Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The Bugler is a sculpted bronze statue based on Lance Corporal Leonard Hall and Corporal Tasman Vale. Although elements of the statue have been based on these 2 men, The Bugler is very much representative of the spirit and courage of all those who have served from Port Lincoln and the surrounding areas.

The Friendship

In January 2014, Peter Teakle was presented with a World Champion Black Marlin trophy in Fort Lauderdale (USA). On his return to Port Lincoln, Peter discovered the small statue was hand crafted by Bodo Muche, who lives in Queensland. Since then, Peter has asked Bodo to produce ten Tuna and Marlin statues, plus this one of 'The Bugler'. This extraordinary piece of at is the result of a friendship between a business man/philanthropist and a very talented sculptor.
'The Bugler' was donated by Peter Teakle to honour the men and women who came from Eyre Peninsula to serve our country. For a region with such a small population, the number of courageous people who represented us, along with a number of horses from here, is extraordinary. This statue is to honour every single one of them, so their memory and courage lives on.

The Story of the Emu Feathers

With the outbreak of WW1 (1914-1918) Lieutenant Colonel R.M. Stodart, the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Light Horse, campaigned all the way up to Prime Minister Fisher to successfully have emu plumes reinstated as part of the Queensland Mounted Infantry uniform.
He maintained the plumes were essential to the mounted corp spirit. The Queenslanders' plumes were the envy of all other regiments until 1915, when the non Queensland 3rd Light Horse Brigade arrived in Egypt wearing them.
The Queenslanders vigorously protested. A conference of Light Horse Brigadiers could not settle the matter so it was referred back to the Australian Government which eventually ruled that all Light Horse Regiments could wear the plumes provided there was no expense to the public purse.
It can be argued that the emu plumes bolstered all Australian Light Horse corps spirits, as they had done partially to the Queensland Mounted Infantry.
The emu plumes are still worn by Armoured Units of the Australian Army today.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

The Story of the Light Horseman - the Bugler

Leonard Francis Hall was born in Burwood in 1897 and was part of the celebrated 10th Light Horse Regiment, which included some of the best riders in the world.
Hall enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force in 19165 after the Major of the Light Horse Regiment heard him play the bugle - and begged him to join as their regiment did not have one.
As Hall boarded the boat to the Great War with his bugle in hand, he plucked an emu feather from his slouch hat and placed it in the hands of a girl waving in the crowd.
After experiencing the terrors of war and losing his fellow diggers over the four years, Hall returned to Australia in 1919. He went on to live a life filled with courage, strength, two children and a wonderful wife - who unbelievably, was the young lady who met Hall on his return and said, 'Excuse me sir, would you like your plume back?'

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