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25th Infantry Battalion Centenary MemorialPrint Page Print this page

28-March-2015
28-March-2015

Photographs supplied by John Huth / Diane Watson

The monument commemorates the centenary of the 25th Battalion Royal Queensland Regiment (25 RQR) and those who served with the Battalion in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved. It is situated near the Lone Pines which were planted in memory of members who gave their lives for their country. 

To commemorate the centenary of the raising of the 25th Battalion at Enoggera on the 16th March 1915 a Memorial dedicated to and which reflects the service of the Battalion was erected in the East Creek Park at Toowoomba.  The plaque for the Memorial which outlines the Battalion’s history and its Battle Honours had already been completed thanks to private donation. Existing Battalion plaques at the East Creek Park were incorporated on the new Memorial.  A plaque on the inside of the Boer War gates and the other for 25 RQR sited on a rock under the Lone Pines were placed respectively on the left and right hand sides of the yellow granite plinth supporting the Digger statue. The Digger statue is approx 1320-1370mm high. The plaque outlining the battle honours is attached to the front of the plinth.

After World War One, the defence of the Australian mainland lay with the part-time soldiers of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), also known as the Militia. The Militia was organized to maintain the structure of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and kept the same numerical designations. The Militia units were distributed in the same areas the original AIF units were raised and known by the name of their shire. Thus, the 25th Infantry Battalion was the “Darling Downs Regiment”, as it was headquartered in Toowoomba.

During 1940 the 25th was called-up and joined the rest of the 7th Brigade (comprised of the 9th/49th, 15th, and 61st Battalions) at Chermside, a northern suburb of Brisbane.  Between July and August 1942 the brigade moved to Milne Bay, on the south-east tip of New Guinea.

Location

Address:Margaret & Burstow Streets, East Creek Park, East Toowoomba, 4350
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -27.562984
Long: 151.960525
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:Multiple
Approx. Event Start Date:1915
Approx. Event End Date:2015
Designer:J. H. Wagner

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Monday 16th March, 2015
Front Inscription

Plaque:
              25th Battalion 
   (The Darling Downs Regiment) 
     "Never a backward step" 
          Battle Honours  
World War 1
The Somme 1916-1918  Pozieres  Bullecourt  Ypres 1917  Polygon Wood  Poloappelle  Passchendaele  Hamel  Amiens Albert 1918  Mont St Quentin  Hindenburg Line  Broodseinde  Beaurevoir  France and Flanders 1916 - 1918  Suvla Gallipoli 1915  Egypt 1915 - 1917
* 1049 KIA, 2821 WIA, highest casualty rate of any AIF Battalion in WW1

World War 2
South West Pacific 1942-1945  Milne Bay  Mawaraka  Mosigetta  Puriata River  Pearl Ridge  Barara  Slater's Knoll
* Most Battle Honours of Any Australian Army Unit

UN Peacekeeping
Rwanda  East Timor  Bougainville  Solomons  Iraq  Afghanistan
Dedicated on the occasion of the Centenary of the raising of 25th Battalion AIF in March 1915 to all the men and women who have served in the 25th Battalion, A Coy 1RQR, 25RQR and 25/49RQR 1915 -2015 by the 25th Battalion Association Toowoomba


            

 

 

 

Left Side Inscription

South-West Pacific 1942 - 1945

Barara            Milne Bay
Buin Road      Mawaraka
Mosigetta       Pearl Ridge
Puriata River  Slaters Knoll
Liberation of Aust and N.G.

25TH AUST. INF. BATTALION 
Darling Downs Regiment
      In Memory Of
Comrades Who Paid The Supreme Sacrifice 
Papua N.G. And Bougainville Campaigns
         1942 - 1945

    LEST WE FORGET

 

Inscription in Proximity
   In Memory Of
The Members Of 25 RQR
Who Gave Their Lives
  For Their Country
These pines were cultivated from
the original Lone Pine, Gallipoli

Planted ANZAC Day 1987
Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au