Camberwell War Memorial

Details

Location RSL, Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Boroondara - Victoria, Australia
Type memorial
Description

A concrete stepped obelisk on a cement base.

This panel was originally inside of the foyer of the Canterbury Memorial Hall on Canterbury Rd, Canterbury. This Memorial Hall Stood on the corner of Canterbury Rd and Keats St Canterbury.

(The Original Memorial Hall)

It really was a magnificent structure. It was used for many years as the site of the opening of the election campaign for Sir Robert Menzies. When the RSL went into decline the hall sort of lost its appeal. It was used to hold deb balls, flower shows and all sorts of fundraising events.

The Canterbury RSL had an annual Fete there for many years which helped support many of the local charities.

I know this because my father was a member when I was a young child. We had many great times there. I was welcomed back into the fold of the RSL when I returned from my first trip to Vietnam on HMS Sydney in 1971. This was before the State and National RSL recognised that sailor on the Sydney did actually go to war. It helped that my dad was the president at the time.

It was eventually demolished because the building was signed over to Camberwell City Council and they could not afford the upkeep or maintenance on the building. Demolished in the late 1970s and elderly persons home units were erected on the site. There was supposed to be several units reserved for widows of ex servicemen but the council changed their mind and started to just lease the units out to the wider community. The panel was in the foyer for many years and when the council changed the emphasis it just disappeared.

I located it after chatting with the secretary of the City of Camberwell RSL and he told me where the panel was now located.

The bust of Pompey Elliott is significant as he was the first president of the Canterbury RSl and helped set up the whole of the RSL. He lived locally in Prosp[ect Hill Rd until he took his own life in the mid 1930s.

Courtesy of Peter Sneddon

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Built Not yet discovered
Opened Not yet discovered
Inscription

Front Inscription
They Shall Grow Not Old

This Sacred Monument
Is In Memory Of All Who Gave
Their Lives As A Result Of
Service In War And Conflict
In Which Australian Forces
Were Engaged

Lest We Forget.

Condition

Good

Names

Showing 8 people of interest from memorial

MICHAEL, John Charles

Service number 1700
Private
24th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 1894

HALL, Thomas March

Service number 1145
Sergeant
29th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 4 Dec 1892

WELLER, Frederick Nicholas

Service number 4669
Corporal
59th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 1892

MCILWRAITH, David Keith

Service number 553
Private
5th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born Apr 1893

SCHWAB, Cyril Henry

Service number 2388
Private
22nd Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1

HILLIER, Herbert Fred

Service number 155
Sergeant
2nd Field Company Engineers
AIF WW1
Born 1894

ELLINGWORTH, Ralph Oswald

Service number 27733
Gunner
2nd Field Artillery Brigade
AIF WW1
Born 13 Mar 1896

MICHAEL, Charlie Leslie

Service number 664
Corporal
24th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 29 Dec 1893

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