A NEW chapter has been opened about Riverstone's involvement in World War I.
Riverstone and District Historical Society has launched a book titled Riverstone and the First World War to mark 100 years since the war started.
Co-written by members Rosemary Phillis, Shirley Seale and Ron Mason, the book pays tribute to the 22 men from the area who died in World War I, whose names are etched at the cenotaph at Riverstone train station.
It also looks at the war and the world at the time, what women were doing, and includes a guide to researching soldiers' records.
One chapter, "Dear Home Folks and Sundry", shows the war through the eyes of Riverstone teacher Ambrose Mason, who died on the Western Front and whose family kept his letters.
"Hundreds of people walk past the cenotaph each day and hopefully now they will see those soldiers as more than just names," Mrs Seale said.
"They were young men who went to war. It was originally going to be a small book, around 80 pages, but we found so much it turned out to be 260. I hope the the book inspires others to research their family history."
Ms Phillis came up with the idea of the book, which she described as "a treasure chest".
"We wanted to personalise the names on the cenotaph," she said. "Those names aren't just black letters. The letters and photos in the book are what people don't normally get to see as they're from private family collections."
The book also looked at Riverstone's involvement in the war.
"You wouldn't call Riverstone a rich community, but it did a lot of fund-raising during the war and when soldiers came home," Ms Phillis said.
"It showed how much a little community could give."
Mrs Seale is working on a book on Governor William Bligh's daughter Mary, who was given the Riverstone township as a wedding present.