This year, 2024, marks the centenary of the Rockhampton War Memorial (formerly known as the Central Queensland War Memorial). The heritage-listed memorial is located in a prominent place in the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens. It was constructed in 1923-1924 by F M Allan, monumental mason of Rockhampton, to a design by Rockhampton architects Hockings and Palmer.

Sir Matthew Nathan, Governor of Queensland, unveiled the memorial at a ceremony on 16 October 1924. Built as a memorial to all Central Queenslanders who enlisted for military service in World War I (1914-1918), the Rockhampton War Memorial remains one of the largest and most costly of all Queensland’s regional war memorials.

This story reveals how the war memorial at Rockhampton came to be erected, how it has changed over the years, and why it is important for the people of Rockhampton and district.

The Great War

World War I (the “Great War”) ranks as one of the deadliest conflicts of human history. The number of military and civilian casualties is believed to be around 40 million. The total number of deaths is unknown, but it is estimated to be between 15 and 22 million. Around 23 million military personnel were wounded. [1]

Australia’s contribution to World War I was significant and costly in human terms. At a time when our population was fewer than 5 million, 416,809 men enlisted. This number constituted about 40 per cent of all men aged between 18 and 45 years of age. Of these recruits, 60,000 died and 156,000 were wounded, gassed or taken prisoner. No conflict since has engaged such a large proportion of the Australian population, incurred such heavy losses or had such a lasting impact on its citizens. [2]

World War I commenced on 4 August 1914, when Britain declared war against Germany. At the time Australia was a dominion of the British Empire, which meant once Britain declared war against Germany, Australia was also at war. Australia’s Prime Minister Joseph Cook and Opposition Leader Andrew Fisher, who were in the midst of an election campaign at the time, pledged their full support for Britain. [3]

Immediately following the declaration of war, thousands of Australian men eagerly volunteered for military service and the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was formed.

A large number of recruits came from Queensland, including Central Queensland. Among these recruits were four of my mother’s uncles (my great-uncles). All four enlisted at Rockhampton. Two enlisted in January 1916, one in March 1916, the fourth in October 1916. I’ve written previously about the first two, and their war service, in Henry’s World War I postcards to Flora (September 11, 2015).

By the time the war ended, on 11 November 1918, nearly 58,000 Queenslanders had enlisted in the AIF and around 10,000 had died. [4] In the case of my great-uncles, all four survived, although not unscarred. One was sent back to Australia medically unfit and discharged within a year of enlisting. Three days after he returned to his family home, he committed suicide. A second soldier, an older brother of the first, was seriously injured in action in France, was sent back to Australia and discharged on medical grounds in October 1917. He had ongoing medical problems for the rest of his life and died within 20 years of his war service. The other two lasted for the duration of the war, returning to Australia in 1919. One was discharged in May 1919 (a medical discharge); the other in July 1919. For their family, at least these men came home.

Other Central Queensland families, like the Churchward and Pattison families of Rockhampton, were not so fortunate. Their loved ones did not return home.

William Joseph Churchward, 19, and Walter Byron James (“Byron”) Pattison, 26, both of Rockhampton, were among those who enlisted immediately after the declaration of war. Churchward, a draper with one year’s service in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF), enlisted on 20 August 1914. Pattison, a law clerk, with 3½ years as a senior school cadet and 2 years 8 months commissioned service as 2^nd Lieutenant in the Port Curtis Infantry Regiment, enlisted on 25 August 1914.

Lieutenant Pattison, of the 9^th Infantry Battalion AIF, received his commission on 25 April 1915, the day Australian and New Zealand troops first landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Lt Pattison was seriously wounded in action at Gallipoli 3 days later, on 28 April 1915. He was evacuated to Cairo, Egypt, where he died of his wounds on 10 May 1915. Lt Pattison was the first Rockhampton-born man to be killed in the war. His parents and brothers were heartbroken. [5]

Private Churchward, of the 25^th Battalion 7^th Reinforcements, was killed in action on 29 July 1916 at the Battle of Pozieres (France). Initially, Pte Churchward was reported missing. For more than a year, his parents sought information about the whereabouts of their son.

A Court of Enquiry conducted on 25 July 1917 confirmed that Pte Churchward died on 29 July 1916. His parents were subsequently notified. Pte Churchward has no known grave.

The first war memorials

During World War I some Queensland families and communities dealt with their grief by erecting a monument as a memorial to their loved one who died during active service abroad. Although there was no grave, the local cemetery was often chosen as the site of a memorial of this nature.

In 1915, for example, the residents of Nobby, Queensland, erected a monument in the town cemetery to local man, Victor Denton, who died during the early days of the Gallipoli Campaign. Nobby is a rural town and district in the Toowoomba local government region, halfway between Toowoomba and Warwick. Denton, 20, enlisted on 4 October 1914. As a member of the 2^nd Lighthorse Regiment he was part of the Australian contingent sent to defend the Gallipoli Peninsula. Pte Denton was fatally wounded and died at Monash Gully, Gallipoli, on 31 May 1915.

The heritage-listed Victor Denton War Memorial at Nobby is thought to be the first of a number of memorials established by Queensland communities in the period 1915-1919 in honour of individuals who served and died overseas during World War I. [6]

The Colquhoun memorial at Rockhampton is another example. The memorial, a handsome white marble tablet, pays tribute to Sergeant Harold Robert Lyne Colquhoun. Prior to the outbreak of war, Mr Colquhoun was a teacher at the Leichhardt Ward State School, Rockhampton. On 2 February 1917, at an assembly of pupils of the school, the headteacher, Mr Doran, unveiled the memorial tablet, and spoke proudly of Sgt Colquhoun’s recent military career. [7]

Harold Colquhoun was just 18 years old when he volunteered for military service. He enlisted in the AIF on 23 September 1914 and, as a member of the 15^th Infantry Battalion, was sent directly to the Middle East. After training for several months in Egypt, Sgt Colquhoun proceeded to Gallipoli, where he died in action on 27 August 1915. He has no known grave.

. . .

In the years immediately following the end of World War I, communities throughout Queensland established civic war memorials of various kinds. They erected monuments in the form of statues, obelisks, columns, gates and fountains. Some communities erected buildings. Others planted a tree, even an avenue of trees. Some of these memorials honoured the memory of local men who died in the war. Other memorials acknowledged the contribution of all those who enlisted and served in the armed forces during the war years (1914-1919).

A war memorial for Rockhampton

At Rockhampton, the Mayor (Alderman C O Gough) convened a public meeting in September 1918, for the purpose of establishing a war memorial at Rockhampton. [8] It was the first of a number of public meetings Alderman Gough convened in 1918 and early 1919 in order to gauge public opinion regarding a suitable war memorial at Rockhampton.

The first two meetings

At the first meeting, attendees voted in favour of the Rockhampton City Council’s proposal to erect a sailors’ and soldiers’ memorial building and club in Rockhampton. [9] They also voted in favour of opening a memorial fund in Central Queensland for Central Queensland men who died in the Great War and the Boer War. [10]

Two months later, on Thursday 5 December 1918, Alderman Gough convened a second public meeting to discuss the Council’s proposal to erect a memorial to fallen sailors and soldiers. [11] The interim committee (appointed at the previous meeting) reported the results of a survey it had conducted through the press and by circular.

The committee put two questions to the people of Rockhampton and Central Queensland: (1) “Are you in favour of a memorial for fallen sailors and soldiers of Central Queensland?” and (2) “Are you in favour of this memorial taking the form of a memorial hall to hold war relics and to contain a record of the national heroes of Central Queensland, together with a soldiers’ club, to form a centre of national sentiment in Central Queensland developed by this war.” The committee sent out 500 circulars; only 30 people responded. Most answered “Yes” to both questions.

Attendees at the meeting (on 5 December 1918) voted in favour of the following motions. (1) “That it is desirable to erect a memorial to all Central Queenslanders who have served our Empire in the great war.” (2) “That this meeting decides that the memorial shall be in Rockhampton.” (3) “That this meeting decides the form the memorial shall take.” [12]

However, in relation to motion (3), there was no agreement as to the form the memorial should take. Attendees were equally divided on a proposal for a memorial hall and club versus a memorial town hall.

The dissension evident at this second public meeting foreshadowed ongoing disagreements and procrastination that characterised the six years it took for the war memorial at Rockhampton to become a reality.

The third and fourth meetings

Alderman Gough called a third public meeting four days later, on Tuesday 9 December 1918, to consider suggestions for the memorial put forward by members of the public. [13] The suggestions included a grand marble arch erected at the intersection of East and William streets or the intersection of William and Alma streets; purchase of a suitable plot of land for a garden and suitable memorial; erection of a memorial building and club as proposed by a Mr E M Hockings in a letter to the press. The sixty or so attendees at the meeting voted for the memorial building and club.

Two months later, on Friday 7 February 1919, Alderman Gough called a fourth public meeting to discuss the erection of a war memorial at Rockhampton. [14] Mr F W Hutton, President of the Rockhampton branch of the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA), reported that the branch passed a resolution distancing itself from the proposal to build a memorial building and club. Clearly, there was still no agreement as to the form of the proposed war memorial.

However, attendees at the meeting did agree to the following. The memorial will commemorate all those from the district who enlisted for military or naval service abroad. It will be a memorial for the whole of Central Queensland. Rockhampton will be the site of the memorial. A War Memorial Committee will oversee the project (by ascertaining whether other towns and shires will participate, fund-raising, and deciding on the form of the monument). The committee can add representatives of towns and shires to their number (if they agree to participate). However, should towns and shires not cooperate, the committee is empowered to collect funds and decide on a memorial for Rockhampton and district only. [15]

A new Mayor of Rockhampton, a new committee Executive

In April 1919, at a meeting chaired by the newly elected Mayor of Rockhampton (Alderman T W Kingel), the Executive of the War Memorial Committee reported that it saw little hope of the proposed war memorial being a memorial for all of Central Queensland. The committee proposed that the war memorial be for Rockhampton and district only. The meeting appointed a new Executive of the War Memorial Committee. The new Executive was given three main tasks: decide on the form of the monument, provide an estimate of its cost and devise a scheme for raising the necessary funds to defray the cost. [16]

The newly appointed Executive came up with proposals that differed from those of its predecessor. It put these proposals to a meeting of the War Memorial Committee on Wednesday 28 May 1919; all were adopted. Members agreed that the site of the memorial be at the foot of Denham Street, on the river side of Quay Street, and that they seek City Council and Harbour Board approval for use of the site. They agreed to hold a competition for designs of a suitable memorial costing up to £10,000. The committee sought to erect a worthy monument, large enough to carry the names of all Central Queenslanders who enlisted. [17, 18]

The War Memorial Committee made these decisions in May 1919, but the war memorial did not materialise until October 1924, 5½ years later. Why? What happened?

There were disagreements between the War Memorial Committee, the Rockhampton branch of the RSSILA and members of the public. They disagreed as to the form and site of the proposed memorial. Membership of the War Memorial Committee and Executive changed over time. The committee vacillated in its choice of site. It inquired about alternative sites (such as the Botanic Gardens) as early as October 1919, but confirmed its choice of the Denham Street site a year later (in October 1920). The committee struggled to raise the required funds (£10,000). By October 1920, just £1080 had been raised. [19]

In January 1921, after a long hiatus, the committee advertised the design competition for a war memorial to be erected on the banks of the Fitzroy River. [20]  Out of 46 designs submitted, the adjudicator chose one submitted by a Mr Bryce, of Sydney, as the winning design. Like the majority of submissions, Mr Bryce’s design exceeded the stipulated sum (£10,000), but it came within the 20 per cent margin allowed. [21]

The competition proved a waste of time and money. The War Memorial Committee did not like Mr Bryce’s design and, furthermore, it was too costly. There was still no agreement as to the form and site of the proposed memorial.

Other Central Queensland war memorials

In the meantime, a number of smaller Central Queensland communities established their own war memorials. I provide a few examples.

At Springsure, in 1919, the community commissioned Mr F M Allan, monumental mason of Rockhampton, to erect a marble fountain in the grounds of the State School. Springsure is a rural town and district in Central Queensland, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) by road west southwest of Rockhampton.

The fountain, of white marble on a concrete base, honoured past pupils of the school who enlisted for service in the Great War. A former pupil, Mrs H G Wheeler (Annie Laurie), in the presence of one of the largest gatherings ever seen in Springsure, unveiled the memorial on Saturday 6 December 1919. There were 80 or so names on the fountain, with a few more still to be added. [22]

At Gracemere, on Saturday 6 March 1920, between 350 and 400 residents witnessed the unveiling of the Gracemere War Memorial. The town of Gracemere is located just 12 kilometres or 7½ miles from Rockhampton. Mrs J Viney, a member of the Gracemere Memorial Committee, had the honour of unveiling the monument during the solemn ceremony.

The Gracemere War Memorial is in the form of a white marble obelisk 11 feet (3.35 metres) high on a square 2-step sandstone plinth. The names of the 36 men from the district who enlisted are inscribed on three faces of the marble base (12 per face). On the fourth (frontal) face, the names of the 10 men who died and the words “Lest we forget” are inscribed. Also inscribed on this face are the words: “Erected by the people of Gracemere and district in honour of the men who enlisted in the great war, 1914-1919.” [23]

At Yeppoon, on Monday 5 April 1920 (Easter Monday), a very different kind of ceremony took place. Yeppoon is a seaside town in Central Queensland, approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Rockhampton. The ceremony involved planting memorial trees in Yeppoon’s main street in honour of the 60 or so men of the district who enlisted for service in the Great War. [24]

At Bajool, a small town and district 36 kilometres (22 miles) south of Rockhampton, on Saturday 17 December 1921, 150 residents gathered to witness Mr F M Forde MLA unveil the Bajool War Memorial.

The citizens of Bajool erected the memorial, a white marble obelisk on a cement foundation, to perpetuate the memory of the 28 local men who served during the Great War. The names of all 28 men are inscribed on the base of the obelisk, 12 on each side and 4 on the front. The front inscription lists the names of the four (4) local men “who paid the supreme sacrifice”. Each of the lists of 12 names on either side is headed with the words “Roll of honour” and “To those who answered their country’s call”. [25]

A war memorial for all of Central Queensland

At a meeting on Wednesday 17 May 1922, the Central Queensland War Memorial Committee (as it became known) decided on the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens as the site for the Rockhampton war memorial. The committee also determined the form of the monument – a granite obelisk. [26]

When the committee believed that the site question was finally settled, several months later the Rockhampton branch of the RSSILA objected to the committee’s decision. Its members opposed the erection of the memorial in the Botanic Gardens, preferring a site on the Berserker Range, overlooking Rockhampton. [27]

In the meantime, the committee authorised Rockhampton architects Hockings and Palmer to submit a design for a memorial to be built in the Botanic Gardens, in a large open space behind the kiosk. The architects came up with a design for a simple obelisk, a tapering monolithic shaft with pyramidal apex, 62 feet (nearly 19 metres) from the ground. They estimated it would cost £4,100. [28]

The committee called for tenders for the construction of the memorial. It received three submissions, two of which were for the foundations only. The committee unanimously agreed to accept the tender submitted by Mr F M Allan, monumental mason of Rockhampton, for both the foundation work and the monument. Mr Allan’s quote was £2,654 19s 6d. [29] That figure was quite a lot less than £10,000!

Soon after a contract was drawn up, Mr Allan commenced excavation work in preparation for laying the foundation. He planned to lay a foundation, approximately 17 feet (5 metres) square by 11 feet (3.5 metres) high, of reinforced concrete strengthened with streel railway rails and smaller steel reinforcements. Mr Allan estimated he would use over 51 cubic yards (39 cubic metres) of concrete in constructing the foundation which, when completed, will weigh approximately 100 tons (91 tonnes). Based on Mr Allan’s calculations, such a foundation was necessary, as the monument itself, when completed, will weigh 80 tons (73 tonnes). [30]

By February 1923, Mr Allan had completed the foundation work. [31]

For the monument, Mr Allan intended to use 22 solid Gracemere granite stones, the largest stone weighing 10 tons (9 tonnes). His choice of Gracemere blue-grey granite was important – it was considered flawless and equal to the best. [32]

A huge undertaking

By April 1923, according to one newspaper report, Mr Allan had quarried most of the larger granite stones and several of them were dressed ready for relocation to the Botanic Gardens. [33] This report appears to have been overly optimistic.

In fact, the work was painstakingly slow. It took months for Mr Allan to complete the preparation of the 22 granite stones. Although he was able to obtain the granite from his own quarry at Gracemere, he had to move the large stones offsite for cutting and dressing. This meant that construction of the memorial took much longer than planned. [34]

The curator of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, Mr Richard Simmons, played an important role in the war memorial project. He was responsible for landscaping the area surrounding the monument. Mr Simmons was the right person for the job. He was an expert in his field. He served as curator of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens for nearly 30 years, from 1902 until 1931.

Mr Simmons devised the following plan for landscaping the area. The contractor will form a level surface 6 feet (1.8 metres) wide continuous with the level of the lower side of the bottom step of the memorial. From the outer edge of this piece of ground, which would constitute a square, he will build a 20 feet (6 metre) “batter” to a height of 5 feet (1.5 metres), and grass it. From the toe of this batter he will form a lawn with a radius of 65 feet 6 inches (20 metres) from the centre of the memorial. [35]

Mr Simmons’ plan included construction of a circular gravel path, 8 feet (approximately 2.5 metres) wide, around the lawn. At the inner circumference of the path, he envisaged a low hedge of some close-growing green hedge plant, kept neatly clipped to a height of about 2 feet 6 inches (0.75 metres). With the exception of a small gate, the hedge will be continuous. At a distance of at least 10 feet (3 metres) from the outer circumference of the lawn, Mr Simmons planned to plant specimens of Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island date palm). [36]

By June 1924, the stonework on the war memorial had been completed, with the exception of one or two small details.

However, the work on the surroundings, as proposed by Mr Simmons, had yet to be done. The City Council allocated £600 towards the landscaping work, which Mr Allan agreed to carry out in conjunction with Mr Simmons. [37]

The unveiling ceremony

On Thursday 16 October 1924, His Excellency the Governor of Queensland (Sir Matthew Nathan) unveiled the long-awaited war memorial at Rockhampton. A large crowd, including 75 members of the 42^nd Battalion, attended the ceremony in the Botanic Gardens.

The unveiling ceremony was an impressive one, with the presence of so many men in uniform, the beating of drums of the military band, the sight of the monument itself in its setting of flags. The band played the National Anthem as the Vice-Regal party arrived.

In his address to the crowd, the Governor spoke glowingly of the contribution of Australian, New Zealand and Canadian sailors and soldiers to the war in Europe. In particular, he commended their efforts during the last six months of the war, when French and British troops were exhausted. Sir Matthew singled out the Australians, whom he knew best, describing them as “splendid fighters” and superior in every way – physically, mentally and morally. It was to these brave men that he dedicated the war memorial.

After the unveiling, members of the 42nd Battalion band sounded the Last Post, and all stood with bowed heads in silence.

The Mayor of Rockhampton (Alderman T W Kingel) extended a hearty welcome to the Governor and thanked him for the honour he bestowed on the people of Central Queensland by coming to unveil the war memorial. Mr Kingel then addressed the crowd, giving a brief outline of the history of events that led up to the erection of the war memorial.

Other speakers included Mr A A Mawdsley (a member of the Central Queensland War Memorial Committee), the Anglican Bishop of Rockhampton, The Right Reverend Philip Crick, and Mr D D Dawson.  

Mr Mawdsley, one of the original members of the War Memorial Committee, had the honour of handing over the memorial to the City Council. In his address he said he believed the Council would guard it and reverence it with every care. He described the memorial as a lasting monument commemorating the people’s gratitude to and admiration for returned soldiers. Mr Mawdsley concluded his remarks by saying that the committee has one wish: That once a year, say every Anzac Day, or a Sunday, some little commemoration ceremony will take place at the memorial.

Alderman Kingel responded by saying that the Council would endeavour to grant the committee its wish.

The ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths at the base of the memorial. The Governor, on behalf of the King, lay the first wreath. The Mayor, representing the City Council, came next. Many other dignitaries lay wreaths.  

ANZAC Day 1925

ANZAC Day 1925 was the 10^th anniversary of the inaugural landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli, Turkey, on 25 April 1915. It was also the 10^th occasion on which the citizens of Rockhampton and district commemorated ANZAC Day.  

In the afternoon of Saturday 25 April 1925, the citizens of Rockhampton and district held their first ANZAC Day service at the war memorial in the Botanic Gardens. A large number of people attended. Prior to commencement of the ceremony, a contingent of returned soldiers, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts, led by the Rockhampton Railway Band, marched from the entrance to the gardens to the memorial.

Among the many dignitaries present at the ceremony were the Mayor of Rockhampton (Alderman T W Kingel), Chairman of the Livingstone Shire Council (Mr W Beak), Chairman of the Fitzroy Shire Council (Mr J W O’Shanesy) and the federal Member for Capricornia (Mr F M Forde, MHR).

The short but impressive service comprised hymn-singing (“O God our help in ages past” to band accompaniment), reciting of The Lord’s Prayer, and the laying of wreaths. It concluded with the benediction and the band playing the National Anthem.

The Reverend Canon J A Cue, Rector of St Paul’s Cathedral Parish, Rockhampton, a former Australian Army Chaplain (1916-1919), gave the main address. This is part of what he said:

The erection of this memorial to our honoured dead has forced a change into our method of keeping Anzac Day. We have here a solid expression of our respect and affection for those who died. Our chief civic father has placed a wreath here in the name of us all. It means we have a place now where we can all unite as citizens.

The services and requiems of this morning failed to unite us, because of our religions differences. But here there need be no divisions; here our chief has acted for us as a whole, and we approve of his action. This is really a new departure, and it is a wise one.

The place of honour, this Stone of Remembrance, should naturally become year by year the stepping stone to higher ideals for our nation. At the Declaration of Peace the eyes of the nation were too blood-hot with overstrain, and too dim with the tears of sorrow to be able to see clearly how best we could keep this day. But every year makes the outlook clearer, hearts are being healed, eyes and becoming clear, and we now ask: How best can we keep this day? This we must certainly do.

We must honour our dead. It will not affect them so much as it will affect ourselves. We reveal ourselves, our character, by our action or inaction. It we refuse to honour them we are unworthy of them. The nation called, they answered, and were honoured in being able to make the supreme sacrifice. We remember not their shortcomings, their failures, let him that is without sin cast the first stone. The only stone which we care to think about today is this immovable stone, now made our memorial, covered with wreaths, the expressions of our affection.

We honour our dead. This is our common ground on Anzac Day.

ANZAC Day commemorations in subsequent years

As far as I am aware, the Rockhampton War Memorial has been the site of an ANZAC Day commemoration service every year since 1925. There is one notable exception: 2020, the year of the COVID lockdown.

In 1944, just 20 years after the war memorial was erected, Australia was again at war. But the people of Rockhampton still commemorated ANZAC Day. I’ve written about this previously, in much detail, in How one Australian city commemorated ANZAC Day 1944 (April 23, 2021). 

For many years, the ANZAC Day service at the war memorial was held in the afternoon. The service was the culmination of a citizens’ march that commenced in Ward Street and ended in front of the cenotaph in the Botanic Gardens.

In the 1960s, first as a Brownie and later as a Girl Guide, I marched along with hundreds of other young people and former service men and women and participated in the ANZAC Day service at the war memorial. I remember clearly the overwhelming sense of pride I felt as a participant in the march and the service that followed.

In more recent years, the Rockhampton City Council has begun its ANZAC Day commemorations by holding the city’s Dawn Service at the war memorial in the Botanic Gardens. In 2024, the Rockhampton War Memorial’s centenary year, this tradition will continue. The Rockhampton Dawn Service will commence at 4:27 am, set to coincide with the time the first Australian soldier set foot on the beach at Gallipoli in 1915 local time.

The Rockhampton War Memorial today

On passing the kiosk, one approaches the war memorial by a paved and neatly hedged pathway from the west. The gate has long gone.

The memorial is most impressive. It occupies a magnificent garden setting. The whole edifice sits atop a neat grass mound bounded by a low hedge, paved walkway and circle of evenly spaced mature Canary Island date palms. A number of garden seats have been added at intervals along the outer edge of the circular walkway. These beautiful surroundings are the result of Richard Simmons’ vision and planning 100 years ago.

Four garden beds have been added to the mound. The beds contain herbaceous plants pruned to form the words ANZAC, ARMY, RAN and RAAF.

The main monument, or cenotaph (meaning “empty grave”), is huge and imposing. It stands 19.5 metres (64 feet) above the ground and comprises a plinth, 3-step pedestal and tall obelisk made of Gracemere blue-grey granite. Inscribed on the front (west face) of the pedestal are the words and dates: IN REMEMBRANCE – TO THOSE WHO FELL – 1914-1918, 1939-1945, 1950-1953, 1948-1954, 1963-1965, 1964-1972.  

When erected, the war memorial commemorated all Central Queenslanders who enlisted in the Great War (World War I). Today the war memorial commemorates Rockhampton and district men and women who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean, Malaysian and Borneo campaigns, and the Vietnam War.

The words SACRIFICE, UNITY and FREEDOM, respectively, are inscribed on the pedestal’s other three faces.

There are no names on the monument. This is not only uncommon, but surprising, given the original proposal to inscribe on the memorial the names of all Central Queenslanders who enlisted in the Great War.

A war trophy, a German-built Krupp gun reportedly captured by the 1^st Australian Light Horse Regiment at the Battle of Beersheba in October 1917, is located near the pathway to the memorial.

The site includes a couple of recent additions.

One is a monument to National Servicemen, who served in the Australian Defence Forces in the periods 1951-1959 and 1965-1972. According to the inscription on the back of the monument, it was erected by the Rockhampton City Council for the Rockhampton and District Branch of the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia. It was dedicated and blessed on 15 July 2007.

A second more recent addition to the site is the Long Tan Hibiscus Garden. It commemorates the Battle of Long Tan, the first major conflict of the Vietnam War fought between Australian troops and forces loyal to North Vietnam. The Long Tan Hibiscus Garden stands as a point of reflection and living tribute to the courage and commitment of the 60,000 Australian personnel who served in Vietnam during Australia’s 10-year involvement there, 521 of whom were lost during service.

A third addition to the surroundings is a set of twin stone pillar memorials. One is dedicated to HMAS Sydney II, sunk by the German raider HSK Kormoran off the West Australian coast on 19 November 1941. The memorial particularly honours and remembers three crew members from the Rockhampton region, whose names are inscribed on the memorial plaque. The other pillar is dedicated to those who served in HMA ships (as listed) attached to the Far East Strategic Reserve in South East Asia from 1955 to 1971.

The Rockhampton War Memorial was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. [41]

EPILOGUE

“Remember” and “forget” are two words that come to mind when I think of ANZAC Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November).

According to Howard Peskett, commenting on a passage in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 8), remembering and forgetting are not simply intellectual concepts. [42] He wrote:

I conclude with a quote from the address Canon Cue gave at the Rockhampton War Memorial on ANZAC Day 1925. [43] He said:

We still remember them.

Lest we forget.

REFERENCES

MAIN SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Virtual War Memorial Australia. People

SPECIFIC REFERENCES

1. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. ‘World War I casualties’. Retrieved April 15, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties
2. The Australian War Memorial. Memorial Articles: Australians at War. ‘First World War 1914-1918’. Retrieved April 16, 2024 from https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/atwar/first-world-war
3. Ibid.
4. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. ‘Military recruitment in Queensland in World War I’. Retrieved April 15, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_recruitment_in_Queensland_in_World_War_I
5. DEATH OF LIEUTENANT BYRON PATTISON. FIRST ROCKHAMPTON-BORN KILLED IN THE WAR. (1915, May 17). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53363699
6. Queensland Heritage Council. Queensland Heritage Register. ‘Victor Denton War Memorial’. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600414
7. THE LATE SERGEANT H COLQUHOUN. MEMORIAL TABLET UNVEILED. (1917, February 3). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55166525  9
8. SOLDIERS’ AND SAILORS’ MEMORIAL. (1918, September 25). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53854098
9. WAR MEMORIAL. (1918, September 23). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 4. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175502872
10. SOLDIERS’ AND SAILORS’ MEMORIAL. (1918, September 25). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53854098
11. A WAR MEMORIAL. SECOND PUBLIC MEETING. (1918, December 9). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53860830
12. Ibid.
13. MEMORIAL TO CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SOLDIERS. THIRD PUBLIC MEETING. (1918, December 12). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53861196
14. SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL. IMPORTANT MEETING. (1919, February 12). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53901697
15. Ibid.
16. WAR MEMORIAL. TO BE CONFINED TO ROCKHAMPTON AND DISTRICT. (1919, April 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53869203
17. WAR MEMORIAL COMMITTEE. PROPOSED EXPENDITURE OF £10,000. (1919, May 23). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53870959
18. WAR MEMORIAL COMMITTEE. EXECUTIVE’S PROPOSALS ADOPTED. (1919, May 29). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 9. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53870417
19. CENTRAL QUEENSLAND WAR MEMORIAL. (1920, October 23). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 19. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20475804
20. Advertising (1921, January 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 1. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53973856
21. WAR MEMORIAL. ROCKHAMPTON TRIBUTE. (1921, June 11). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 – 1926), p. 4. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article213202188
22. SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL MARBLE FOUNTAIN. UNVEILED AT SPRINGSURE. (1919, December 13). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53877784
23. GRACEMERE WAR MEMORIAL. (1920, March 9). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53886410
24. YEPPOON. (1920, April 14). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53891942
25. BAJOOL WAR MEMORIAL. UNVEILED ON SATURDAY BY MR F M FORDE MLA. (1921, December 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53993606
26. WAR MEMORIAL IN BOTANIC GARDENS. (1922, May 18). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54024323
27. WAR MEMORIAL. DISAGREEMENT AT ROCKHAMPTON. (1922, September 2). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 2 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved April 13, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article177888858
28. Ibid.
29. WAR MEMORIAL. (1922, November 28). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54031280
30. Ibid.
31. CENTRAL QUEENSLAND WAR MEMORIAL. (1923, February 8). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54012050
32. WAR MEMORIAL. (1922, November 28). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54031280
33. CENTRAL QUEENSLAND WAR MEMORIAL. (1923, April 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54121333
34. GRACEMERE GRANITE. (1924, January 16). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54108735
35. CENTRAL, QUEENSLAND WAR MEMORIAL. (1924, May 24). The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1875 – 1929), p. 26. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69746568
36. Ibid.
37. WAR MEMORIAL. (1924, June 12). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54276517
38. Unveiling of Central Queensland War Memorial. (1924, October 17). The Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1924 – 1941), p. 8. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201431238
39. WAR MEMORIAL. (1924, October 17). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 – 1926), p. 6. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219014314
40. AT THE WAR MEMORIAL. (1925, April 27). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54298604
41. Queensland Government. Queensland Heritage Register. ‘Rockhampton War Memorial’. Retrieved on April 17, 2021, from: https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600818
42. Peskett, H. (2023). ‘Look Back – and Forward’. In S. Nelson (Ed.), Encounter with God, p. 22. Scripture Union.
43. AT THE WAR MEMORIAL. (1925, April 27). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54298604