ANZAC Memorial's - 14th May 2011

It has taken me a while to get on my way with writing this book. But I am here now and can finally start the journey.

The sky was bright blue, a winter chill was in the air and the sun was providing warmth to everything it touched. I started the day, with my girlfriends dropping me off at the corner of Liverpool and Oxford Street. I jumped out of the car and crossed the street to Hyde Park.  I had my beanie, gloves, scarf, blazer, jeans, camera and notebook. The week before I read an article in the ‘Best Weekend’ from the Daily Telegraph. The article written was "Spending a day in Kings Cross and it’s surrounds". When reading the article, what caught my eye on the page was the El Alamein Fountain.  The El Alamein Fountain was erected in 1961 to commemorate the deeds of Australia’s Ninth Division during World War II. To get a better understanding of World War I & II. I used this free Saturday to visit the El Alamein Fountain and the ANZAC memorial sites in Hyde Park and Martin Place. 


After crossing the street to Hyde Park, I came across the first monument of the day. The monument was dedicated to all the officers on board the H.M.A.S Sydney that destructed the German raider "Emden" on the 9th November 1914. "A gift from the Commonwealth Government to the citizens of Sydney".

ANZAC Memorial - Hyde Park, Sydney NSW 

The ANZAC Memorial is a physical expression of the spirit and legend of an Anzac.  It was built to commemorate the courage, endurance and sacrifice of Australians who served in World War I and was later re-dedicated to honour all Australians who have served in wars and peacekeeping missions.

Un peu of history...

The ANZAC Memorial Building is the State’s principal War Memorial. The building was completed in 1934 designed by C. Bruce Dellit, and the sculptures by Rayner Hoff.

There was a competition for all architects to design the ANZAC Memorial and the winner, C. Bruce Dellit, won the prize. It was the most prestigious architectural competitions of the day. At only 29 years old in his second year of practice, Dellit imagined a monumental and highly sculptures design which broke away from revivalist traditions and also caused an uproar in the local architectural fraternity.

What else makes this memorial remarkable, is that it was only made possible after a protracted fund raising was initiated. On the 25th April 1916, exactly one year after the landing at ANZAC Cove, the fund was launched and by the end of the war £60,000 had been raised. Due to massive loses in human lives, the people of Australia opened the fund in respect of building a memorial to honor the supreme sacrifice made by their fellow country men. The memorial took 2 years to build and on the 24th November 1934 – The ANZAC Memorial was officially opened before an estimated crowd of 100,000 and a speech by the Duke of Gloucester.

This is the short documentary about the memorial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkJ32TK4wOs

Design, Interior and Structure

The Memorial can be approached from four directions; the North and South approaches consist of grand staircases that lead to the upper circular Hall of Memory. The East and West entries lead to the lower circular Hall of Silence, featuring the sculpture representing the Sacrifice’. In the upper space, visitors are compelled to look downwards, causing their heard to be reverently and naturally bowed.

Sacrifice

The sculpture Sacrifice is the central motif of the memorial's design. Symbolising the spirt of courage, edurance and sacrifice. It depicts the body of a young soldier lying over a shield and sword. He is supported by three female figures and an infant, representing 'his best beloved' - mother, sister, wife and child. The infant also represents future generations.

“There is no pomp, no vain glory, no glamour in this group; rather there is stark tragedy, grim reality and bitter truth. But is the truth which tells not only of the brutality of war and of the suffering it engenders, but of that noblest of all human qualities – self-sacrifice for duty” – Architect Bruce Dellit, 1934.

Stars of memory

The 120,000 golden stars covering the ceiling of the memorial honours the men and women from NSW who enlisted for service WWI. From this number 21,000 were killed or died later from their wounds, and 50,000 were wounded. 

The Exterior

There are 20 sculptures on the outside, each representing the different military positions in the World War I (Bomber, Ammunition Carrier, Lieutenant & Infantry relief, Field Artillery Driver, Light Horseman, Able Seaman, Naval Commander & Navy relief, Naval Wireless Signaller, Aviator, Nurse, Air Force Mechanic & Air Force relief, Infantryman, Field Telephone Mechanic, Gas Rescue Man, Surgeon, Matron & Army Medical relief). These sculptures were designed by English born Raynor Hoff.

“These figures, heroic in size and broadly sculpted in sympathy with the character of the architecture, are shown seated and with heads bowed, resting after their labours and sadly contemplating the havoc of the war years” – Bruce Dellit, 1934.

 

Above the main doors to the Vestibule, a bronze relief shows scenes from the Western front of WWI.

As I left the memorial and walked alongside the pool of reflection to take the last photo, I had a flashback. I could see myself when I was 19, siting on the steps of the Anzac memorial. I was reading and watching the birds fly in and out of the pool. At that point in time,  I was working my first job in the city on Oxford Street. The day's the sun was shining I would bring my lunch down and sit by the water. At 19, I would never of even thought I would in my future consider writing a novel. Here 6 years later, I am in a complete different state of mind. 

When I took my final picture of the monument, I felt for the first time, in along time, I could see my future. I could feel the cold air touching my face. People around me were walking in all different directions, couples and individuals on their own, sitting on the bench’s talking or being silent with their own thoughts. The sky was a strong blue crisp colour with the white fluffy clouds scattering the sky. The clouds, the ground, the air, the pigeons, the winter touching my face, my legs are walking, my mind calm and confident.


Pool of reflection

The Cenotaph, Martin Place - Sydney

After visiting the ANZAC memorial, I made my way down to Martin Place where The Cenotaph stands. The word Cenotaph means empty tomb, a sepulchral monument in honour of a person whose body is elsewhere. The word is derived from the Greek Kenos - empty, Taphos - a tomb, Kenotaphlion - Cenotaph. 

The memorial was completed in August 1927 and was the site of Sydney's first dawn Service, held at 4:15am on the 25th April every year, which is in repect to the hour of the  first ANZAC landing at Gallipoli.

It was important for the memorial to be placed in Martin Place because it was the very place the soldiers had enlisted into the World War I. Martin Place was also the centre of the City and all the memories of war are associated with it. 

After I took pictures of The Cenotaph, I couldn’t help but notice how historic Martin Place has become. I found myself taking further pictures of the Commonwealth Building and clock tower which stands atop.

El Alamein Fountain, Kings Cross - Sydney

The El Alamein Fountain is a war memorial located in Kings Cross, corner of Macleay Street and Darlinghurst Road. The El Alamein Fountain was commissioned as a memorial to soldiers who died in 1942 during the Second World War, in two battles at El Alamein, Egypt. The memorial was designed by the Australian born architect Bob Woodward. 

The Australian 9th Division fought in both battles of El Alamein during the Second World War. Both were important for the course of the war; the first battle, fought in July 1942, halted the advance of Axis forces into Egypt and the second, fought in October and November 1942, is considered a turning point in the Western Desert Campaign.