Next of kin plaque: Private Harold Edward Lassau, 2nd 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 'HAROLD EDWARD LASSAU'.

Next of kin plaque issued to the family 6776 Private Harold Edward Lassau, the middle son of Randolph and Emily Lassau of Beatrice Street, Lidcombe who enlisted on 4 September 1916, aged 20, citing his profession as “musician”. The Lassau family of three brothers and three sisters was well known locally for its musical ability and The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate issue of 19 October 1918 (p 10) noted that he “played the violin in the string orchestra, of which his elder brother was conductor. He was also a member of the Granville Brotherhood Orchestra.”

After arriving in England in early January 1917, he was transferred to France on 20 April and joined the 2nd Battalion in the field; on 1 September 1917 he contracted trench fever and was evacuated back to England, and did not rejoin his battalion until 2 February 1918. He was killed in action during the battalion’s advance in the Proyart Valley on 23 August when a shell landed close by, killing him instantly.

The battalion’s war diary notes that although the German artillery fire was heavy, the supporting fire from their own artillery was falling short and killed a number of men. Amongst the personnel effects sent back to his parents were ‘two violin strings’ and this identity disc. He was reinterred at Heath Cemetery at Harbonnieres; and is commemorated, along with his brother Randolph, on a separate plaque at St Stephen's Anglican Church, Lidcombe.

This plaque was delivered to his family in 1923.

His elder 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 eldest brother, 5818 Private Randolph Alfred Lassau served with the 18th Battalion. He was also a musician and was killed at the second Battle of Bullecourt on 3 May 1917.

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.

Throughout the war, the Granville Brotherhood Orchestra lent their skills to supporting patriotic activities, fundraising events and, later, commemoration.