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Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument

Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument
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Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument, with crowd in foreground, at unveiling ceremony in 2021
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Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument, close-up of panel 1
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Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument, close-up of panel 2
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Coolatai Founding Families War Memorial Monument, close-up of panel 3
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Description / Background

Coolatai Village is located north-west of Inverell in NSW. It has a small population but an extensive history of military service. Built in 2021, its Founding Families War Memorial Monument consists of three sandstone pillars, each with a metal panel attached. Each pillar is made up of three sandstone blocks, stacked horizontally on top of one another.

The panels include an honour roll of locals who served in the First and Second Worlds, South East Asia, Afghanistan, and under the National Service Scheme, in the Citizen Military Forces, and Army Reserves. They also feature the biographies of five veterans, four men and one woman, which include photographs, service records, and personal details. 

To the left and right of the pillars are two silhouette sculptures made of metal. On the left is a serviceman and on the right is a servicewoman, accompanied by a horse and a dog. Positioned at the base of the back of the memorial are three large metal poppies, complete with bright red petals. 

Local residents Michelle Coulton and Angela Stewart came up with the idea for a memorial. The project was coordinated by the Coolatai War Memorial Committee, led by Michelle. Research for the panels was completed by Donna Smith and the artistic design was done by Sharon Gilmour. The sandstone blocks came from Warwick Sandstone and Year 11 design students from Warialda High School created the poppies. Funding was received from the Gwydir Shire Council, the local community, and a 'Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grant' from the Australian Government. 

The memorial was unveiled by Donna Smith on 24 April 2021, alongside representatives of the committee and Local Government. It will become the site for various commemorative services to be held throughout the year.

Note: Information about the construction of the memorial was provided by the Coolatai War Memorial Committee. Photographs were provided by Talia Hill from the Inverell Tourist Centre.

Inscription

Panel 1

LEST

Coolatai WW1 Roll of Honour

1914–1918

✝ denotes killed

[Names]

[Royal Australian Navy emblem]

Post WW1

Navy

[Name]

Coolatai Memorial to Departed Soldiers

[Excerpt from an article in the Warialda Standard on 24 April 1922]

[Photograph of honour roll described in article]

Hector William Clarke

23-08-1897 to 04-12-1944

[Photograph and biography]

George Albert Cawkwell

1894 to 07-06-1917

[Biography]

Jesse Judge

1888 to 02-04-1918

[Photograph and biography]

Panel 2

WE

Coolatai WW2 Roll of Honour

1939–1945

✝ denotes killed

Army

[Names]

RAAF

[Names]

Volunteer Defence Corps

[Names]

Post WW2

Those who served

Army

[Names]

RAAF

[Name]

National Service

[Name]

Citizen Military Force

[Names]

Army Reserves

[Names]

Rawdon Hume "Ron"

Middleton VC

22-07-1916 to 29-11-1942

[Photograph and biography]

Panel 3

FORGET

Kathleen Ionie Farr BVSc

14-3-1917 to 19-06-2009

[Photographs and biography]

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
Gunner Cecil Arthur Dunshea Second World War, 1939–45 NX38432 Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Leading Aircraftman Eric John Dunshea Second World War, 1939–45 72588 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) view
Lance Corporal Dominic Hamilton Durkin Second World War, 1939–45 N294340 Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Lance Corporal Douglas John Durkin Second World War, 1939–45 NX148540 (N3218) Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Driver John Desmond Durkin Second World War, 1939–45 NX148546 (N168496) Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Private Patrick John Durkin Second World War, 1939–45 N169952 Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Terrence Patrick Durkin view
Thomas Richard Evans view
Captain Kathleen Ionie Farr Second World War, 1939–45 VF508263 Australian Women's Army Service view
Thomas O'Keefe Fitzgerald First World War, 1914–18 view

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Address
Coolatai Reserve
Wallangra-Coolatai Road
Coolatai NSW 2402
Local Government Area
Gwydir Shire
Setting
Garden/park
Location status
Original location
Memorial type
Board/roll/plaque/tablet
Monument
Recorded by
Graham Wilson
Year of construction
2021
Dedication date
24 April 2021
Conflict/s
First World War, 1914–18
Second World War, 1939–45
Afghanistan, 2001–present
Peacekeeping, 1947–present
Other
Materials
Metal
Sandstone