During our previous trip to Canberra, the gallery “Conflicts 1945” to Today in the Australian War Memorial was closed because of the renovations. This time however, it was open, so we took the opportunity to look around.
This gallery commemorates all the conflicts involving Australians from 1945 to today. This includes Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as numerous peace-keeping operations.
Korean War
This section commemorates Australia’s participation in the Korean War, particularly the army’s 3RAR, the RAAF’s 77 Squadron and the Royal Australian Navy.
Of the 17,000 Australians who served in Korea, casualties numbered more than 1,500, of whom 339 were killed. The majority served with the Australian Army.
The RAAF’s 77 Squadron was initially equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs, but these were later replaced with Gloster Meteor jet fighters. These, however, were outclassed as a fighter by the faster and more manoeuvrable MiG-15 operated by the Chinese and North Korean’s. As a result, they undertook ground attack missions in support of UN forces.
The RAN stationed HMS Sydney in Korean waters equipped with Firefly and Sea Fury aircraft. These made over 2,700 sorties, losing 9 aircraft with three aircrew killed.
Gloster Meteor F.8 fighter of 77 Squadron RAAF
Vietnam War
Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War lasted from 1962 until 1973. Over 60,000 Australians participated, the majority being from the army. Of these 523 were killed and nearly 2,400 wounded.
Long Tan Cross
One of the most interesting displays in the Long Tan Cross, erected after the Battle of Long Tan, to commemorate those who died.
In August 1966 a company of 6RAR was engaged in one of Australia’s heaviest actions of the war, in a rubber plantation near Long Tan. The 108 soldiers of D Coy held off an enemy force, estimated at over 2000, for four hours in the middle of a tropical downpour. They were greatly assisted by a timely ammunition resupply by RAAF helicopters, close fire support from Australian artillery, and the arrival of reinforcements in APCs as night fell. When the Viet Cong withdrew at night fall, they left behind 245 dead, but carried away many more casualties. Seventeen Australians were killed and 25 wounded, with one dying of wounds several days later.
Displayed in the Dong Nai Museum in Bien Hoa after the war, the Government gifted it to Australia in 2017.
Other Vietnam War Displays
Representing the Royal Australian Navy’s contribution to the war is a model of the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney. Other Australian ships provided escort, or fire-support duties, while aircrew served with US forces.
The Australian Army has displays covering the major equipment used, including artillery, an armoured personnel carrier and an Iroquois helicopter in the act of inserting troops.
105mm M2A2 howitzerM113A1 Armoured Personnel CarrierThe Long Tan CrossBell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter
Iraq and Afghanistan
This section covers Australia’s more recent involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Camp Russell Special Operations base and The Ghan Chapel where ADF chaplains ministered to everyone regardless of beliefLong Range Patrol Vehicle MC2-Land Rover 110 6×6 used by the SAS in Iraq and AfghanistanIraqi weapons including one of Saddam’s gold plated AK-47s
Peace Keeping
Some of Australia’s more important and long-term engagements have been peacekeeping deployments. These have been important because they assist in stabilizing areas of unrest while helping the local people recover from or avoid conflict. A map illustrating where deployments are or have been was very interesting. Many of these have not been well represented in the press, despite their contribution to world peace.
Land Rover Series 2A as used in Namibia 1989-90Locations of Australian peacekeepers
What Did We Think?
As the War Memorial continues its redevelopment, older areas such as this will be modernised. It is still an amazing pace to visit because of what it represents and has many great displays.
Leading up to the Australian War Memorial, ANZAC Parade in Canberra contains memorials honouring those who served in Australia’s armed services. The best way to see all of the monuments is to walk the length of the Parade. We parked in the Constitution Avenue car park, so that we could walk up one side and back the other.
Taking time to see each memorial and taking photos, the walk took around 30 minutes each side. We broke the walk in two, visiting the War Memorial in between. At this point we also had morning tea at Poppy’s Café.
New Zealand Memorial
The New Zealand Memorial reflect the unique friendship between New Zealand and Australian people. The two kete or basket handles express the shared effort needed to achieve common goals in both peace and war. They also acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of the servicemen and women of both countries who fought shoulder to shoulder on foreign soil.
New Zealand Memorial
Boer War Memorial
This is a remarkably realistic and life-like memorial of four horse-mounted troopers. Dedicated to Australia’s first war fought as a nation, which saw over 16,000 men serve during the Second Boer War from 1889 to 1903. Although made of bronze, the colouring used highlights the colours of the horses and uniforms. This was our favourite memorial because of the life like sculptures.
Boer War Memorial One of the 1.5 times life-size troopers and his horse
Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
The first memorial to be constructed on ANZAC Parade, The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial commemorates all the Australian Mounted Divisions. These include the Australian Flying Corps and every other Australian and New Zealand unit and formation that served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria from 1916 to 1918.
It depicts a mounted Australian Light Horseman defending a New Zealander who stands beside his wounded horse.
The original Memorial was in Port Said, Egypt. However, Egyptian nationalists destroyed it during the 1956 Suez crisis. Created by Melbourne sculptor, Ray Ewers OAM it is a recreation of the original which was by C. Webb Gilbert.
Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
Australia Vietnam Forces National Memorial
Dedicated to all those who served in Vietnam, this memorial features three large stelae with engraving representing the war. The central engraving is of a helicopter transporting troops while another consists of words from soldiers describing the war.
The Australia Vietnam Forces National Memorial Australia Vietnam Forces National Memorial Etching showing troops being picked up by helicopters
Australian National Korean War Memorial
The Australian National Korean War Memorial commemorates the Australian’s would served and those who died during the Korean War. The stainless steel poles represent those who were killed, while the three figures represent the soldiers, sailors and airmen who served. There are several boulders placed at the memorial, which were sourced from Korean battlefields.
Hanging above the memorial, a stone halo contains the names of all the service personnel who died during the war.
Australian National Korean War MemorialStainless steel poles with an airman and soldier
Australian Army Memorial Canberra
This memorial recognises all conflicts involving Australian soldiers since the Second Boer War.
Australian Army Memorial Canberra
Australian Hellenic War Memorial
Commemorating the lives lost during the defence of Greece and Crete during World War Two, this memorial looks like a Greek amphitheatre. The Doric column symbolises the rise of civilisation, while the rusted beams illustrate the destruction of war.
Australian Hellenic War Memorial Australian Hellenic War Memorial
Kemal Ataturk Memorial
This memorial is named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938) who, as a Lieutenant Colonel, commanded the Ottoman 19th Infantry Division when it resisted the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Arı Burnu on the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915 during World War I. He went on to be the founder of the Republic of Turkey and its first president, and received the honorific Atatürk (“Father of the Turks”) by the Turkish parliament.
It is the only memorial on ANZAC Parade dedicated to an enemy commander.
An inscription on the memorial, attributed to Atatürk, pays tribute to his former foes and reflects his understanding of the cost of war:
“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”
The quote honours all former enemy soldiers who have died in Turkey.
Kemal Ataturk Memorial Kemal Ataturk Memorial
Royal Australian Navy Memorial
The Royal Australian Navy Memorial honours those who have as well as those who still serve in the Australian Navy. The figures show sailors performing different duties and the geometric shapes represent different parts of a ship.
The flowing water adds to the whole navy theme, because different areas have different sounds. The front areas hisses, like the water at the bow of a ship, while the rear part throbs like a propeller.
Royal Australian Navy Memorial
Australian Service Nurses National Memorial
Commemorating all service nurses who died and those who suffered through war, the Australian Service Nurses National Memorial is a flowing blue cast glass sculpture. Covered in etched writing from diaries – in the original handwriting and photos, it illustrates the life and danger wartime nurses endured.
Several of the panels remain blank, symbolizing the inconclusive nature of this type of memorial.
Australian Service Nurses National Memorial Australian Service Nurses National Memorial
Royal Australian Air Force Memorial
This memorial honours the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Flying Corps. Representing a wing the memorial is symbolic of flight, but we found this too abstract. This was one of the harder to understand sculptures, without researching its meaning.
Royal Australian Air Force Memorial
Rats of Tobruk Memorial
Commemorating the Siege of Tobruk during the North African campaign of the Second World War Two, the memorial honours the 14,000 Australian and 8,000 Allied troops who defended the town for 241 days. Named the rats as a derogatory term by German propaganda, the defenders took on the name as a badge of honour. They successfully held of 37,000 German and Italian troops until relieved by the advancing Allied 8th Army.
The original memorial located in the Tobruk War Cemetery was destroyed. However, the inscription stone was retrieved and is now incorporated into this memorial. The twisting bronze sculpture represents the eternal flame.
Rats of Tobruk Memorial
Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
Since 1947 more than 80,000 military, police and civilian peacekeepers have served in 62 peacekeeping missions. This memorial commemorates their service.
Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
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Many people using Sydney Ferries will have past Bradleys Head with its mast from HMAS Sydney, but many will not know its significance. This small headland holds memorials to the Royal Australian Navy ships lost during wartime. The RAN considers this location the pre-eminent naval memorial in Australia.
Location
HMAS Sydney Mast and Associated Memorials
The most striking feature on the headland is the mast of HMAS Sydney (I), because it stands tall above its surroundings. It commemorates all who served on the four ships named Sydney and forms the focal point for the other memorials. Walking around the gardens you come across memorials to individual ships, from the first submarine AE1 to HMAS Canberra.
HMAS Sydney (I) Mast
HMAS Sydney (I) Mast at Bradleys Head From the Harbour
The Rifle Wall
Doric Column
Sitting off the headland is a Doric stone column in the waters of the harbour. It is from the demolished Sydney Post Office and in conjunction with the tower off Fort Denison, it was used for speed trials of vessels in Sydney Harbour. No longer used for this purpose, it is an interesting sight.
Doric Column
Doric Column at Bradleys Head From the Harbour
Bradleys Head Light
The Bradleys Head Light, completed in 1905, is located on the point of Bradley’s Head Peninsula. Used as a navigation marker and warning light, it also makes for a great photograph. The lighthouse is mounted on a rock and connected to shore by a footbridge.
Bradleys Head Light
Access to Bradleys Head is past the Taronga Park Zoo and down a narrow windy road. On the way down, you will pass the Rifle Wall, part of the old fortifications built to defend Sydney. Although probably not as interesting as the naval memorials, it is still historically important and worth stopping at.
The Rifle Wall
A great little stop for a wander around, either before or after the zoo if you are interested. Or you could add it to a visit to Middle Head and its fortifications.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
