Oxley Shire Soldiers' Memorial
Click for a photo of the Oxley Shire Soldiers' Memorial
Wangaratta Chronicle, Wednesday 15 November, 1922
THE GLORIOUS DEAD
See Table.
THE CEREMONY AT THE MONUMENT
The township of Oxley was the scene of a memorable gathering on Saturday, when
the beautiful monument erected by the people of the Shire of Oxley in loving
memory of their soldiers, fallen and returned was unveiled by Colonel W. H.
SCOTT, C.M.G., D.S.O and Bar. Armistice Day was selected for the carrying out of
this unique event in the history of the Shire. It was a glorious November day.
The gathering was a very large one, fully 1000 people being present from all
parts of this district; all intent on paying homage where it was so justly due.
The memorial which is one of the finest erected in the North-Eastern district,
was built at a cost of £600, which sum was raised by voluntary subscription from
residents of the Shire of Oxley. It carries the names of 303 men who enlisted
from Oxley Shire, and the names of 70 brave men from the Shire who had made the
supreme sacrifice. The front of the monument faces the main road and conveys the
message for which it was erected. The memorial was draped with a large Union
Jack, and on the four corner steps of the memorial there stood to attention
throughout the ceremony, four members of the Wangaratta Troop of Light Horse in
uniform - Troopers M J O'KEEFE, R W GROSSMAN, E THOMSON and F R WHEELER, who
were under the charge of Sgt. L H MURRAY and Lieut. W MORRISON.
A number of ladies were engaged selling poppies at 1/ each for the funds in aid
of the war orphans of our great Ally, France.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MEMORIAL
The Soldier's Memorial at Oxley is situated on the high ground on the east side
of the King river and on the south side of the road leading through Oxley to
Milawa. The site is well chosen as it is visible from the road for a
considerable distance from either direction of approach. The memorial is a
combination of a memorial to the fallen and an honor roll to those who served in
the great war 1914-18. The foundations comprise a mass of concrete twelve feet
square, carried up to a height of two feet above the ground and on top of this
rests the lower step. The concrete in the foundation is completely concealed by
an earthen mound extending out round the memorial to a distance of about six
feet six inches, this mound being covered with six inches of gravel and over the
whole is spread about three inches of specially selected pure white quartz from
Bendigo. The memorial is carried on three steps or footing courses made from
Footscray basalt or bluestone. Each step is 11 inches in height and 1 foot 6
inches in width, giving an effective tread of 15 inches. The lower step covers a
ground area of 11 feet 2 inches square whilst that of the upper or third step
has a superficial area of 6 feet 2 inches. On the top of the steps is placed the
base stone - solid block of Harcourt granite measuring 3 feet 8 inches square by
a height of two feet ten inches, weighing about three and a half tons. This
stone with the exception of the margins, and the portion on which the
inscription is cut is left in the rock face style, the margins being fine and
dressed. On the front or north side of this stone is cut the following
inscription in suitably proportioned lettering:-
Erected by Residents
of the
SHIRE OF OXLEY
To Perpetuate the Memory of Citizens
of the Shire who Served in
THE GREAT WAR
1914 - 1918
The die stone of polished Harcourt granite rests on the base and is 2 feet 6 inches square by a height of four feet, and on the front of this are cut, in letters 3/4 in. in height, the names of 70 men who died on service. On the remaining sides are cut in 5/8 in. letters the names of those that served. The die stone is finished off on the top with a cap of similar stone with polished face and on the sides are inscribed the battle Fronts on which the Australian Army fought, Gallipoli being given the pride of place in the front of the stone. The whole memorial is finished off with an obelisk of Harcourt granite a little over two feet square at the base and one foot square at nine niches from the top and has a height of 10 feet nine inches. The obelisk is finished off in the rustis or rock faced style with fine axed margins. The total height of the memorial from ground level is 23 feet 3 inches. The whole of the work was carried out in a very high class of workmanship by Mr PARNALL, of Wangaratta, to the design as prepared by the Shire Engineer, Mr W H SCOTT, C.E. The memorial is enclosed by a fence of reinforced concrete posts and wire of neat design.
PRESIDENT'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
The ceremony was timed to commence at 11 o'clock a.m. so that the function would
be carried out to the hour and date that the Armistice was signed four years ago
- the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. A few minutes
before the hour appointed the Shire President, Cr. John T GIBB, J.P.,
accompanied to the memorial steps by the Shire Secretary, Mr BROWN, J.P., said
they had assembled to complete the final act necessitated by the late great war,
that was to unveil a memorial to soldiers of the Shire of Oxley who had fallen
or returned. The last war had caused more sorrow and sacrifices than any the
world had previously known, and it was only fitting that memorials such as the
one they were about to unveil should be erected to the honor of the brave men
who had gone to serve their country. Three years ago the Oxley Shire Council
decided that some permanent memorial should be erected, and the residents at a
public meeting concurred in that decision, and further determined that it should
be paid for by subscriptions from the people of the Shire. The money was
subscribed and a design prepared by their Shire Engineer, Colonel W H SCOTT,
accepted - the result being the magnificent memorial they were now about to
unveil. The memorial was executed by Mr A PARNALL, of Wangaratta, who had done
his work most efficiently. They were greatly indebted to the Shire Secretary, Mr
J F BROWN, for the vast amount of work performed by him in compiling the lists
of names to be engraved. If there were any omissions they could not attribute
them to him, because he had done everything possible to ensure complete lists.
The President call on Colonel W H SCOTT, C.M.G., D.S.O. and Bar to perform the
unveiling.
Colonel SCOTT, in his opening remarks said they had gathered together under the
title of residents of the Oxley Shire to pay what they considered a lasting
tribute to the men who served and fell in the great war. On this memorial were
engraved 303 names of men who enlisted, and the names of 70 of them who fell -
showing that 20 per cent of those who had enlisted from the Shire had given
their lives. This was a higher average than that for the whole of Australia,
stated to be 15 per cent. He first offered condolence to the relatives of the
fallen from the Shire. The monument was a fine one. It showed that eight sons of
one family - possibly a record for Australia - and five from another family had
served. The eight sons were sons of Mr and Mrs R HANDCOCK, of Myrrhee, and the
five were sons of Mr Wm CAREY, of Laceby. It was exactly four years today that
the last shot was fired, and the world, which had been at war for a period of
over four and a quarter years, regained a state of peace. They all remembered
that day and the great feeling of relief that came with the news that the
Central Powers were asking for a cessation of hostilities. He doubted if a more
suitable day could have been chosen for the unveiling of a memorial to the
fallen men of our country than the anniversary of Armistice day. There was a
certain type of person who would say that any day was as good as another for
performing such a ceremony as they were gathered there to perform, but he felt
sure that those who had assembled at Oxley that day felt there was something in
sentiment - it was not built by compulsion, it was not built with money taken
out of the revenue of the Shire, but purely by voluntary subscriptions. It was a
fine idea. Here they had before them a monument to those who fell and to those
who served. Residents of Oxley Shire had said that these men's names should be
perpetuated and here they had the result. The inscription on the die stone
stated by whom and why the memorial was erected, but he particularly wished to
draw attention to the wording - "Erected by Residents of the Shire of Oxley."
Perhaps it did not convey much, but it meant a great deal. Place the word "The"
before residents and the reading implied that it was erected by the Shire as a
whole. But no; this stone was built by voluntary subscription, and each and
every person in the Shire had and has the right to subscribe or not just as they
think fit. Before he returned from the war he believed there had been a good
deal of friendly argument as to whether the memorial should be built in Oxley or
elsewhere. He could assure them that he was more than pleased that Oxley Shire
had determined to retain its individuality. What had caused all the men whose
names were on the stone to go to the war? Could not the reason be summed up in
the one word "Patriotism?" What did patriotism mean but love of one's country or
the passion to serve one's country. Where should that love and service commence?
He would say that like its half-sister charity it should commence at home, but
he would not say that it should stop there. Let them remember that, small as it
might be, this township of Oxley has for years past been the seat of local
government for their Shire, and as the capital or seat of government of any
nation was the place where they found the memorials erected to commemorate the
great deeds of that country, why should the residents of Oxley not do the same
in their Shire. He would say emphatically that those who had chosen the location
did the correct thing. The argument might be raised that hardly anyone would see
the memorial, but what did that matter. The road in front of him would be a road
for all time, and as the Shire was not fully populated yet, who could tell but
that at some future date Oxley might be a city. Whether or not it became a city
what did it matter. Some of the world's greatest monuments were erected far away
from civilization, and yet the whole world knew of them, such as the Colossl of
Memon situated on a plain miles away from any large town. Here today they had
something which they as residents of the Shire of Oxley had made for themselves
in their own country, and built on their own land, and the reason for its being
there was because their fathers, sisters, sons and brothers had bought for them
the right by their service to the Shire in particular and the Empire in general.
They had built a memorial chiefly of granite the most enduring of stone, which
would last for countless ages. It would stand, baring some such catastrophy as
an earthquake or other unaccountable force, long after they had all departed,
long after the names and inscription have been worn away by the weather, into
the ages when the "Great War" would be an ancient history as the conquests of
Joshua or Alexander were to us at the present time; and people would know that
at one time the Shire of Oxley served its country in a war which they considered
was a war of right. After having given interesting particulars of war happenings
on several of the battle fronts, Colonel SCOTT unveiled the memorial by removing
the Union Jack that covered the inscription stone. His concluding words were:-
On behalf of residents of the Shire of Oxley I unveil this memorial to the honor
of the glorious dead and to perpetuate the memory of those who served in the
great war 1914-18."
While "The Last Post" was being sounded by Mr W J HILL the assemblage stood in
silence and with heads bared.
With Mrs G FERGUSON presiding at the piano, and led by Mrs G CROSS, the choir
sang the "Recessional," the company joining in the singing. At intervals between
the several speeches "Lead Kindly Light," "Near My God to Thee," and "O God, our
Help in Ages Past" were sung. The President in turn called upon and introduced
the speakers.
Major J H SHANNON said he was not a resident of Oxley Shire but from what he had
seen of it that day he was sorry he was not. He could speak with a personal
knowledge of some of the men whose names appeared on the stone. These included
Troopers T CULPH, Chas REID and G CROSS, who were in the same unit with him.
Troopers CULPH and REID were amongst the dead. They were men of whom any officer
would be proud. The third soldier, Trooper CROSS they had with them that day. He
trusted that the monument would stand for thousands of years to commemorate the
memory of those men of the Shire who had gone overseas to fight for Australia.
He express the hope that it would not be desecrated in any way. ….
PRESENTATION OF SOLDIERS' CERTIFICATES.
At 2 p.m. a start was made with the presentation of the 269 certificates to the
men who actually enlisted from the Shire. The certificates, of neat design set
in oak frame, read:- Shire of Oxley - Presented to . . . . . . . . . . by the
residents of the Shire of Oxley in grateful appreciation of his services for
King and Country in the great war which commenced 4th August, 1914. Honor the
Brave. - John T Gibb, President; J F Brown, Shire secretary. The certificates
cost 15/ each, a total cost of £301 / 15 for 269 allotted. The duty of
presenting them was performed by Mr R COOK, M.H.R., who was assisted by the
Shire President, Secretary (Mr J F BROWN), Mr G CROSS and Councillors. As each
soldier stepped forward on his name being called to receive his certificate he
was loudly applauded. Cheers were given when the names of eight members of the
family of Mr C HANDCOCK were read off and Mr HANDCOCK with some of his sons
stepped forward to receive the certificates. To the father was handed those for
the two sons who had fallen in France. Another round of cheers was given when
the names of five sons of Mr Wm CAREY were called. The father and some of the
sons accepted the certificates, the former receiving those for two sons who gave
their lives. The list below shows that several families supplied four sons for
service. A touching incident was the presentation to Mrs Norman FERGUSON of a
certificate by Mr COOK, and a Victory Medal by Colonel SCOTT. The Colonel
announced that the Victory Medal was presented "For services rendered to his
country" by Mrs FERGUSON's late husband.
At 4.30 p.m. the ceremonies concluded with the singing of God Save the King.
LIST OF NAMES ENGRAVED ON THE MEMORIAL.
See Table
RECIPIENTS OF CERTIFICATES.
Following is a list of those soldiers to whom certificates were presented:
See Table
Example of the Certificate presented to Oxley Shire men.
Last updated on 01 September 2021
