Soldiers Honoured in Lucas

COLTMAN Plaza’s new Honoured in Lucas exhibition remembers approximately twenty-five soldiers that have a place along Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour.

As part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, property developer Integra, the Arch of Victory – Avenue of Honour committee, and the shopping centre have collaborated on the informative foyer installation, which shares approximately 25 short stories about men, some brothers, who fought in World War One, losing their lives, and are immortalised by Lucas street names.

Arch of Victory – Avenue of Honour committee president Garry Snowden wrote these the short stories, and placed a poppy earlier in the week next to information about the Grose brothers, Joseph Donald, and Percy Claude, who are the inspiration behind Lucas’ Grose Lane.

The community is encouraged to source a poppy sticker from a Plaza shop, and do the same.

“Take a poppy and place it on the wall as a tribute to a soldier of your choice. Let’s create a field of poppies,” Mr Snowden said.

“Don’t be afraid to take a poppy away, give it to someone else, and encourage them to come back and place the poppy.”

Corporal George Coltman, a descendant of Major Charles Stanley Coltman and Sergeant Percy Edgar Coltman, spoke about these brothers who served and died in Gallipoli, and are part of the exhibition.

He unveiled a plaque to commemorate the official naming of Coltman Plaza Lucas, which takes its title from his two serving ancestors. Some of the Lucas Girls were in attendance for this formality.

Integra has named approximately 200 streets in Lucas after people who are commemorated within the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.

Street signs include a rising sun, with permission from the Australian Defence Force, and the number of their Avenue tree.

Honoured in Lucas can be seen until Sunday, 30 May. Organisers hope it may become an annual event, with many more stories of Ballarat soldiers to be told.