Australia's Memorial Walk (AMW) Restoration
Australia's Memorial Walk (AMW) is listed on the NSW and national memorials register and was dedicated in December 2012 by the then NSW Governor Her Excellency Dame Marie Bashir. When commissioned, four of the five monuments contained descriptive panels relevant to the military period represented. The fifth - UN monument - consists of cast bronze panels. The remaining panels originally were layered engraved aluminium which became illegible due to weathering in 2015.
12 etched panels were re-installed. These too suffered from the weather and now require replacement. Early in April 2019 the RAAHC was contacted by Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (SHFT) regarding the deterioration of the panels and a temporary sign was erected by SHFT to explain the poor state of the panels and that the RAAHC was reviewing restoration options. The RAAHC agreed to undertake two separate but interrelated improvements to the AMW: Install QR codes throughout the Walk; and replace the weather affected panels on four monuments as well as restore the Lone Pine Monument.
Six panels per monument will be commissioned. They will match the bronze panels in terms of size, appearance and placement as on the Peace Keeping Monument. They will be about 550 x 450 mm (with internal dements of 453 x 430 mm). A sandstone plinth to match the base of the Lone Pine memorial is to be manufactured and installed by a mason. This plinth will be fixed on top of the current base. The dimensions of the new plinth are a base of 340 x 450 mm, a front height of 100 mm and a rear height of 1 50 mm (face slopping back). A bronze panel of 250 x 800 mm will be installed onto the face of this panel. A grant has been sort from DVA Saluting the Services Programme. The RAAHC will fund any
shortfall.
Clash of the Gods of War
Following the success of the Firepower Seminar Series, Nick Floyd proposed that an anthology of all the presentations be published as a book. The RAAHC endorsed the proposal and the result has been the production of Clash of the Gods of War: Australian Artillery and the Firepower Lessons of the Great War. Nick has had tremendous support from his steering committee, Dr. William Westerman from the AWM and from Big Sky Publishing.
The book is to be published early in 2020, and will bring together scholars and practitioners to present fresh and erudite insights into the development of Australian artillery through the First World War and the application of firepower more broadly. It was planned that GEN Greg Bilton launch the book at the Regimental Conference in February 2020 but the Coronavirus has struck and the book is still in China. Watch this space for an announcement of the launch and how to get a copy.
150th Anniversary of Artillery in Australia
The RAAHC stands ready to assist the commemoration of the anniversary. However the two people nominated by the RAAHC as chair of the National Memorial Project and Deputy Chair of the150th Planning Committee have withdrawn for personal reasons.
The absence of RAAHC representative on the 150th Anniversary Project Sub-Committee has had little impact mainly because the sub-committee has never met despite the requirements to report as early as July 2019. It would appear that the RAA is not involving the broader Gunner community in any of the planning. The Australian Artillery Association has not been involved either even though mentioned as a member in the TOR. It is disappointing that the sub-committee has not met.
There have been no meetings of the National Memorial Project Group as no action was taken to call a meeting prior to the departure of the previous Chair.
It will be difficult to put together a group for the National Memorial and even more difficult to find a Project Manager. It should be accepted that a renovation of the Memorial will not form part of the 150th Anniversary activities. Is there anyone out there that could step into the breech as project manager?
