The Shellharbour Village War Memorial is one of the oldest war memorials in NSW and the third oldest recorded on the NSW War Memorials Register. Established in 1900, during the South African War (Boer War, 1899–1902), the memorial is now more than 120 years old and has undergone several notable changes.
The original marble memorial was built in memory of Private Samuel Charles Atchison (1877–1900). A "native" of Shellharbour, Atchison was serving with the 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles when he was killed in action on 20 February 1900 in South Africa. The "handsome monument" was unveiled by Mr Archibald Campbell, MP for Illawarra, at Little Park in Shellharbour on 30 May 1900, in front of Atchison's mother, siblings, and other relatives (The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 2 June 1900).
After the First World War, a separate memorial was erected in Shellharbour. It included an honour roll of district men and featured a machine gun war trophy. It was unveiled on 26 June 1922 by the Mayor, Alderman O'Keefe, in front of a large crowd (South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 30 June 1922). The machine gun is no longer part of the memorial and it may have been removed or lost at some stage.
Another honour roll tablet was added to the eastern side of the memorial after the Second World War. It contained the names of 42 veterans, seven of whom had died while serving in the war (Kiama Independent, 6 December 1947). Four additional names have been added over time. During the unveiling on 30 November 1947, Mayor Alderman Keith Grey said:
[The crowd] all knew what this tablet stood for and the sacrifices the men named thereon had made for their country.
Whilst we are unveiling this tablet, we remember those loved ones who would not return.
By May 1983, the tablets for the world wars had been added to the Atchison monument and it had been relocated to Caroline Chisholm Park, which was officially opened in 1980. A new tablet was added to the western side of the base and unveiled by Mayor Bob Harrison on 15 May 1983. It commemorated the wreck of the United States oil tanker 'Cities Service Boston', which hit an offshore reef at nearby Bass Point during a storm in 1943. The tablet is inscribed with the names of four Australian Second World War veterans who died rescuing crew members.
More recently, a small bronze plaque was unveiled in February 2000 to mark the 100th anniversary of Private Atchison's death. A fourth tablet has also been added to the base of the memorial to honour all those who have served in the Australian Defence Forces since 1945.
The Shellharbour Village War Memorial remains an important local landmark and is still used as a site for commemorative services. It stands as an excellent example of how memorials can evolve over time, with the addition of elements and use of new materials, yet can retain their original character and purpose.
Do you have a significant or historic war memorial in your area? Tell us more about it. Find out how you can contribute to the NSW War Memorials Register.
Private Samuel Charles Atchison is also commemorated on the following memorials listed on the Register:
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Image caption: Shellharbour Village War Memorial. Photographs provided by Shellharbour City Council, 2021.