History of the Armistice Centenary War memorial Part 2

What the Memorial Commemorates

The Memorial was originally intended to honour the 568 Riflemen of the QRA who lost their lives during World War I, however the scope of the memorial has rightfully been expanded to also pay tribute to the many men and women of all shooting disciplines who have served in defence of the Nation, in all of Australia’s wars and campaigns since the Boer War, including peace-keeping operations post 1946.

Stages of construction

Stage 1

A Memorial Gate at the primary entrance to the complex and on the two main entrance piers are badges: on the left The Great War 1914-18 and on the right, Crossed Rifles, the universal symbol of Riflemen. Both badges are surmounted by laurel wreaths. All six pillars of the memorial gate are illuminated at night.

A War Memorial consisting of a circular base with a central memorial stone surrounded by 11 sandstone plinths, a physical reminder that it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the first Armistice Day in 1918, when the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. Each plinth bears a plaque dedicated to a shooting club or association, acknowledging their members' service in Australia’s armed forces in peace and war. It is anticipated that, over time, more shooting clubs throughout Queensland will add their plaques.

A flagpole adjacent to the central memorial stone, flies the Australian national flag, which is illuminated between sunset & sunrise.

Construction was completed in time for the Memorial to be officially opened on 11th November 2018 by Mr Ross Vasta MP, Federal member for Bonner, and consecrated by Army chaplain LtCol (ret’d) Graeme Ramsden OAM, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Great War of 1914-18.

Stage 2

Two curved flanking memorial walls on the western and northern sides of the central memorial.

The western wall displays the words LEST WE FORGET between two enlarged Rising Sun badges.

The northern wall displays 12 plaques, naming the principal wars and campaigns that Australia has been involved in since the Boer War, including Peacekeeping operations and ADF Community Service, in recognition of the bushfire crisis, flood assistance and Covid19 response.

In the centre of the plaques on the northern wall are the three current Service badges of the ADF.

An upgraded underground electrical power supply to the War Memorial to illuminate the two flanking memorial walls, and powering a new public address system used on commemorative occasions.