North Bondi War Memorial

Details

Location 118-120 Ramsgate Avenue, Bondi, Waverley - New South Wales, Australia
Type memorial
Description

This war memorial has plaques with descriptions of every war Australia has been in, or a battle therein, and to Peacekeeping efforts on a modern 'S' shape sculpture. The memorial site also contains pictures all 98 Victoria Cross recipients. A granite 'Lest We Forget' wall includes the badges of the services. Finally it has a black granite wall dedicated to the first Aboriginal commissioned officer, Captain Reginald Saunders MBE wall with a famous quote.

Valued at over $430,000, the new war memorial was designed by Bryan Bathgate of Curtain Bathgate & Somers Architects and the commissioned sculpture is by Di Emme Creative Solutions.

The sculptural essence of the new memorial is to symbolize the solidarity, unison, courage and spirit of the Australian mateship at war.

The sailor, soldier and airman/woman are represented in a palette of materials:

Stainless steel blades 300mm width representing the military serviceman /woman of the ADF triservices;
Concrete curved blocks 150mm width x 300 high representing battlement;
20mm x300mm glass inserts to the concrete block between the stainless steel blades representing the spirit and eternal flame presence when lit;
All collectively arranged from 800mm high to 2400mm and bolted together to create the structural integrity of the sculpture that provides the foundation of the memorial representing strength and unison in numbers.
The use of aged bronze represents the triservices in the form of the service badges of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force;
Three bronze cladded pillars with a montage of iconic images from each Australian Defence Force service.
War diary excerpts from all wars and conflicts that Australia has been engaged in are located through the memorial sculpture in the form of bronze plaques which provide a narrative and personal experience of the memorial.
Memorial Sculpture

The large “S” shape memorial sculpture is made of marine grade stainless steel, glass and stone with four bronze pillars in the middle with the words “Endurance”, “Mateship”, “Courage” and “Sacrifice” inscribed.

Throughout the sculpture there are 20 descriptive plaques of each war Australia has been in and one plaque dedicated to peacekeeping

Reginald ‘Reg’ Saunders Wall

The Capt. Reginald Saunders MBE Granite Wall recognises Australia’s first Aboriginal commissioned officer. It is emblazoned with the following quote

“On Anzac eve we dug in among friends. At last I felt like an Anzac, and imagine there were 600 others like me.”

This quote is in bronze lettering across a large Black Granite Wall with a cast bronze plaque that reads “Capt. Reginald Walter Saunders MBE – the first Aboriginal commissioned officer, said on 24 April 1951 at the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War.” This Wall overlooks Bondi Beach.

Victoria Cross Wall

The Victoria Cross Recipients Wall is made of Black Granite, and shows laser images, names, rank, and theatre of war for all 98 Australian VC Award recipients.

“Lest We Forget” Wall

The words “Lest We Forget” are emblazoned on a Black Granite with aged bronze lettering along with aged cast bronze badges of the Royal Australian Navy, Army and Royal Australian Air Force.

The memorial is located adjacent to North Bondi RSL Club.

For further information, please see the Tobruk House website.

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Built Designed by Bryan Bathgate of Curtain Bathgate & Somers Architects and the commissioned sculpture is by Di Emme Creative Solutions.
Opened Not yet discovered
Inscription

Memorial sculpture

'Endurance', 'Mateship', 'Courage', 'Sacrifice'

Reginald ‘Reg’ Saunders wall

'On Anzac eve we dug in among friends. At last I felt like an Anzac, and imagine there were 600 others like me' 'Capt. Reginald Walter Saunders MBE – the first Aboriginal commissioned officer, said on 24 April 1951 at the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War'

Lest We Forget wall

'Lest We Forget'

Dedication plaque

This War Memorial was donated to the community of Waverley on the 27th November 2011 by The Returned & Services League of Australia and opened by Brigadier D. T. Mulhall, AM, CSC Commander 17th Combat Service Support Brigade Australian Army Donald Rowe, OAM RSL NSW State President CR John Wakefield Mayor of Waverley North Bondi RSL Sub-Branch Executives & Trustees Frederick D. ALderman, President & Trustee David J. Griffiths, DCM, PatronMartyn Bell, CSC, President North Bondi RSL Club Ltd. David S. Sims, Vice President & Trustee Norbert C. Keough, JP, Honorary Secretary William Davis, Vice President Andrew Trickett, Treasurer Frederick D. Hyland, JP, Trustee

Condition

Good

Names

Showing 8 people of interest from memorial

BELL, Frederick William

Service number 8
Lieutenant
6 Mounted Infantry Contingent
Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents
Born 3 Apr 1875

BISDEE, John Hutton

Service number 24
Lieutenant Colonel
Australian Provost Corps
AIF WW1
Born 28 Sep 1869

KINGSBURY, Bruce Steel

Service number VX19139
Private
2nd/14th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 29 May 1918

CARTWRIGHT, George

Service number N60360
Private
33rd Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 9 Dec 1894

PAYNE, Keith

Service number 12222
Warrant Officer Class 2
Born 30 Aug 1932

KEYSOR, Leonard Maurice

Service number 958
Lieutenant
42nd Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born 3 Nov 1885

KIBBY, William Henry

Service number SX7089
Sergeant
2nd/48th Infantry Battalion
Australian Military Forces (WW2)
Born 15 Apr 1905

LEAK, John

Service number 2053
Private
9th Infantry Battalion
AIF WW1
Born Feb 1892

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