Fremantle War Memorial

Last updated

Fremantle War Memorial
operated by the City of Fremantle
Fremantle War Memorial (front).jpg
For Fremantle servicemen and servicewomen
Unveiled Armistice Day (11 November), 1928
Location 32°03′08″S115°45′26″E / 32.05229°S 115.757237°E / -32.05229; 115.757237
near 
Fremantle, Western Australia
Designed byJ. F. Allen and C. H. Nicholas; constructed by Pietro Porcelli
TypeState Registered Place
Designated28 August 2001
Reference no. 3956

The Fremantle War Memorial is a war memorial located on Monument Hill, an 11-acre (4.45-hectare) public reserve and hill in Fremantle, Western Australia. The memorial itself comprises a large obelisk, the Fallen Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial, surrounded by eight smaller memorials. The site, located on High Street near the centre of Fremantle, overlooks Fremantle Harbour, and was established by the Fremantle Town Council in 1928 to commemorate the losses of the First World War, having been used as a public reserve since the early 19th century.

Contents

Location

The War Memorial is located on Monument Hill in the suburb of Fremantle, approximately 43 metres (141 ft) above sea level. The hill overlooks Fremantle Harbour, Garden Island, and Rottnest Island to the west, and the Darling Ranges to the east, and is the highest natural point of elevation between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Ranges. [1] [2] Monument Hill was identified early as one of the best vantage points in Fremantle. The reserve is surrounded by residential properties immediately to the north, south, east, and west, although Fremantle Prison, CBC, and John Curtin College of the Arts are less than 500 metres (550 yd) away to the south-west, north-west, and north, respectively. Four roads – Bateman Street, High Street, Knutsford Street, and Swanbourne Street – border the reserve, and Solomon Street runs through the centre, allowing vehicular access. [3]

Under the name "Monument Hill Memorial Reserve", the land comprising the memorial has been designated a Class-A reserve under the Land Administration Act 1997, which means that the purpose of the reserve cannot be changed except with the consent of both State Houses of Parliament. [4] Under the name "Monument Hill & War Memorials, Fremantle", the site was listed on the Register of Historic Places on 28 August 2001, [5] with the Register Listing noting: "the complete panorama (and the view of Fremantle and Gage Roads in particular) afforded from the place, its urban parkland containing mature trees and open spaces, and the open character and almost constant breeze at its summit (particularly in the warmer months) are all aesthetic characteristics of the place that continue to attract visitors and locals alike and contribute to the community's sense of place". [6]

History

Frank Gibson (left) and William Watson headed the Fremantle War Memorial Committee in 1923. Frank Gibson, MLA, and William Watson, MHR.jpg
Frank Gibson (left) and William Watson headed the Fremantle War Memorial Committee in 1923.
A sketch of the proposed memorial published in The Sunday Times in February 1925. Fremantle War Memorial sketch.jpg
A sketch of the proposed memorial published in The Sunday Times in February 1925.
An aerial photograph of the memorial taken by Frank Hurley in the 1930s. Fremantle War Memorial (aerial view).jpg
An aerial photograph of the memorial taken by Frank Hurley in the 1930s.

Prior uses

An obelisk at the summit of Monument Hill was constructed in 1874 for use as a trig point by surveyors and navigators. [7] In an 1870s planning map of Fremantle, the obelisk was shown under the name "Obelisk Hill", which remained in use until its demolition prior to the construction of the memorial in the 1920s. [8] The area around the hill comprised limestone outcrops and low scrub. After the Western Australian gold rushes in the 1890s, a number of shanty towns, commonly referred to as "canvas towns", came into existence on the outskirts of Fremantle, including on Monument Hill. The reserve was vested as a public park on 20 July 1904, under the name "Obelisk Reserve". Under the specifications of Fremantle's town engineer, quarrying of the limestone outcrops commenced shortly after, and was used by a number of local companies, including the Fremantle Tramways. Various landscaping works were carried out between 1904 and 1910, including the planting of trees, and construction of footpaths, drinking fountains, and fixed jarrah seats. [9]

Fallen Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial

The Fremantle Town Council established a Fremantle War Memorial Committee in 1921, to work towards "the erection of a fitting monument in memory of the men who enlisted from the Port". The initial proposal was for a 65-foot (19.8-metre) obelisk, costing between £4,000 and £5,000. [10] A meeting of the committee in April 1922, presided over by the Mayor of Fremantle, Frank Ernest Gibson, MLA, tentatively accepted the design of Messrs. Wilkinson and Ross, of Claremont, with second place going to Mr. S. Rosenthal, of Perth. [11] A separate citizens' committee was formed in February 1922, and reviewed plans by Messrs. Crossland and Harvey for the grounds. [12] Fundraising for the monument began in earnest on Anzac Day (25 April), 1922, with the organisation of a flower show, button days, and the selling of local produce. [13] Approximately £1,600 had been raised by October 1922. [14] The main committee also referred a proposal for an improved roadway to the hill to the works committee, pointing out the road was necessary for "the carting of material to be used in the construction of the memorial". [15]

Further fundraising continued throughout the following year, with the memorial committee, now headed by Gibson and William Watson (pictured together at right), the federal member for the seat of Fremantle, commencing a campaign to exploit the mercantile community of the town, which had "not yet been properly canvassed", in March 1923. [16] A meeting of the committee in November 1923, presided over by Mrs. F. Instone, recommended that tenders be called for the construction of the monument, after a discussion in which the idea was raised that only a portion of the contract be proceeded with, with the object of "shaming people into contributing towards the fund of having the memorial completed". [17] A further special meeting was held in April 1924, again presided over by Gibson. J. W. Bateman, who had previously resigned from the committee in protest at the poor response of shipping and commercial interests, was present at the meeting by invitation. The decision was made to proceed with the erection of the memorial "as far as the funds collected would permit", despite the "apathy of the citizens in the matter of subscriptions". The committee also moved to approach the architects Allen and Nicholas, who had gratuitously undertaken the role of supervisors in the construction of the monument, to secure estimates for the cost of the memorial. [18] Three estimates were received in September 1924, with the highest for £11,700, and the lowest for £6,450. One of the architects, Mr. Allen, altered some of the specifications of the monument in order to save money, substituting concrete for steel for certain work, and removing a spiral staircase and stone seats at the base of the hill. [19]

An article, accompanied by a sketch of the proposed memorial (pictured left) in The Sunday Times in February 1925, noted the height of the monument would be 85 feet (26 m) "from top to bottom", comprising a 60-foot tower, and an 18-foot base, giving a total height above sea level of 244 feet (74 m). The noted Italian-born sculptor Pietro Porcelli was placed in charge of the construction, having previously designed the Explorers' Monument and a statue of C. Y. O'Connor in Fremantle. [20]

Unveiling

The 11 November 1928 unveiling ceremony Opening of the Fremantle War Memorial (1).jpg
The 11 November 1928 unveiling ceremony

The memorial was completed and inaugurated in 1928. An initial ceremony was held on Anzac Day (25 April) 1928 to dedicate a memorial tablet on the main column prior to the completion of the memorial. This ceremony was carried out by Archbishop Riley. The main unveiling, after construction had finished, took place later that year on Armistice Day (11 November). The unveiling was carried out by the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia, Sir Robert McMillan, with the memorial dedicated by Canon Collick. [21]

Further memorials

Plans for the erection of memorial gates commemorating those who fought in the Second World War were proposed in 1948, with work commencing in 1952. The gates comprised two grey granite entrance pillars, with cast bronze panels and ornamental work. The original deadline for the work was Anzac Day, 1952, however, only the bronze plaques were unveiled, with the memorial entrances not opened until Anzac Day, 1963. A 21-inch-diameter mounted torpedo dedicated to the memory of United States Navy submariners who died at sea during the Second World War was unveiled by Rear Admiral Herman J. Kossler on 8 September 1967, jointly financed by the City of Fremantle and the United States Submarine Veterans Association. A memorial dedicated to members of the Allied submarine crews based in Fremantle during the Second World War was unveiled by Sir Douglas Kendrew, the Governor of Western Australia, on Trafalgar Day (21 October), 1972, incorporating a periscope from HM Submarine Tabard. [9]

A photograph of the memorial, taken prior to Anzac Day in 2006. Monument hill fremantle.jpg
A photograph of the memorial, taken prior to Anzac Day in 2006.

A plaque commemorating those killed in Malaya (1948–60), Korea (1950–53), Borneo (1962–66), and Vietnam (1962–72), was unveiled on 11 May 1975. A memorial funded by the Royal Australian Navy Corvettes Association was unveiled on 7 October 1984, commemorating those who served on Australian corvettes in the Second World War. Another plaque, erected by the Netherlands Ex-Servicemen's Association of Australia, was unveiled in 1991, remembering Dutch services based at Fremantle between 1942 and 1947. A further memorial, consisting of a ship's anchor resting on a raised base, was unveiled 23 October 1994 by Sir Francis Burt, marking Royal Navy personnel of the Second World War. Other memorials, unveiled on 27 August 1995 and 3 November 1996, respectively, were dedicated to the Australian Merchant Navy and the Royal Marines. [9]

List

MemorialDedicatedImageReference
Merchant Mariners Memorial27 August 1995 Merchant Mariners Memorial at Fremantle War Memorial, March 2021.jpg [22]
Netherlands Ex-Servicemen`s Association of Australia Monument1991 Netherlands Ex-Servicemen`s Association of Australia Monument, March 2021.jpg [23]
Submarine Periscope Memorial21 October 1972 Submarine Periscope Memorial at Fremantle War Memorial, April 2021 02.jpg [24]
Royal Australian Navy Corvettes7 October 1984 Royal Australian Navy Corvettes memorial, March 2021.jpg [25]
Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam30 November 2002 Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam memorial, March 2021.jpg [26]
Royal Marines Memorial3 November 1998 Royal Marines Memorial at Fremantle War Memorial, March 2021.jpg [27]
Royal Navy Memorial23 October 1994 Royal Navy Memorial at Fremantle War Memorial, March 2021.jpg [28]
United States Submariners Memorial16 September 1967 United States Submariners Memorial at Fremantle War Memorial, March 2021.jpg [29]

Uses

Commemorative services are held yearly on Anzac Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November). [30] [31] The Fallen Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial is designed so that at dawn 1914 is illuminated, and at sunset 1919 is illuminated, alluding to a line in the "Ode of Remembrance": "At the going down of the sun and in the morning/We will remember them". On Anzac Day, the shadows[ which? ] are exactly aligned.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyde Park, Sydney</span> Park in Sydney, Australia

Hyde Park, Sydney, is an urban park, of 16.2-hectare (40-acre), located in the central business district of Sydney, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is the oldest public parkland in Australia. Hyde Park is on the eastern fringe of the Sydney city centre and is approximately rectangular in shape, being squared at the southern end and rounded at the northern end. It is bordered on the west by Elizabeth Street, on the east by College Street, on the north by St James Road and Prince Albert Road and on the south by Liverpool Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anzac Memorial</span> Heritage-listed war memorial in Sydney, Australia

The Anzac Memorial is a heritage-listed war memorial, museum and monument located in Hyde Park South near Liverpool Street in the CBD of Sydney, Australia. The Art Deco monument was designed by C. Bruce Dellit, with the exterior adorned with monumental figural reliefs and sculptures by Rayner Hoff, and built from 1932 to 1934 by Kell & Rigby. This state-owned property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 23 April 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrine of Remembrance</span> War memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war. It is a site of annual observances for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byford, Western Australia</span> Suburb of Perth, Western Australia

Byford is a suburb on the south-eastern edge of Perth, Western Australia, within the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. The town has its origins in a township that was gazetted under the name "Beenup" in 1906. In 1920, the name of the township was changed to Byford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ANZAC Square, Brisbane</span> Heritage-listed war memorial in Brisbane, Queensland

ANZAC Square is a heritage-listed town square and war memorial located between Ann Street and Adelaide Street, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is a state memorial to the men and women who participated in overseas armed service and is named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Square is adjacent to ANZAC Square Arcade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Joondalup</span> Local government area in Western Australia

The City of Joondalup is a local government area in Perth, Western Australia. Its central business district is located in the suburb Joondalup, and it includes the town centres of Hillarys and Warwick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackboy Hill, Western Australia</span> War memorial in Perth, Western Australia

Blackboy Hill was named after the Australian native "black boy" plants, Xanthorrhoea preissii, which dominated the site which is now absorbed into Greenmount, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobart Cenotaph</span>

Hobart 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. The Cenotaph sits directly above what was once the location of the Queens Battery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anzac Avenue</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Anzac Avenue is a heritage-listed major arterial road lined with trees in the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. It runs 17.8 kilometres (11.1 mi) from Petrie to Redcliffe, with most of the route signed as state route 71. The route was formerly the main route to the Redcliffe peninsula, until the Hornibrook Bridge was opened in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boonah War Memorial</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Boonah War Memorial and Memorial Park is a heritage-listed memorial at Park Street, Boonah, Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1920 to 1922. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxley War Memorial</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Oxley War Memorial is a heritage-listed memorial at 1218 Oxley Road, Oxley, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1920. It is also known as Oxley Memorial Park and Oxley Place. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 4 July 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ANZAC Hill</span> Mountain in Australia

ANZAC Hill, at 608 meters, is located in Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World War I Cenotaph, Mackay</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

World War I Cenotaph is a heritage-listed memorial at Jubilee Park, Alfred Street, Mackay, Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Stephen Harvey and built from 1928 to 1929 by Melrose & Fenwick. It is also known as Mackay War Memorial and Jubilee Park. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns War Memorial</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Cairns War Memorial is a heritage-listed memorial at The Esplanade, Cairns City, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1925. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalby War Memorial and Gates</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Dalby War Memorial and Gates is a heritage-listed memorial at Patrick Street, Dalby, Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed and built in 1922 by Harry Shill and British firms. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pialba Memorial Cenotaph</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Pialba Memorial Cenotaph is a heritage-listed memorial at Freedom Park, Main Street, Pialba, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Philip Oliver Ellard Hawkes and built from 1918 to 1921 by Frederick William Webb. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 May 2016. It is also known as the Pialba War Memorial and the Hervey Bay War Memorial.

The Kogarah ANZAC Memorial is a war memorial located in the town square, on Belgrave Street, of Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. Located between St George Hospital and the Greek Orthodox Church, it was built to recognize the sacrifice of Australian nurses and the significance of Greek support towards the Australian troops during World War One. Unveiled on 4 March 2017, the memorial consists of a bronze injured soldier backed by the outline of a nurse in a metal frame. A bronze plaque details a history of Lemnos’s part in the landing of Gallipoli, a map of the hospitals, a list of each nation’s casualties, and a recognition of the 2 692 Australian nurses who volunteered to serve internationally. The statue was created by the Georges River Council's first Artist in Residence, Takis Kozokos, with the help of a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs' ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockingham War Memorial</span> War memorial in Rockingham, Western Australia

The Rockingham War Memorial is a military memorial in the City of Rockingham, Western Australia, dedicated to what is now the Australian Defence Force.

Harry Griffiths was a Reverend who worked for the Methodist Inland Mission in Alice Springs; Northern Territory and is best remembered for establishing Griffiths House as well as designing and opening the ANZAC Hill memorial.

References

  1. ↑ Fremantle War Memorial, Western Australia Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine – World War 1 Cemeteries. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Monument Hill (WA) – Easy Weddings. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  3. ↑ Department of Land Information. StreetSmart Perth Street Directory (48 (2007) ed.). West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Maps 310–311. ISBN   1-921048-10-7.
  4. ↑ Monument Hill Memorial Reserve – Fremantle Visitor Centre. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Monument Hill & War Memorials, Fremantle (03956) Archived 13 July 2012 at archive.today – Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  6. ↑ Register listing for Monument Hill & War Memorials, Fremantle Archived 24 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Register of Historic Places. Published 28 August 2001. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  7. ↑ Monument Hill, Fremantle, WA – The Gardens Family History. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  8. ↑ 1870s Fremantle No.2 – Planning Western Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 Assessment documentation for Monument Hill & War Memorials, Fremantle Archived 21 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Register of Historic Places. Published 28 August 2001. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  10. ↑ PORT PARAGRAPHS – The Sunday Times . Published 11 December 1921. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  11. ↑ Fremantle's effort – The West Australian . Published 24 April 1922. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  12. ↑ Soldiers' Memorial for Fremantle – The Western Mail . Published 23 February 1922. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  13. ↑ Fremantle Flower Show – The West Australian . Published 26 October 1922. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  14. ↑ Fremantle War Memorial. – The West Australian . Published 9 October 1922. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  15. ↑ Fremantle War Memorial. – The West Australian . Published 18 October 1922. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Fremantle War Memorial. – The West Australian . Published 24 March 1923. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  17. ↑ Tenders to Be Called. – The West Australian . Published 17 November 1923. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  18. ↑ Decision of the Committee. – The West Australian . Published 24 April 1924. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  19. ↑ FREMANTLE COMMITTEE'S WORK – The West Australian . Published 22 September 1924. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  20. ↑ FREMANTLE FALLEN SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MEMORIAL – The Sunday Times . Published 15 February 1925. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  21. ↑ "Fremantle Fallen Sailors and Soldiers Memorial". Monument Australia. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Merchant Mariners Memorial". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Netherlands Ex-Servicemen's Association of Australia Monument". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  24. ↑ "Submarine Periscope Memorial". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  25. ↑ "Royal Australian Navy Corvettes". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "Royal Marines Memorial". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  28. ↑ "Royal Navy Memorial". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  29. ↑ "United States Submariners Memorial". monumentaustralia.org.au. Monument Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  30. ↑ Remembrance Day in Fremantle Archived 31 December 2012 at archive.today – ABC Perth Events. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  31. ↑ Anzac Day 2012 commemoration Archived 21 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine – City of Fremantle. Retrieved 19 April 2012.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.