THE Bannockburn War Memorial has stood in front of the Bannockburn Shire hall for one hundred years as of this weekend and a centenary event is set to acknowledge the milestone.<\/p>\n
Coordinated by the Inverleigh RSL, sub-branch\u2019s president Deema Johnston said it was important to celebrate the monument\u2019s legacy, which will include presentations and a wreath laying ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible to be honoured with the job of not only organising it, but for being MC for the day, it\u2019s basically walking in the footsteps of [monument opener] Lieutenant-Colonel Neil Freeman,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat memorial and the grassed area immediately around it is in essence a burial plot for the men up on that memorial as they have no known burial spots anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alongside Mr Johnston, veterans Kevin Freeman and Don Gerling will act as chaplain and guest speaker respectively.<\/p>\n
Erected in 1923 to commemorate nine fallen World War One soldiers and later two World War Two service personnel, the statue depicts Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of remembrance.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnston said the Bannockburn War Memorial has been a significant site for commemoration for many years.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Anzac Day, it\u2019s actually the site of our step-off service. It\u2019s where we\u2019ve held our traditional dawn service for many years now, and people will often lay floral tributes there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe memorial is really something of significance. It\u2019s unique in its own creation because rather than being of a World War One digger, it\u2019s a deity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not actually a lot of those around. I also found from researching that the earliest war memorial was opened on Anzac Day in 1923, so Bannockburn\u2019s is really of importance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event is set for this Sunday, 5 February from 2.30pm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Bannockburn War Memorial has stood in front of the Bannockburn Shire hall for one hundred years as of this weekend and a centenary event is set to acknowledge the milestone. Coordinated by the Inverleigh RSL, sub-branch\u2019s president Deema Johnston said it was important to celebrate the monument\u2019s legacy, which will include presentations and a […]<\/p>\n