PREPARATIONS, DONATIONS AND UNVEILING OF THE ELTHAM SHIRE WAR MEMORIAL TOWER 1926

 

The tower will be rededicated on its 100th anniversary this year

 

The following three news articles in The Advertiser, the local paper of the time, outline the preparations, donations from local families and its unveiling and dedication

 

Eltham Shire War Memorial. UNVEILING CEREMONY.

On Thursday next the handsome memorial erected in the Memorial Park at Kangaroo Ground will be unveiled by the Governor-General, and an address will be delivered by Sir Wm. McPherson. An invitation is extended to everyone to attend at 3 p.m., but visitors are requested not to allow their dogs to enter the park grounds. The National Roads Association has arranged for a cinema machine to be at the ceremony.

Corrections to the lists of fallen soldiers, available for inspection at the various post offices, must be in the hands of the secretary, shire office, Kangaroo Ground, by Monday next.

Thursday next has been proclaimed a shire holiday, and hot water will be available on the park ground at 4 p.m.

Several contributions have been forwarded during the past week, but about £60 is required before Thursday, and the committee would be glad if those who desire to contribute would send their donations along.

Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 - 1939), Friday 5 November 1926

 

Memorial to Fallen Soldiers. UNVEILING CEREMONY.

” Lord God of Hosts be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget ! “

Garden Hill, Kangaroo Ground, presented a unique scene yesterday afternoon, inasmuch as 1500 people attended to pay tribute to the silent soldiers of the Great War, and at the same time. Nature presented to them, in perfect sunshine, one of the most glorious panoramic views to be seen in the Commonwealth. The unveiling ceremony of the memorial tower, erected through the efforts of the Shire of Eltham War Memorial League, is to commemorate the memory of the fallen soldiers who enlisted from the shire.

A Guard of Honor was formed by the school children from Eltham, Panton Hill, Hurstbridge, Kangaroo Ground, Research and Queenstown, as His Excellency the Governor-General and Lady Stonehaven approached the tower, when the National Anthem was sung, followed by the hymn, ” O God our help in ages past.” Chaplain Green, of St. Martin’s, Hawkesburn, offered up a thanksgiving and prayer, dedicating the monument to the glory of those who laid down their lives for others.

Kipling’s “Recessionall” was then sung, Mrs D. Rodger being organist.

Sir Wm. Irvine said he had been asked, as a resident of the shire of Eltham, to welcome their Excellencies, but they were so well known as to hardly require an introduction in any part of the Commonwealth. From where they stood they could see a large part of the shire, and all felt deep gratitude to those who fell in the Great War.

The Governor-General, in a very impressive address, said there was no more appropriate day to unveil a memorial than Armistice Day. It is a day that brings home to us the realities of the Empire, and from the time the people in Melbourne commenced that morning to pay tribute to God, when the people of the Old Country were asleep, there would be celebrations at every hour of the day in different parts of the Empire. The magnitude of the sacrifice was not, and could not, be fully realised. We live under such free institutions that we do not recognise it until we are in danger. What would our position be if the war had ended differently? Let us not forget the sacrifice the men made, nobly supported by the women of the Empire. The memo-rial is worthy of the great memory of the dead, which it seeks to celebrate—a plain, strong, simple tower, typical of the men we are reminded of. It is to be hoped Armistice Day will continue to be celebrated, so that future generations will realise what they have to pay in their time to the State. By the glorious deeds of the men of this country history has been made, which started Australia off with the rest of the nations that contribute to the British Empire.

The Honor Board was then un-veiled, disclosing over 70 names.

“Stand Fast” was sounded by Mr J. H. Page, of the Returned Soldiers’ Band, followed by two minutes’ silence, then “The Last Post” and “Reveille.”

The names of the fallen and a description of the tower will appear in next issue.

The reception committee entertained the Governor- General and party to afternoon tea, after which they left amidst the cheers of the people.

Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 - 1939), Friday 12 November 1926

 

THE ELTHAM SHIRE WAR MEMORIAL TOWER.

The Governor-General, accompanied by Lady Stonehaven, and attend-ed by Captain W. R. Broadhurst, chamberlain, performed the unveiling ceremony of the memorial to the soldiers from the shire of Eltham who fell in the Great War, at Gar-den Hill, Kangaroo Ground, on November 11. The following are additions to the report of last issue:—

The tower is constructed of stone and reinforced concrete with sandstone rubble facing, and concrete quoins and dressings. The foundations are in solid rock, and the base of the tower is 16 x 16 external, and 11 x 11 internal, the wall being 2 feet 6 inches thick at the base, tapering to 16 inches at the top. There is an internal stairway of jarrah, with galvanised iron pipe handrailings. It was gratuitously designed by Messrs Stephenson and Meldrum, architects, Melbourne; the stone was donated by Professor Osborne (of the University) from the quarry at Kangaroo Ground; the brass figures over the gates by Mr C. J. McCormack (formerly shire engineer) ; and the sand by Mr Tom Scarce, of Kangaroo Ground. The list of subscribers and donations have already been published. The contractor was Mr Geo. Rousell, of Mordialloc (formerly of Ballarat). Mr W. A. Wippell (now of Ivan-hoe), was the first to suggest a memorial park, and he gave £50 towards the land. Then Mr Basil Hall, a President of the Panton Hill branch of the R.S.S.I.L.A , suggested the tower, and organised a committee to work for it. After he left the council, Cr H. Rutter became president of the committee, and Mr Ben Johnson took over the secretaryship from Mr P. J. McMahon, carrying out the duties in a very complete and satisfactory manner. The other names of the reception committee are Mesdames Bell, Bourchier, Rutter, Miss Shannon and Crs Price and Bell, and Messrs R. C. Bourchier and D. Rodger.

Amongst those present were Crs Hewitt (president), Andrew, Price, Bell, Lorimer, Rutter, Ryan; Hubbard (Eltham shire), and councillors from surrounding shires, including Lilydale; Mr W. H. Everard, M.L.A., Mr Russell Clark, M.L.C., Professor Osborne, Mr Thwaites, secretary National Roads Association, who arranged for the taking of a film; Mr Meldrum, Messrs C. Monteith and J. Jones (vice-presidents of the Fathers’ Association) ; Mr Turnbull, president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association ; Mr Basil Hall, Mr B. A. J. Rouse, Com. Gunnery officer, and others whose names we were unable to get.

The committee. entertained His Excellency and Lady Stonehaven to afternoon tea, after which they left amidst cheers.

The committee wish to thank all those who assisted at the opening by lending coppers for hot water, tarpaulins for tent, and forms, &c., from the Kangaroo Ground church.

The following further donations have been received :—”Turn to the Right,” £25; E. J. McFarlane 5/, refund Shire of Eltham £1/1/, J. P. Barrow £1/1/, collection at memorial—H. Cracknell £1/5/6 and Mrs Jones £1/11/10; Hugh Robertson £1, W. Masson 10/6, Mrs Bourchier £5, Percy Leason £5/5/, C. and P. Frencham £5/5/, Mrs F. Lacey 10/, Miss Carr £1, Miss Hunter £1, Mrs Balakian £1/1/, J. McDonald £1, W. Pretty £1/1/, D. Lyons £1/11, Mrs E. T. Scarce £2, L. Cameron £5 5/, L. Quilliam £1, Jack Hink 10/, O. J. Mueller £1, sale of portraits and collection £12/7/5, donation 2/, Mrs Hawkes £1, Sir Wm. Irvine £2/2/ ; total (including £998/17/9 previously acknowledged), £1077/7/ . In a previous list Mr C. F. Pryor, £5, was only credited with £1.

The following are the names on the Honor Board :—

A. T. Abassie, Bert. Allen.

Edward Barrett, John Charlton Bell, Edward Bird; William Bond, Evelyn Denison Bourchier, Charles Broomfield, Arthur Brown, George Brown, John Leonard Brown, Walter Bruce.

Charles Callan, Thomas Cameron, Frederick Carpenter, Alfred Cassell, Albert Close,. Harry Conway, Herbert Creed, William Crellin, Charles Chandler.

Robert Henry Davey, C. Dinsdale.

Samuel Farlow.

W. H. Gammon, Geoffrey Treacher Grant, Samuel Giles.

C. Hubbard, E. Hubbard, R. J. Harris, S. Harris, W. Holding, George Arthur Horn, A. Hunt, Charles Hawkes.

Francis M. Ingham, J. Irvine.

H. Jarvis, J. Jell, Edward Jennings.

John C. Lawrey, Rupert Laity.

H. Marshall, Harold H. McDonald, A. McLeod, A. McLeod, L. McLeod, Robert Meadows, George Frederick Mills, Ernest Gordon Mills, George Frederick Moore, Walter Moseley, Albert E. Morris, Jonathan Lionel Mills.

Henry Norman, Ernest North.

William John O’Day.

Henry E. Phillips, J. Pickering, William Prior, James Prior.

Stevens Roslyn.

Kenneth Sharp, D. Shilito, Reginald E. Sims, S. Smedley, Frank Smith, George Somerville, Donald, Spicer, Reginald Swift.

R. N. Waight, George Weir, George Williams, John V. Wilson, Stanley A. Wilson, E. Colin Wilson.

Edward Yates.

Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 - 1939), Friday 19 November 1926