Unley's Own

The City of Unley has a long relationship with the 10th/27th Battalion, The Royal South Australia Regiment, known as "Unley's own" due to the large number of residents of Unley who have served in war.

It is also the Battalion of Colonel Walter Dollman VD (Volunteer Officers Decoration or Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration) who was the Mayor of Unley during the First World War and commanded the Battalion at the landing at ANZAC Cove.

"The Roll of Honour in the Town Hall commemorates all Unley residents who served in this and subsequent world conflicts. The Honour Roll lists 1,189 men and 16 nurses from Unley who enlisted in WW1; 308 of those from Unley died in this "war to end all wars". Some 790 more were wounded, leaving the City of Unley with a casualty list of 1,100, all from a population of about 29,000 in 1915. Few families in Unley remained untouched or exempt from this toll".

The 10th/27th Battalion, The Royal South Australia Regiment have previously been granted the Freedom of the City where their rights and privileges to "pass through the City of Unley with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and colours flying.

Information for this article has been taken from Dolly's Dinkum Diggers written by Colonel Dollman's Grandson, Chris Colyer.