Walgett War Memorial
Snippets from The Spectator.
16 January 1919 In this issue of the Spectator, the Council invites design for a permanent Memorial to commemorate the close or the Great War and to place on record the names of those men who voluntarily left the district to take part in it, some of whom made the supreme sacrifice and it is proposed that the memorial be erected at the intersection of Fox and Wee Waa Streets in Walgett. The Council will put in the necessary foundations in concrete to a plan which the designer must supply and the memorial independent of the foundations is to cost about £150 (Pounds). Provision is to be made on the memorial for the inscription of at least 300 names and one face reserved for the names of the fallen.
Tenders will probably be called for the execution of the design and the erection will be carried out or supervised by the Engineer who will also see the foundations put in. The Council will from the designs submitted select the one they consider most suitable and will pay to the designer of it, £10 whereupon, the design will become the absolute property of the Council.
February 1919 Walgett Council has received five designs for the War Memorial. These can be viewed at the Council Chambers. 1 was local and 4 from Sydney.
Ten designs have now been received by Council and can be viewed at the Council Chambers.
Council is to write to all centres in the Shire and to Collarenebri, Cumborah and Pilliga asking for names of all persons who enlisted with a view to having them inscribed on the proposed War Memorial.
April 1919 On 5th April a meeting was held of Retuned Servicemen for the purpose of forming a Sub Branch in Walgett of the Returned Soldiers & Sailors Imperial League of Australia.. It was proposed that an account be opened in the Bank of New South Wales to be operated by the Secretary & Treasurer. Meetings will be held in Walgett on the first Saturday each month.
May 1919 First meeting held of Walgett Sub Branch of RSSILA.
June 1919 First report of Council meeting for some time. The question of the War Memorial was raised but as there was not a full attendance of Councillors, matter was deferred to next meeting.
July 1919 A start is made on the foundations for the War Memorial by Council employees.
Council suggests that Walgett should have some of the many captured guns which have been allocated to Australia. * There was a gun located at he front of the old Council Chambers for many years.
August 1919 Design No 10 by Messrs D W Carter & Co, Sydney for War Memorial selected
December 1919 A public meeting to be held to discuss possibility of erection of a Soldiers’ Memorial Hall in Walgett. Meeting called by Shire President Clr W A Bell.
March 1920 RSSILA requests Council to place on proposed Memorial, only the names of men “who went to the front”. Council did not agree, deciding that the names of all those who enlisted would be advertised and that any claims or objection would be considered. It added that the Memorial is being erected to commemorate the deeds of soldiers and recording the names of all those who enlisted from the district.
April 1920 ANZAC Memorial Service held in Presbyterian Church.
September 1920 Council published a list of names of volunteers for the AIF and asked for further names if omitted. * Presumably for inscription of the proposed War Memorial.
October 1920 Further list of Walgett volunteers published including additional names and corrections.
February 1921 List of names of 315 Walgett volunteers published but still incomplete.
April 1921 ANZAC Day Memorial meeting held in School of Arts.
Updated list of volunteers published.
September 1921 At Council meeting 30th August, question of completion of War Memorial raised. Engineer stated that he had received a wire from the contractors in Sydney stating that the statue was lying in Italy awaiting shipment. It was decided to write to the contractor stating that Council wished completion of the work to be expedited.
Captured machine gun now installed in front of Walgett Shire Chambers.
December 1921 Some doubt raised at Council meeting whether existing foundation for War Memorial is sufficiently large. Custer & Coy are contractors.
January 1922 Final stages of Soldiers’ War Memorial now reached. Contractors have workmen at present busily engaged. Letter cutting on slabs now in position. The statue and remainder of the work is expected to arrive in a couple of weeks.
February 1922 9.2.1922, lettering on War Memorial now completed.
March 1922 Soldiers’ Memorial “may now be regarded as completed. Statue and necessary marble work fixed in place and structure is a “very creditable one”
April 1922 Present lighting of War Memorial regarded locally as crude and needing much improvement.
ANZAC Day celebrated with services held in Church of England. * No indication that any service was conducted at new War Memorial.
June 1922 On 29th June 1922 the Hon W E Wearne, MLA, Minister for Land unveiled the Public School Honour Roll and the Walgett War Memorial.
April 1923 Engineer present carefully prepared plan to Council to install electric lighting in Walgett. Council decided to purchase a Delco Plant at a cost not exceeding £2,000. Clr Holcombe did not agree to the lighting of the War Memorial and said he would fight the proposal.
ANZAC Day passed very quietly in Walgett with only 1 wreath placed at the War Memorial. A night united Service was held in the School of Arts.
August 1924 Question of electricity lighting of War Memorial at intersection of Fox and Wee Waa Streets again raised. Lighting need now as electricity is not available from Council scheme for some months. Litigation feared as result of possible accident.
December 1924 Installation of electric light to Walgett War Memorial. Power temporarily supplied from MR G A Baker’s plant by way of a cable along Fox Street.
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