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Australian War Memorial by Thennicke –

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial combines a shrine, a world-class museum, and an extensive archive. The Memorial’s purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of those Australians who have died in war or on operational service and those who have served our nation in times of conflict. Its mission is to lead remembrance and understanding of Australia鈥檚 wartime experience.

The Australian War Memorial is established as a corporation by the Australian War Memorial Act 1980. The functions of the Memorial and the powers of the Memorial, the Minister, the Council, the Chairman, and the Director are outlined in the Act. 

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has portfolio responsibility for the Memorial, a statutory authority within the portfolio. The Council is responsible for the conduct and control of the affairs of the Memorial and the policy of the Memorial with respect to any matters determined by the Council.

Here are 10 amazing facts about the Australian War Memorial.

1. The Australian War Memorial is located in Australia’s capital, Canberra

This is in the suburb of Campbell. The Australian War Memorial forms the northern terminus of the city’s ceremonial land axis, which stretches from Parliament House on Capital Hill along a line passing through the summit of the cone-shaped Mount Ainslie to the northeast. 

No continuous roadway links the two points, but there is a clear line of sight from the front balcony of Parliament House to the War Memorial, and from the front steps of the War Memorial back to Parliament House.

2. The Australian War Memorial consists of three parts

Australian War Memorial by Boyd159 –

The parts are the Commemorative Area also known as the shrine including the Hall of Memory with the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, the Memorial’s galleries museum, and Research Centre records. The Memorial also has an outdoor Sculpture Garden. The Memorial opens daily from 10am until 5 pm, excluding Christmas Day.

Other monuments and memorials located on the adjacent Anzac Parade are maintained separately by the National Capital Authority (NCA) and do not form part of the Australian War Memorial.

3. The  Australian War Memorial was initially planned as a museum to commemorate World War I

However, in 1939, as it became clear that a second war of similar proportions would break out, the Memorial’s Board of Management decided to make the building a space for the remembrance of all Australian involvement in the war. This involvement would be characterized as a continuation of Australia’s experience of World War I.

The building was completed in 1941, after the outbreak of World War II. It was officially opened following a Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November 1941 by the then Governor-General Lord Gowrie, a former soldier whose honors include the Victoria Cross. Additions since the 1940s have allowed the remembrance of Australia’s participation in all recent conflicts. The Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier was added in 1993, to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War I.

4. The Australian War Memorial monuments vary in style from naturalistic to Modern

Australian War Memorial by GordonMakryllos –

The foot of the Parade, near the lake, is paired with monumental sculptures in the form of gigantic basket handles, donated to the Memorial by New Zealand. The two monuments are dedicated to Australia and New Zealand respectively and are inspired by the M膩ori proverb Mau tena kiwai o te kete, maku tenei, “Each of us at a handle of the basket”, signifying the long tradition of cooperation and general closeness between the two Commonwealth countries.

The symbolic association of the two nations is carried forward in the vegetation decorating Anzac Parade. Long beds of New Zealand Hebe shrubs line the middle of the avenue, and behind the two rows of monuments are narrow bands of Australian eucalypt trees.

5. The commemorative area is situated in the open center of the Australian War memorial building

The heart of the commemorative area is the Hall of Memory, a tall domed chapel with a small floor plan in the form of an octagon. The walls are lined with tiny mosaic tiles from the floor to the dome. Inside lies the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.

Three of the walls, facing east, west and south feature stained glass designs representing the qualities of Australian servicemen and women. At the four walls facing northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest are mosaic images of a Sailor, a Servicewoman, a Soldier, and an Airman respectively.

The mosaic and stained glass are the work of the one-armed Australian muralist Napier Waller, who lost his right arm at Bullecourt during World War I and learned to write and create his works with his left arm. He completed his work in 1958.

6. The entire long wall of the Australian War memorial west gallery is covered with the names of the 66,000 who died during World War I

Australian War Memorial in Canberra by Capital photographer –

They died as a result of wounds, injuries, or illness resulting from service in World War I between 4 August 1914 and 31 March 1921. The thousands of veterans who died as a result of war wounds after 31 March 1921 are not memorialized in the Roll of Honor. 

The east gallery is covered with the names of those who died during or after World War II between 3 September 1939 and 30 June 1947 and other conflicts or military operations since.

The roll shows the names only, not rank or other awards, as all men are equal in death. Visiting relatives and friends insert poppies in the gaps between the bronze plaques, beside the names of those they wish to honor. This tradition originated when the Unknown Australian Soldier was interred, as the Poppies were originally intended for his grave. Many continue to be inserted beside the names of those who died. 

7. On 14 January 2016, the Australian War Memorial held its 1,000th Last Post Ceremony

The Memorial started conducting Last Post Ceremonies on 17 April 2013 when they featured the story of Private Robert Poate of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012.

When the memorial closes each day, there is a Last Post Ceremony at which visitors can gather at the entrance of the Commemorative Area. This ceremony involves the reading of the story of one of the 102,815 people whose names are on the Roll of Honor. 

On 14 January 2016, the Memorial held its 1,000th Last Post Ceremony which featured the story of Flight Sergeant Lindsay Arthur Bayley, who was killed on active service with No. 9 Squadron, Royal Air Force, during the Second World War.

Barring any further additions to the Roll of Honor, it will not be until 2295 that all of the names on the Roll of Honor would have had their stories read.

8. The sculpture garden on the west lawn of the Australian War Memorial contains a variety of outdoor monuments

Simpson and his donkey, Australian War Memorial by BriMiDra –

The footpath through the garden is embedded with bronze plaques commemorating various branches of service, specific units, and historical events. There is also a number of sculptures, including a gigantic figure of a World War II-era Australian soldier that was originally located in the Hall of Memory, before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed there. There is a gun turret and Bridge from HMAS Brisbane, a gun barrel from the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia and the barrel from the Amiens Gun a huge railroad gun captured from the Germans during World War I.

At the rear of the Memorial outside ANZAC Hall, there is a Centurion Tank and a Thales Bushmaster. This area is used for special displays during annual Memorial Open Days, and summertime band concerts are held on the nearby lawn.

9. Only 5 percent of the Australian War Memorial’s collection is displayed at any time

Only 5 percent of the Memorial’s collection is displayed at any time, with the remainder being stored at the Treloar Resource Centre in the industrial suburb of Mitchell. 

The facility also includes workshops that are used for restoration tasks. The Treloar Resource Centre is occasionally opened to the public for “Big Things in Store” open days.

10. The memorial currently produces a quarterly magazine called Wartime

The memorial played a key role in sponsoring the official histories that were produced for World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In addition, the memorial currently produces a quarterly magazine called Wartime. Featuring images from the memorial’s collection and articles written by established historians, according to the AWM, the magazine is devoted to the Australian experience of war; military history; and the effects of war on society. The magazine’s first issue was published in November 1997.

The memorial also previously published a journal titled The Journal of the Australian War Memorial. In October 2003, after publishing 39 issues, the journal went into hiatus, although a fortieth and final issue was published in January 2007.