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Local artist and stone mason, Carl Valerius, designed and created this imaginative memorial consisting of a large granite block with bronze statue and reliefs, together with a wall of remembrance and an allegorical garden.
A bronze 1st Australian Horse hat badge embellishes the rock face and a full sized statue of Corporal William Bradford of the 1st Australian Horse stands along side. The western face features a sculptured relief depicting hand-to-hand fighting for the Wells of Beersheba, on 31 October 1917.
A nearby stone wall has bronze plaques listing the names of original recruits to the 1st Australian Horse, 1897. At the centre of the wall is a horse trough-shaped fountain created from black granite which is reflective, and from which water overflows at each side, representing a renewal of life. Below the wall is an allegorical water garden symbolic of the coming together of people from the cities, the farms and the bush to go to war, the futility and violence of war and the eventual peace.
Planting throughout the space consists of Australian plant species, together with plants native to South Africa and the Middle East.
Note: The list of names below is a compilation of 1897 volunteers for the 1st Australian Horse, many of whom were later to fight in the Boer War, 1899-1902.
On August 28, 1897 these men answered a recruitment call for enrolment into the 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse.
The muster at the Harden-Murrumburrah racecourse was the very first to take place in the formation of this famous unit. Many fought in the Boer War.The 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse was one of the founding units which made up the Australian Light Horse when all mounted troops were amalgamated in 1903 as a result of federation.
[List of 1897 recruits for the 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse]
To the memory of the [600] men and 1100 horses of the 2/1 North Australia Observer Unit under the command of Major Wm. Stanner who patrolled our northern Australian coast during the war against Japan 1942-1945.
50 horses drowned, were taken by crocodiles, or were destroyed after injury and other causes. To these must be added their foals which could not be reared. They gave their lives for Australia
Lest We Forget.
Engaging the Turks 31st October 1917 Hand to hand fighting between men of the Australian Light Horse and the Turkish defenders of the Wells of Beersheba.
Sculptors:
Carl Valerius: Men and equipment
Anne Marie Ingham: Horses
Casting: Garage Art Foundry
Retreat at Romani 4th August, 1916 Major Michael Shanahan, D.S.O. and 'Bill the Bastard' rescued four men who had lost their horses and faced certain death under fierce fire from the turks
Sculptors:
Carl Valerius: Men and equipment
Anne Marie Ingham: Horses
Casting: Garage Art Foundry
To the everlasting memory of all those men and horses of the 21st Riverina Darwin, Bogainville, New Britain, Borneo
Their most honoured member Reg Rattey V.C.
Lest We Forget
Laid by comrades 20 - 03 - 2004 1st and 3rd Pack Transport Coys 2nd A.I.F. Moresby Kokoda Track, Milne Bay, WAU New Guinea 1942 - 1945
Last held rank | Given Name | Family Name | Conflict/s | Fate | Service No. | Service | Unit at embarkation | Campaign | Read more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | Affleck | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
R | Aiken | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
E | Allsopp | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
T | Allsopp | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
G | Allsopp | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
A | Barnes | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
T | Barnes | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
Sergeant | (not listed) | Baxter | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | ||||
W | Black | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view | |||||
(not listed) | Boreland | South African Campaign (Boer War) | 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse | view |