The RW Deputy Grand Master is leading a project to research and record the names of all Queensland Freemasons who have lost their lives serving Australia at war. With the 100th Anniversary of ANZAC approaching the focus has been on WWI.
Lodge St George was formed in 1915 and did not grow significantly till after the First World War. In checking through our original minute books from that time I found that whilst we had Brethren who served, luckily none died.
Until today I had given up hope of finding out much about WWII as our minute books for those years were lost in the 1974 floods. However as secretary I have our original Roll Book from 1915 onwards and remembered that some past secretaries had made notations about members who had resigned or died. I spent a few hours going through that today and discovered that in our 100 years we have had (thankfully) only one Brother who has made the ultimate sacrifice.
His name will be include on the Masonic Roll of Honour.
James Oliver Hosier was born in Richmond Qld in 1914 and was initiated into our lodge as a 26 year old tram conductor in 1940. A few months later he enlisted in the AIF and then took his Third Degree. He served in the 2/12 Battalion. He rose to the rank of sergeant and was killed in action in New Guinea on 9 January 1943.
Vale Brother James.
I found a summary of his record online this evening:
Also his place on the Roll of Honour at the Australia War Memorial.
James is buried in the Bomana War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea. This cemetery, which was commenced in 1942 by the Army lies 19 kilometres north of Port Moresby on the road to Nine Mile, and is approached from the main road by a short side road called Pilgrims Way.
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