As the clock tower at Young’s Town Hall stands watch over the town, it serves as a lasting tribute to those who served — and a reminder of the people who made that tribute possible.

In the stillness of the ANZAC Day dawn service In Young, as the first light touches the memorial tower and clock, the presence of that history feels close — almost tangible.

Among those whose efforts helped bring that tribute into being was Roger Octavius Breden, a man whose contribution to the Young community extended well beyond his role as a bank manager.

During and after World War I, Breden became known for his tireless efforts supporting local families whose loved ones had gone to war, while also playing a key role in bringing the town’s soldiers’ memorial to life.

As honorary treasurer of the Young Town Hall Soldiers’ Memorial Committee, he worked to help raise the funds needed to construct the memorial tower and clock — an addition to the municipal building that remains one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks.

The decision to create the memorial was made in 1920, with the community choosing to incorporate a tower and clock into the Town Hall rather than build a separate monument. Foundation stones were laid in 1922, and the completed memorial was officially unveiled in 1924.

It was a true community effort — funded through donations, local contributions and the dedication of people like Breden who gave their time and energy to ensure it was realised.

His commitment did not go unnoticed.

Following his death in 1930, a plaque was placed in the Council Chambers recognising his “untiring efforts on behalf of the families who went to the front” and his work raising funds for the memorial tower and clock.

That plaque, along with another honouring fellow committee member Laura Metcalfe, is now preserved by the Young Historical Society and displayed at the local museum.

Breden’s life reflected a deep involvement in the Young community. After transferring to the Commercial Bank branch in 1908, he quickly became part of local life — supporting the Methodist Church, serving on committees including the School of Arts, Burrangong District Hospital and the Young Pastoral and Agricultural Association, and contributing to local organisations and institutions.

But it is his role in helping create a lasting tribute to those who served that continues to connect his story to the community today.

The Young Town Hall building, with its memorial tower and clock, is not just a piece of architecture — it is a symbol of remembrance built into the everyday life of the town.

And each year, in the quiet light of dawn, that remembrance returns — steady, present, and shared.

Local history courtesy of the Young Museum