Australian War Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Australian War Memorial is Australia
's national memorial
to the members of all its armed forces
and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia
. The memorial includes an extensive national military
museum.
The Australian War Memorial was opened in 1941, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant memorials of its type in the world.
The Memorial is located in Australia's capital, Canberra
. It is the northern terminus of the city's ceremonial land axis, which stretches from Parliament House
on Capital Hill
along a line passing through the summit of the cone-shaped Mount Ainslie
to the northeast. No continuous roadway links the two points, but there is a clear line of sight from the front balcony of Parliament House to the War Memorial, and from the front steps of the War Memorial back to Parliament House.
The Australian War Memorial consists of three parts: the Commemorative Area (shrine) including the Hall of Memory with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, the Memorial's galleries (museum) and Research Centre (records). The Memorial also has an outdoor Sculpture Garden. The Memorial is open daily from 10am until 5pm, except on Christmas Day.
Many people include Anzac Parade as part of the Australian War Memorial because of the Parade's physical design leading up to the War Memorial, but it is maintained separately by the National Capital Authority (NCA).
Charles Bean
, Australia's official World War I
historian, first conceived a museum memorial to Australian soldiers while observing the 1916 battles in France. The Australian War Records Section
was established in May 1917 to ensure preservation of records relating to the war being fought at the time. Records and relics were exhibited first in Melbourne
and later Canberra
.
An architectural competition in 1927 did not produce a winning entry. However, two entrants were encouraged to represent a joint design. A limited budget and the effects of the Depression
confined the scope of the project.
The building was completed in 1941, after the outbreak of World War II
. It was officially opened following a Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November 1941 by the then Governor-General
Lord Gowrie
, himself a former soldier whose honours included the Victoria Cross
. Additions since the 1940s have allowed the remembrance of Australia's participation in other more recent conflicts.
Directors of the AWM to the present:
, a system of arboreal
parks, landmarks and road-side stops between Sydney and Canberra commemorating the 24 World War II and Vietnam War Victoria Cross recipients.
is a short, broad boulevard named in honour of the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
. It stretches from near the north shore of Lake Burley Griffin
to the foot of the Memorial proper, along the line of sight from Parliament House. It separates the residential suburbs of Campbell
and Reid
, and is fairly heavily trafficked as a route between northeastern Canberra (Dickson
etc.) and Kings Avenue Bridge.
Along each side of the Parade is a row of monuments commemorating specific military campaigns or services, such as the Vietnam War
and Australia's wartime nurses. The monuments are mostly sculptures in a variety of styles ranging from naturalistic to Modern
.
The foot of the Parade, near the lake, is paired by monumental sculptures in the form of gigantic basket handles, donated to the Memorial by New Zealand
. The two monuments are dedicated to Australia and New Zealand, respectively, and are inspired by the Māori proverb Mau tena kiwai o te kete, maku tenei, "Each of us at a handle of the basket", signifying the long tradition of cooperation and general closeness between the two Commonwealth countries.
The symbolic association of the two nations is carried forward in the vegetation decorating ANZAC Parade. Long beds of New Zealand Hebe
shrubs line the middle of the avenue, and behind the two rows of monuments are narrow bands of Australian eucalyptus trees
. Behind the trees are narrow residential streets paralleling the Parade and separating it from the residential neighbourhoods. In the high summer, cicada
s in the eucalyptus trees can be heard from several blocks away.
The heart of the commemorative area is the Hall of Memory, a tall domed chapel with a small floor plan
in the form of an octagon. The walls are lined with tiny mosaic
tiles from the floor to the dome. Inside lies the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier
.
Three of the walls, facing east, west, and south, feature stained glass
designs representing qualities of Australian servicemen and women. At the four walls facing northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest are mosaic images of a Sailor, a Servicewoman, a Soldier and an Airman, respectively.
The mosaic and stained glass were the work of the one-armed Australian muralist Napier Waller
, who had lost his right arm at Bullecourt during World War I
and learned to write and create his works with his left arm. He completed his work in 1958.
In front of the Hall of Memory is a narrow courtyard with a memorial pool surrounding an eternal flame and flanked by sidewalks and shrubbery, including plantings of rosemary
for remembrance. Above the courtyard to either side are long cloisters containing the Roll of Honour, a series of bronze plaques naming the 102,000 Australian servicemen and women killed in conflict. The plaques include names dating back to the British Sudanese Expedition, the Second Boer War
, and the Boxer Rebellion
. The entire long wall of the western gallery is covered with the names of the thousands who died in World War I. The eastern gallery is covered with the names of those who died in World War II
and more recent conflicts.
The roll shows the names only, not rank or other awards, as "all men are equal in death". Visiting relatives and friends insert poppies
in the cracks between the bronze plaques, beside the names of their loved ones that they wish to honour; many continue to be inserted by the names of those who died in World War I, and a few even appear by the names of those who died in the 19th century campaigns.
A small exhibit in the museum indicates that the famous Breaker Morant
of the Boer War does not appear in the Roll of Honour, not because he was dishonoured, but rather because he was not actually a member of the Australian armed forces.
When the Memorial closes each day, there is a ceremony at which visitors can gather at the entrance, hear a very brief explanation from a host, and listen as a recording of the "Last Post
" is played. On significant days, a piper
or a bugler
descends from the gallery, playing the Last Post.
The commemorative area is the main place in Canberra where Anzac Day
and Remembrance Day
services are held. These services are normally attended by Federal parliament representatives and officials from foreign embassies and Commonwealth high commissions, most notably those from New Zealand.
.jpg)
The Memorial is a two-storey building with a floor plan in the shape of a cross. The building is of Byzantine architecture
style with strong styling elements of Art Deco
throughout. In 2001, a new, broad annex called ANZAC Hall was added to the north of the original building. In order to preserve the view of the original building from Anzac Parade, ANZAC Hall was designed to be recessed into the grounds below, and hidden behind a wall.
The upper level is dedicated primarily to World War I (the entire west wing) and World War II (the entire east wing). In the World War I area there is extensive material pertaining to the Gallipoli
campaign. Between the wings lies Aircraft Hall, which contains a number of complete aircraft, mostly from the World War II era.
Also between the wings lies the Hall of Valour, a display of 61 of the 96 Victoria Cross
es awarded to Australian soldiers; the largest publicly held collection of Victoria Crosses in the world. There is an individual display for the holder of each Cross shown there, with a photograph, an excerpt from the citation that accompanied the award, and usually additional medals awarded to the same soldier. The relatives of Australian VC holders often donate or lend the Crosses to the Memorial for safekeeping and greater public awareness of their honoured kin.
On 24 July 2006 Kerry Stokes
purchased the 60th medal at auction for a world record price of A$1,000,000 and asked that it be displayed in the Victoria Cross Gallery. This medal was awarded to Captain Alfred Shout
for hand-to-hand combat at the Lone Pine trenches in Gallipoli Turkey. The Victoria Cross Gallery now has all 9 VCs awarded to Australians at Gallipoli.
The lower level contains a theatre, a research area, displays for the colonial and post–World War II conflicts, and an area for temporary special exhibitions.
ANZAC Hall is a large annex to the upper level of the memorial, used for the display of large military hardware. Notable displays on the Western side include a complete and particularly historic Lancaster
bomber known as G for George
, a Japanese Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine
sunk during a raid on Sydney Harbour
in 1942, rare German aircraft such as the Me 262 and Me 163, and a restored Japanese A6M Zero
, that was flown in combat over New Guinea. The eastern side includes a World War I aircraft exhibition, notably displaying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a, Pzalz D.XII and Albatros D.Va, among others.
The building is large and the collections are extensive; a full day will suffice for only the most cursory examination of its contents.
A gift shop and two coffee shops are on site, one overlooking ANZAC Hall, called "The Landing Place", and the other some distance away from the main building, called "The Outpost".
, a gun barrel from the heavy cruiser
HMAS Australia and the barrel from the Amiens Gun
– a huge railroad gun captured from the Germans during World War I.
This area is used for special displays during annual Memorial Open Days, and summertime band concerts are held on the nearby lawn.
Other Nations:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's national memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
to the members of all its armed forces
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The memorial includes an extensive national military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
museum.
The Australian War Memorial was opened in 1941, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant memorials of its type in the world.
The Memorial is located in Australia's capital, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. It is the northern terminus of the city's ceremonial land axis, which stretches from Parliament House
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
on Capital Hill
Capital Hill, Australian Capital Territory
Capital Hill , is the location of Parliament House, Canberra, at the south apex of the land axis of the Parliamentary Triangle....
along a line passing through the summit of the cone-shaped Mount Ainslie
Mount Ainslie (Australian Capital Territory)
Mount Ainslie or Mount Ainslie-Majura is a part of Canberra Nature Park. It borders on the inner suburbs of Campbell, Ainslie and Hackett...
to the northeast. No continuous roadway links the two points, but there is a clear line of sight from the front balcony of Parliament House to the War Memorial, and from the front steps of the War Memorial back to Parliament House.
The Australian War Memorial consists of three parts: the Commemorative Area (shrine) including the Hall of Memory with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, the Memorial's galleries (museum) and Research Centre (records). The Memorial also has an outdoor Sculpture Garden. The Memorial is open daily from 10am until 5pm, except on Christmas Day.
Many people include Anzac Parade as part of the Australian War Memorial because of the Parade's physical design leading up to the War Memorial, but it is maintained separately by the National Capital Authority (NCA).
History
Charles Bean
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean , usually identified as C.E.W. Bean, was an Australian schoolmaster, judge's associate, barrister journalist, war correspondent and historian....
, Australia's official World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
historian, first conceived a museum memorial to Australian soldiers while observing the 1916 battles in France. The Australian War Records Section
Australian War Records Section
The Australian War Records Section was an Australian military unit of World War I responsible for collecting and preserving records and artifacts relating to Australia's experiences in the war. The section was formed on 16 May 1917 under the command of Captain John Treloar and eventually grew to a...
was established in May 1917 to ensure preservation of records relating to the war being fought at the time. Records and relics were exhibited first in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and later Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
An architectural competition in 1927 did not produce a winning entry. However, two entrants were encouraged to represent a joint design. A limited budget and the effects of the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
confined the scope of the project.
The building was completed in 1941, after the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was officially opened following a Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November 1941 by the then Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Lord Gowrie
Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
Brigadier General Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie VC, GCMG, CB, DSO & Bar, PC was a British soldier and colonial governor and the tenth Governor-General of Australia. Serving for 9 years and 7 days, he is the longest serving Governor-General in Australia's history...
, himself a former soldier whose honours included the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Additions since the 1940s have allowed the remembrance of Australia's participation in other more recent conflicts.
Directors of the AWM to the present:
- August 1919 – May 1920 – Henry GullettHenry GullettSir Henry Somer Gullett KCMG was an Australian Cabinet Minister and member of the House of RepresentativesGullett was born at Toolamba West, Victoria and educated at state schools, but left school at twelve on the death of his father. He began writing for newspapers...
- 1920–1952 – Major John Linton TreloarJohn Treloar (museum administrator)John Linton Treloar, OBE was an Australian archivist and the second director of the Australian War Memorial . During World War I he served in several staff roles and later headed the First Australian Imperial Force's record-keeping unit. From 1920 Treloar played an important role in establishing...
, OBE (1894–1952) - 1952–1966 – Major J. J. McGrath, OBE ( -1998)
- September 1966 - 1974 – W. R. Lancaster (formerly Assistant Director of the War Memorial)
- 13 January 1975–1982 – N. J. Flanagan, AO
- 1982–1987 – J. H. Flemming, AO
- 1987–1990 – K. W. Pearson, AO
- 1990-1994 – B. E. W. Kelson
- 1996– Major General Steve GowerSteve GowerMajor General Steve Gower AO AO is the current director of the Australian War Memorial . Before being appointed the AWM's director in 1996 he served as an officer in the Australian Army. During his time in the Army he saw combat as an artillery forward observer during the Vietnam War in 1966 and...
, AO.
Remembrance Driveway
Remembrance Nature Park, located behind the War Memorial, is the Canberra terminus of the Remembrance DrivewayRemembrance Driveway (Australia)
The Remembrance Driveway in Australia is a system of arboreal parks, plantations, and road-side rest areas -- a living memorial dedicated to those who served in the Australian Defence Forces in World War II, the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War, and who continue to serve around the...
, a system of arboreal
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
parks, landmarks and road-side stops between Sydney and Canberra commemorating the 24 World War II and Vietnam War Victoria Cross recipients.
Anzac Parade
ANZAC ParadeANZAC Parade, Canberra
This article is about the road in Canberra. For other uses, see Anzac Parade .ANZAC Parade, a significant road and thoroughfare in the Australian capital Canberra, is used for ceremonial occasions and is the site of many major military memorials.Named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand...
is a short, broad boulevard named in honour of the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
. It stretches from near the north shore of Lake Burley Griffin
Lake Burley Griffin
Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial lake in the centre of Canberra, the capital of Australia. It was completed in 1963 after the Molonglo River—which ran between the city centre and Parliamentary Triangle—was dammed...
to the foot of the Memorial proper, along the line of sight from Parliament House. It separates the residential suburbs of Campbell
Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
Campbell is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Covering an area to the South East of the central business district, Campbell sits at the base of Mount Ainslie. On Census night 2006, Campbell had a population of 4,797 people...
and Reid
Reid, Australian Capital Territory
Reid is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Located directly next to Canberra City, Reid is one of the oldest suburbs in Canberra....
, and is fairly heavily trafficked as a route between northeastern Canberra (Dickson
Dickson, Australian Capital Territory
Dickson is a suburb in the Inner North of Canberra, Australia. It is named after Sir James Dickson who was a Queensland advocate of Australian Federation and one of the founders of the Australian Constitution...
etc.) and Kings Avenue Bridge.
Along each side of the Parade is a row of monuments commemorating specific military campaigns or services, such as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and Australia's wartime nurses. The monuments are mostly sculptures in a variety of styles ranging from naturalistic to Modern
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
.
The foot of the Parade, near the lake, is paired by monumental sculptures in the form of gigantic basket handles, donated to the Memorial by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The two monuments are dedicated to Australia and New Zealand, respectively, and are inspired by the Māori proverb Mau tena kiwai o te kete, maku tenei, "Each of us at a handle of the basket", signifying the long tradition of cooperation and general closeness between the two Commonwealth countries.
The symbolic association of the two nations is carried forward in the vegetation decorating ANZAC Parade. Long beds of New Zealand Hebe
Hebe (plant)
Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands, and South America. It includes about 90 species and is the largest plant genus in New Zealand. Apart from H. rapensis , all species occur in New Zealand. This includes the two species, H. salicifolia...
shrubs line the middle of the avenue, and behind the two rows of monuments are narrow bands of Australian eucalyptus trees
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
. Behind the trees are narrow residential streets paralleling the Parade and separating it from the residential neighbourhoods. In the high summer, cicada
Cicada
A cicada is an insect of the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha , in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. There are about 2,500 species of cicada around the world, and many of them remain unclassified...
s in the eucalyptus trees can be heard from several blocks away.
The commemorative area
The Memorial proper is sited on a broad pie slice-shaped lawn at the northern end of Anzac Parade. The commemorative area is situated in the open centre of the memorial building, (including the cloisters to each side and the Hall of Memory under the building's central dome) and the sculpture garden is on the lawn to the west.The heart of the commemorative area is the Hall of Memory, a tall domed chapel with a small floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
in the form of an octagon. The walls are lined with tiny mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
tiles from the floor to the dome. Inside lies the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
.
Three of the walls, facing east, west, and south, feature stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
designs representing qualities of Australian servicemen and women. At the four walls facing northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest are mosaic images of a Sailor, a Servicewoman, a Soldier and an Airman, respectively.
The mosaic and stained glass were the work of the one-armed Australian muralist Napier Waller
Napier Waller
Mervyn Napier Waller CMG OBE was a noted Australian muralist, mosaicist and painter in stained glass and other media. He is perhaps best known for the mosaics and stained glass for the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, completed in 1958...
, who had lost his right arm at Bullecourt during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and learned to write and create his works with his left arm. He completed his work in 1958.
In front of the Hall of Memory is a narrow courtyard with a memorial pool surrounding an eternal flame and flanked by sidewalks and shrubbery, including plantings of rosemary
Rosemary
Rosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...
for remembrance. Above the courtyard to either side are long cloisters containing the Roll of Honour, a series of bronze plaques naming the 102,000 Australian servicemen and women killed in conflict. The plaques include names dating back to the British Sudanese Expedition, the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, and the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. The entire long wall of the western gallery is covered with the names of the thousands who died in World War I. The eastern gallery is covered with the names of those who died in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and more recent conflicts.
The roll shows the names only, not rank or other awards, as "all men are equal in death". Visiting relatives and friends insert poppies
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
in the cracks between the bronze plaques, beside the names of their loved ones that they wish to honour; many continue to be inserted by the names of those who died in World War I, and a few even appear by the names of those who died in the 19th century campaigns.
A small exhibit in the museum indicates that the famous Breaker Morant
Breaker Morant
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, poet, soldier and convicted war criminal whose skill with horses earned him the nickname "The Breaker"...
of the Boer War does not appear in the Roll of Honour, not because he was dishonoured, but rather because he was not actually a member of the Australian armed forces.
When the Memorial closes each day, there is a ceremony at which visitors can gather at the entrance, hear a very brief explanation from a host, and listen as a recording of the "Last Post
Last Post
The "Last Post" can be either a B♭ bugle call within British Infantry regiments or an E♭ cavalry trumpet call in British Cavalry and Royal Regiment of Artillery used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have been killed in war.The two regimental traditions have...
" is played. On significant days, a piper
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
or a bugler
Bugle (instrument)
The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments, having no valves or other pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure, since the bugle has no other mechanism for controlling pitch. Consequently, the bugle is limited to notes within the harmonic series...
descends from the gallery, playing the Last Post.
The commemorative area is the main place in Canberra where Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
and Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
services are held. These services are normally attended by Federal parliament representatives and officials from foreign embassies and Commonwealth high commissions, most notably those from New Zealand.
The Memorial building
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
style with strong styling elements of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
throughout. In 2001, a new, broad annex called ANZAC Hall was added to the north of the original building. In order to preserve the view of the original building from Anzac Parade, ANZAC Hall was designed to be recessed into the grounds below, and hidden behind a wall.
The upper level is dedicated primarily to World War I (the entire west wing) and World War II (the entire east wing). In the World War I area there is extensive material pertaining to the Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
campaign. Between the wings lies Aircraft Hall, which contains a number of complete aircraft, mostly from the World War II era.
Also between the wings lies the Hall of Valour, a display of 61 of the 96 Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
es awarded to Australian soldiers; the largest publicly held collection of Victoria Crosses in the world. There is an individual display for the holder of each Cross shown there, with a photograph, an excerpt from the citation that accompanied the award, and usually additional medals awarded to the same soldier. The relatives of Australian VC holders often donate or lend the Crosses to the Memorial for safekeeping and greater public awareness of their honoured kin.
On 24 July 2006 Kerry Stokes
Kerry Stokes
Kerry Matthew Stokes AC is an Australian businessman. He holds business interests in a diverse range of industries including electronic and print media, property, mining, and construction equipment. He is most widely known as the chairman of the Seven Network, one of the largest broadcasting...
purchased the 60th medal at auction for a world record price of A$1,000,000 and asked that it be displayed in the Victoria Cross Gallery. This medal was awarded to Captain Alfred Shout
Alfred John Shout
Alfred John Shout VC, MC was the most highly decorated Australian during the Battle of Gallipoli. In 1915 he was awarded the Military Cross during the landing at Anzac Cove in April and receiving the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions during the Battle of Lone Pine in August...
for hand-to-hand combat at the Lone Pine trenches in Gallipoli Turkey. The Victoria Cross Gallery now has all 9 VCs awarded to Australians at Gallipoli.
The lower level contains a theatre, a research area, displays for the colonial and post–World War II conflicts, and an area for temporary special exhibitions.
ANZAC Hall is a large annex to the upper level of the memorial, used for the display of large military hardware. Notable displays on the Western side include a complete and particularly historic Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bomber known as G for George
G for George
G for George is an Avro Lancaster Mk.I bomber, squadron code AR-G and serial number W4783, operated by No. 460 Squadron RAAF during World War II...
, a Japanese Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine
Ko-hyoteki class submarine
The class was a class of Japanese midget submarines used during World War II. They had hull numbers but no names. For simplicity, they are most often referred to by the hull number of the mother submarine...
sunk during a raid on Sydney Harbour
Attack on Sydney Harbour
In late May and early June 1942, during World War II, submarines belonging to the Imperial Japanese Navy made a series of attacks on the cities of Sydney and Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia...
in 1942, rare German aircraft such as the Me 262 and Me 163, and a restored Japanese A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
, that was flown in combat over New Guinea. The eastern side includes a World War I aircraft exhibition, notably displaying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a, Pzalz D.XII and Albatros D.Va, among others.
The building is large and the collections are extensive; a full day will suffice for only the most cursory examination of its contents.
A gift shop and two coffee shops are on site, one overlooking ANZAC Hall, called "The Landing Place", and the other some distance away from the main building, called "The Outpost".
The sculpture garden
The sculpture garden on the west lawn of the Memorial contains a variety of outdoor monuments. The sidewalk through the garden is embedded with bronze plaques commemorating various branches of service, specific units, and historical events. There are also a number of sculptures, including a gigantic figure of a World War II-era Australian soldier which was originally located in the Hall of Memory, before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed there. There is a gun turret from HMAS BrisbaneHMAS Brisbane (D-41)
HMAS Brisbane was one of three Perth class guided missile destroyers to serve in the Royal Australian Navy . The United States-designed ship was laid down at Bay City, Michigan in 1965, launched in 1966 and commissioned into the RAN in 1967...
, a gun barrel from the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
HMAS Australia and the barrel from the Amiens Gun
Amiens Gun
The Amiens Gun is a German gun captured by the Australian Imperial Force during World War I and returned to Australia as a war trophy. The gun was placed on public display on 26 March, 1920 in a position adjacent to the Central Railway Station...
– a huge railroad gun captured from the Germans during World War I.
This area is used for special displays during annual Memorial Open Days, and summertime band concerts are held on the nearby lawn.
See also
- ANZAC War MemorialANZAC War MemorialThe ANZAC War Memorial, completed in 1934, is the main commemorative military monument of Sydney, Australia. It was designed by C. Bruce Dellit, with the exterior adorned with monumental figural reliefs and sculptures by Rayner Hoff....
– Sydney's main war memorial. - Sydney CenotaphSydney CenotaphThe Sydney Cenotaph is located in Martin Place and is one of the oldest World War I war monuments in the Central Business District.On the southern side, facing the General Post Office it states "To Our Glorious Dead" and on the Northern side, facing Challis House it states "Lest We Forget." It is...
– The location of Sydney's ANZAC Day commemorations. - Shrine of RemembranceShrine of RemembranceThe Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war...
– Melbourne's main war memorial. - Shrine of RemembranceShrine of Remembrance, BrisbaneThe Shrine of Remembrance is located in ANZAC Square, between Ann Street and Adelaide Street, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. With its 'Eternal Flame', the Shrine is a war memorial dedicated to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps ....
– Brisbane's main war memorial. - Kings ParkKings Park, Western AustraliaKings Park is a park located on the western edge of Perth, Western Australia central business district. The park is a mixture of grassed parkland, botanical gardens and natural bushland on Mount Eliza with two thirds of the grounds conserved as native bushland. With panoramic views of the Swan...
– The site of Perth's main war memorial and ANZAC Day services. - Hobart CenotaphHobart CenotaphHobart Cenotaph, , is the main commemorative military monument for the Australian state of Tasmania. It is located in the capital Hobart in a prominent position on the Queens Domain, on a small rise overlooking the city and River Derwent...
– Hobart's main war memorial. - National War Memorial (South Australia)National War Memorial (South Australia)The National War Memorial is a monument in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, commemorating those who served in the First World War. Opened in 1931, the memorial is located on the corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, in the heart of the central business district and adjacent to the...
- ACT MemorialACT MemorialThe ACT Memorial is an Australian war memorial honouring men and women associated with the Australian Capital Territory who served in a number of conflicts and peacekeeping missions throughout the world...
Other Nations:
- Canadian Tomb of the Unknown SoldierCanadian Tomb of the Unknown SoldierThe Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located at the National War Memorial in Confederation Square, Ottawa. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was added to the war memorial in 2000, and holds the remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier who died in France during World War I...
- National War Memorial (Canada)National War Memorial (Canada)The National War Memorial , is a tall granite cenotaph with acreted bronze sculptures, that stands in Confederation Square, Ottawa, and serves as the federal war memorial for Canada....
- Canadian National Vimy MemorialCanadian National Vimy MemorialThe Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known...