombing of Darwin in 1942, she remained calm under attack and directed the treatment of injured personnel. Her devotion to duty later earned her the Royal Red Cross.
Matron Clara Jane Shumack
The story of Tom Williams adds another important chapter to the region’s history.
A Kamilaraay man who later lived in the Peakhurst area, Williams enlisted during World War I and served in the Middle East as a driver with the Australian forces.
After the war he returned to the Georges River area, where he became part of the Salt Pan Creek community, a place of refuge and cultural strength for Aboriginal families during the 1930s.
Private Thomas Williams
Each of these stories reflects courage, determination, and service. They also remind us that history lives close to home.
By displaying these flags throughout the Georges River area, Council helps ensure these lives are not reduced to distant history. Instead, they remain visible within the community they once called home.
As residents and visitors walk past these flags in the lead up to ANZAC Day, they will see more than faces. They will see locals from another time, people whose choices shaped both the local community and the nation.
It is through these personal connections that remembrance continues to carry meaning for future generations.
You can learn more about the history of Georges River by viewing extensive collections accessible at Georges River Libraries.
Major General Arthur Samuel Allen
