Mounted Memorial, Canberra
Encyclopedia
The Mounted Memorial, Canberra is on ANZAC Parade
, the principal ceremonial and memorial avenue in Canberra
, the national capital city of Australia
.
horse riders. They are wearing the typical uniform of World War I
including the slouch hat
that is iconic of the 'Diggers'.
The horse on the right has been injured or shot, and the rider is falling to the ground; the rider on the left is supporting his mate.
This statue is a copy of one originally forming part
of a memorial which was erected at Port Said
and
unveiled on 23 November 1932 by the Rt. Hon. William Morris Hughes, K.C. MP.
The original memorial bore the inscription
"Erected by their comrades and the governments
of Australia
and New Zealand
in memory of the
members of the Australian Light Horse, the New
Zealand Mounted Rifles, The Imperial Camel Corps
and the Australian Flying Corps who lost their lives
in Egypt
, Palestine
and Syria
1916 - 1919"
The statue itself was irreparably damaged during
the Suez Crisis
in 1956. The remnants were brought
to Australia and a replica was constructed.
Two castings in bronze were made, the first of which
was erected on the original masonry base at Albany
Western Australia
in 1964.
Unveiled by the Rt. Hon. J.G. Gorton
MP
Prime Minister of Australia
on 19 April 1968
----
A second plaque nearby records:
This plaque records the service in the
Australian Imperial Force
of
General
Sir Henry ("Harry") George Chauvel
G.C.M.G.
, K.C.B.
1865 - 1945
Australian cavalry
leader of 1914-1918 who commanded
the 1st Light Horse Brigade and the 1st Australian
Division on Gallipoli
in 1915, then successively
commanded the ANZAC Mounted Division
, the Desert
Column and the Desert Mounted Corps in operations
in Egypt
, Palestine and Syria
1916-1918
It was interesting to note that on ANZAC Day
2005, as on previous similar commemorations, mounted members of the Australian Army or commemoration teams were at the memorial, as was obvious from copious amounts of horse droppings around the memorial; some can be seen in the photograph.
ANZAC 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...
, the principal ceremonial and memorial avenue in 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...
, the national capital city 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...
.
Design
The memorial shows two Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
horse riders. They are wearing the typical uniform of 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...
including the slouch hat
Slouch hat
A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat with a chinstrap, most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. It is a survivor of the felt hats worn by certain 18th century armies. Since then, the slouch hat has been worn by military personnel from many nations including Australia, Britain,...
that is iconic of the 'Diggers'.
The horse on the right has been injured or shot, and the rider is falling to the ground; the rider on the left is supporting his mate.
Plaques and History
A plaque at the font of the memorial records as follows:This statue is a copy of one originally forming part
of a memorial which was erected at Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
and
unveiled on 23 November 1932 by the Rt. Hon. William Morris Hughes, K.C. MP.
The original memorial bore the inscription
"Erected by their comrades and the governments
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...
and 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...
in memory of the
members of the Australian Light Horse, the New
Zealand Mounted Rifles, The Imperial Camel Corps
Imperial Camel Corps
The Imperial Camel Corps was a brigade-sized military formation which fought for the Allies in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. Its personnel were infantry mounted on camels for movement across desert....
and the Australian Flying Corps who lost their lives
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
1916 - 1919"
The statue itself was irreparably damaged during
the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956. The remnants were brought
to Australia and a replica was constructed.
Two castings in bronze were made, the first of which
was erected on the original masonry base at Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1964.
Unveiled by the Rt. Hon. J.G. Gorton
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:...
MP
Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
on 19 April 1968
----
A second plaque nearby records:
This plaque records the service in the
Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
of
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Henry ("Harry") George Chauvel
G.C.M.G.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, K.C.B.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
1865 - 1945
Australian cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
leader of 1914-1918 who commanded
the 1st Light Horse Brigade and the 1st Australian
Division on Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
in 1915, then successively
commanded the ANZAC Mounted Division
Anzac Mounted Division
The ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
, the Desert
Column and the Desert Mounted Corps in operations
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Palestine and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
1916-1918
It was interesting to note that on 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...
2005, as on previous similar commemorations, mounted members of the Australian Army or commemoration teams were at the memorial, as was obvious from copious amounts of horse droppings around the memorial; some can be seen in the photograph.