ON June 15, 1921, one of Australia's best-known military leaders of the time, General Sir Henry George (Harry) Chauvel, stood in the just-built Newcastle Club on The Hill and officially dedicated a World War One honour roll.
Exactly a century on, Australia's best-known modern-day military leader, General Sir Peter Cosgrove, stood in that same room to rededicate the honour roll.
Not that the former governor-general, ex-Chief of Defence Force and 2001 Australian of the Year viewed this as history repeating.
"I think it's history reflecting on itself," Sir Peter told the Newcastle Herald before the ceremony. "I think we're holding up a mirror of the past to the present."
The walls in this room are mirror-like, their wooden panels gleaming. However, that is not what Sir Peter saw as he looked around, noting "the walls speak to you".
For the walls now carry plaques telling the stories behind each of the names of the 33 club members and five staff listed on the roll. These were the people who signed up when World War One broke out in 1914. Six of those died during the war.
Their names may not be etched into the main roll, but many more are honoured and listed in this room, for in the course of World War One, about 150 Newcastle Club members signed up. About 400 members enlisted during World War Two.
To underscore the significance of this room, it has been given a new name: Anzac Lounge.
As Sir Peter told the gathering of about 120 at the Tuesday night ceremony and dinner, the honour roll also spoke volumes about the club and its members around that time.
"It speaks about a group of Australians who understood the gravity, the dignity, the extent of the service and sacrifice, not only of those members who gave their lives, listed on the roll, but of so many other Australians listed in places in Australia, and in far-off graveyards and on distant war memorials," Sir Peter said.
In preparing for the rededication ceremony, Newcastle Club CEO and Secretary Ian Baker had spent months fossicking through the archives.
He uncovered pieces of history surrounding the original honour roll dedication, including correspondence signed by General Sir Harry Chauvel, who was renowned for the charge of the Australian Light Horse soldiers at the capture of Beersheba in 1917.
Mr Baker said a century on from the original ceremony, it was appropriate to have General Sir Peter Cosgrove rededicate the honour roll and unveil the Anzac Lounge.
"Because of the status of the person who unveiled it 100 years ago, we needed to get one of the greatest modern-day generals to rededicate it," Mr Baker said.
Sir Peter said he was honoured to have been asked. Having had three postings in the Hunter during his military career, he feels a strong connection to the region and Newcastle, which he described as "such a wonderful city".
"Even with my vestigal links through several postings, I'm comfortable in this city, I like the people of this city, and I've been led to believe I'm accepted here," Sir Peter said.
"Therefore, I feel like I'm an honorary Novocastrian, especially when I stand in the same place that Harry Chauvel [stood]."
Read more: General Sir Peter Cosgrove talks in the Hunter about his memoir
