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Murrurundi and District First and Second World Wars Memorial Gate

Murrurundi and District First and Second World Wars Memorial Gate
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Murrurundi and District First and Second World Wars Memorial Gate
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Description / Background

The historic war memorial gate at Murrurundi is a stone arch, accompanied by a stone fence. Attached to the pillars of the arch are four black granite honour rolls for the First and Second World Wars. A metal sign sits on top of the lintel. 

The granite plaques are an updated version of the previous bronze honour roll that was attached to a stone plinth positioned behind the gate, which was on site until at least Anzac Day, 2021.

The plinth has been replaced by a rendered block wall, on top of a two-step platform. A flagpole stands directly behind it. Attached to the front of the wall are five black granite plaques. Four feature etchings of the emblems of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force. The fifth plaque has the name of a Korean War veteran, alongside the names of other conflicts in which Australia has been involved. 

The gate and fence were constructed in 1923 by the Thomas Browne company of Maitland, noted stonemasons who built many cemetery headstones and memorials throughout the Hunter, North West, and New England regions of NSW. They were commissioned by the returned soldiers of the area, who chose the site as it was the town's memorial park. In its original form, the arch contained metal gates and the stone fence was 160 feet long (The Maitland Weekly Mercury, 28 April 1923). 

On 16 March 2021, the Upper Hunter Shire Council announced plans to restore the gate. They had received a grant of $150,000 through the Australian Government's COVID-19 Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRC) Program, which had been announced in October 2020. An archival photograph on council's website shows the gate also had two white marble honour rolls attached to it at some stage (see: Upper Hunter Shire Council website).

Council worked with Muswellbrook RSL sub-Branch to engage heritage design consultants for the project. The work included dismantling the gate and installing structural footings and concrete slab platforms.

Various commemorative services have been held on site, such as on Anzac Day, when returned servicemen and women have marched through the town to the gate.

Inscription

Gate - metal sign

Memorial Gate

Gate - lintel

Erected by the returned soldiers

of Murrurundi & district

Gate - plaques

Roll of Honour

1914–1918

[Names]

1939–1945

[Names]

Wall

Korea

[Name]

Malaya

Borneo

Vietnam

The Gulf

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
Sergeant C B Jones Second World War, 1939–45 NX45920 Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Private G J Kiernan First World War, 1914–18 2359 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view
J A Knox First World War, 1914–18 view
Flight Lieutenant W Martin Second World War, 1939–45 402450 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) view
Sergeant J Meek First World War, 1914–18 3085 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Somme 1916 - 1917 view
A J Mills First World War, 1914–18 view
Private S F Moore Second World War, 1939–45 NX59851 Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Private C Murphy Second World War, 1939–45 NX128395 (N155786) Australian Army - Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) view
Sergeant R B Murphy Second World War, 1939–45 403143 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) view
Sergeant J Nicol First World War, 1914–18 2654 Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) view

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Address
Murrurundi Bowling Club
131 Mayne Street
Murrurundi NSW 2338
Local Government Area
Upper Hunter Shire
Setting
Roadside
Location status
Original location
Memorial type
Gate/lychgate
Wall
Recorded by
Graham Wilson
Year of construction
1923
Conflict/s
First World War, 1914–18
Second World War, 1939–45
Korean War, 1950–53
Malayan Emergency, 1950–60
Indonesian Confrontation, 1963–66
Vietnam War, 1962–75
Iraq: the First Gulf War, 1990–91
Iraq: the Second Gulf War, 2003–09
Materials
Granite
Metal
Sandstone