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Lawson War Memorial Arch

Lawson War Memorial Arch
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Description / Background

The memorial at Lawson in the Blue Mountains is in the form of triumphal arch/gateway and is built from local sandstone with inset and engraved trachyte panels. The memorial acts as formal entry to the Lawson Honour Gardens

The arch is simple in form and lacks any applied decoration. A pronounced cornice is used to separate the main body of the memorial from the attic. The words 'Honour Avenue', in bronze lettering, is set in the lintel stone above the arch. A trachyte panel inset on the left-hand side of the memorial details the unveiling, while the trachyte panel on the right-hand side lists 27 locals who had enlisted from the area, including 10 who died on active service. The dead are marked with a small engraved cross. A trachyte panel was added after the Second World War. Later panels are also set on the right hand pier of the arch remembering Malaysia and Korea and Vietnam.

The designer of the memorial was the well-known architect and war veteran Major General Charles Rosenthal, who also designed a memorial at nearby Blackheath. He laid the foundation stone on 26 January 1922 and the memorial was unveiled by NSW State Governor Sir Walter Davidson on 27 April 1923.

The noted architect and town planner Sir John Sulman oversaw the layout of the formal garden avenue behind the memorial in conjunction with F.V. Wilkner the Shire Engineer. The layout of the memorial and gardens shows Sulman's love of formality and symmetry. The path and axis through the garden is terminated by a steel arch at the eastern end with '1914-1918 Honour Gardens' painted at the top. Among the names on the servicemen's panel are a G. Sulman, Sir John Sulman's son Geoffrey, who was killed in an aircraft accident as an officer in the Royal Flying Corps (R.F.C.) in 1917. Although not serving in the Australian forces, he grew up in Lawson. He travelled to Britain and enlisted in the R.F.C. after the Australian Imperial Force rejected him on medical grounds. 

Note: Mr Andrew Howell has researched the Unit, Campaign, and service numbers of those listed on the memorial. Research contributions on G Sulman by Mr David Carment.

Inscription

Left hand panel, top

SERVICE AND SACRIFICE

THIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED BY THE RESIDENTS OF LAWSON TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE OF BRAVE MEN OF THIS DISTRICT WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918

SIR WALTER DAVIDSON K.C.M.G. GOVERNOR OF NSW UNVEILED THIS MEMORIAL APRIL 27TH 1923

Left hand panel, bottom

THIS FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID BY MAJOR GENERAL SIR CHARLES ROSENTHAL KCB CMG DSO.

Related memorials
Veterans listed on this memorial

Veterans listed on this memorial

Last held rank Given name Family name Conflict/s Service No. Service Campaign Read more
Pte David Andrew JOINER World War 1 1230A 1st AIF Ypres view
Sgt O W KNIGHT World War 1 387 1st AIF Zonnebeke view
2nd Lt Henry Russell MARSHALL World War 1 NN 1st AIF view
W H MATHEWS World War 1 1st AIF view
Pte John Clyth Mc LOUGHRY World War 1 1964 1st AIF view
Cpl Herbert Stanley PIERCE World War 1 394 1st AIF view
Pte Reginald William Albert PLUMB World War 1 1991 1st AIF view
A PORTER World War 1 1st AIF view
Pte Frank Morton PRESGRAVE World War 1 3125 1st AIF view
Pte Thomas James REES World War 1 5692 1st AIF view

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Sidebar
Address
Honour Avenue
Lawson NSW 2783
Local Government Area
Blue Mountains, City of
Setting
Roadside
Memorial type
Arch
Recorded by
Mr Andrew Howell, Architect and Peter Levarre Waters
Year of construction
1922-1923
Dedication date
27 April 1923
Conflict/s
First World War, 1914–18
Second World War, 1939–45
Korean War, 1950–53
Malayan Emergency, 1950–60
Vietnam War, 1962–75