Memorial Way No. 5 features The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon. The information and photos have been provided by FFFAIF member Peter Benson. Peter is the co-ordinator of the inaugural regional meeting of the FFFAIF which is being held in Bathurst this weekend. For more information about the meeting, which is open to members and visitors, click here.
Located in the centre of Kings Parade in Bathurst are the Boer War Memorial and The War Memorial Carillon.
Photo: Boer War Memorial and The War Memoiral Carillon [Alan Kitchen]
The arched sandstone structure of the Boer War Memorial encloses a bronze figure of an Australian soldier with rifle at the ready. The Memorial was unveiled by Lord Kitchener on 10th January 1910.
The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon, which incorporates 35 bells ranging from 1,575kg to 8kg, was constructed in 1933 as a memorial to the volunteers of Bathurst and District who served in World War One. Today entry doors commemorate both World Wars and provide access to the interior featuring an eternal flame of remembrance.
In July 1928, a model of the carillon tower was displayed in Bathurst for public comment. Extensive fund raising was carried out by the community raising the ?8,189 14s 2d which was needed cover the construction cost. The fund raising activities included the proceeds of the sale of sheep; donations from schools; ‘socials’ and veteran donations.
The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon was opened on Armistice Day, 11 November 1933 with its dedication on 12 November 1933 drawing a crowd of 15,000 people. The unveiling was performed in a carnival atmosphere with a street parade and entertainment.
The railways scheduled special trains. The following article appeared in the Bathurst Times:
The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon is a classic Flemish three octave design, from the region in which many Australian soldiers fought during World War One. The bells and bell frame were made by John Taylor Bellfounders, England.
Each of the 35 bells, are embossed with the Bathurst Coat of Arms.
The Bourdon Bell (the largest) is inscribed with: Thus Bathurst and her surrounding villages honour their men of 1914-1918. Lest We Forget.
The second largest bell is dedicated to the returned soldiers in honour of their fallen comrades and is inscribed with: To the ever glorious memory of our fallen comrades. Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay his life down for his friends.
The third largest bell is in honour of the nurses who served and is embossed with the Red Cross emblem and is called the Red Cross Bell.
Twenty nine of the bells are dedicated to the surrounding villages and sub-districts: Brewongle, Burraga, Caloola, Cow Flat, Dunkeld, Duramana, Eglinton, Evans Plains, Georges Plains, Glanmire, Kelso, The Lagoon, Limekilns, Locksley, O’Connell, Orton Park, Peel, Perthville, Raglan, Rockley, Sofala, Sunny Corner, Tarana, Turondale, Wattle Flat, White Rock, Wimbledon, Vittoria and Yetholme.
Throughout the city of Bathurst there are several different memorials, including the Bathurst Public School Honour Roll and the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. The slide show below features some of these memorials and gives you a peek inside the Bathurst Carillon:
[slideshare id=1120747&doc=bathurstmemorials-090309064309-phpapp02]
The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon does not carry the names of any of those who volunteered for service with the AIF from Bathurst and surrounding districts. The National Archives of Australia, Mapping Our Anzacs [http://mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au/map.aspx?d=nsw ] , shows that 2055 members of the AIF enlisted from Bathurst.
To see the faces of some of the volunteer soldiers, view the slide show below.
[slideshare id=1120745&doc=bathurstsoldiers-090309064323-phpapp02]
*****
The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.