Next of Kin plaque: Private Randolph Alfred Lassau, 18 Battalion, AIF

Bronze next of kin plaque, showing on the obverse, Britannia holding a laurel wreath, the British lion, dolphins, a spray of oak leaves and the words 'HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR' around the edge. Beneath the main figures, the British lion defeats the German eagle. The initials 'ECP', for the designer Edward Carter Preston appear above the lion's right forepaw. A raised rectangle above the lion's head bears the name 'RANDOLPH ALFRED LASSAU'.

Next of kin plaque issued to the family of 5818 Private Randolph Alfred Lassau, of Lidcombe, NSW, the eldest son of Randolph and Emily Lassau of Beatrice Street, Lidcombe. Aged 26 when he enlisted on 8 May 1916, he described his occupation as musician, a fact confirmed by a report in The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate issue of 19 October 1918 (p10), which notes that Randolph “was well-known and much respected. The family is well known for its musical ability and the deceased, besides being conductor of the Lidcombe String Orchestra, was a member of the Granville Brotherhood Orchestra.” The Lassau family consisted of three brothers and three sisters, most of whom played at least one instrument;, their mother Emily was a singer.

The family hosted a farewell concert for Rudolph at the Lidcombe Assembly Hall on 30 September 1916 with the Lidcombe String Orchestra as entertainment. Mr Troy Lassau (a cousin) “presented the guest of the evening with … a wristlet watch, pipe and tobacco, wallet, knitted socks, handkerchiefs, housewife, single set of cutlery in a case, Balaclava cap, fountain-pen, cigarette case, and a solid silver match-box.” Throughout the war, the Granville Brotherhood Orchestra lent their skills to supporting patriotic activities, lectures, fundraising events and, later, commemoration. They were established in 1909.

He trained as a signaller and was assigned to the 18th Battalion which he joined at Fricourt Camp in France on 31 March 1917. Five weeks later, on 3 May, he was listed missing in action on the first day of the second Battle of Bullecourt, but was not confirmed dead until December of that year.
His mother wrote in August 1918 asking for any item “that he had with him when going into battle; surely something was found to prove his death however small.” She continued “I also want to ask if you can inform me should a soldier become demented or lose his memory are his parents notified? Is there any place where one can find out such thing?” The army replied that of course they would notify them. In 1918 his effects were sent – a Testament – and, in 1921, the army forwarded to his mother one of his identity discs.

Lassau's body was eventually recovered and he was reinterred at the Queant Road Cemetery. He is also commemorated, along with his brother Harold, on a separate plaque at St Stephen's Anglican Church, Lidcombe.

His younger brother, 11257 Driver Clarence Lassau, enlisted, aged 20, on 11 November 1915. He was a blacksmith in the last year of his apprenticeship. He served in France with the 24th Company (later 3rd Company) Army Service Corps and although he was declared unfit for service in 1917 with acute rheumatism, he survived and returned to Australia.

Harold’s youngest brother, 6776 Private Harold Edward Lassau served with the 2nd Battalion. He was also a musician and was killed on 23 August 1918 at Proyart.

Their father, Mr Randolph Lassau left for England on 9 November 1917 to make munitions, leaving Emily, his wife to deal with the deaths of her two sons alone, though she had support of her three daughters. He did not return until 1919.

This next-of-kin plaque was issued to Mr Randolph Lassau (Randolph Alfred Lassau's father) in August 1922.