Balwyn War MemorialPrint Page

The Balwyn War Memorial was originally unveiled by Brigadier-General Brand on the 24th May 1919 to commemorate the residents of the North Ward of the City of Camberwell who fought in World War One.

The monument at the time of the unveiling contained the names of 146 soldiers and two nurses. An additional plaque has been added  to commemorate later conflicts. 

The monument is of a cenotaph style with marble plaques on all sides. 

The soldiers' memorial erected in Beckett Park, Balwyn, to commemorate the names of residents of the North Ward of the city of Camberwell, who went to the war, was unveiled on Saturday afternoon by the State commandant (Brigadier-General Brand, in the presence of the acting mayor of Camberwell (Councillor Read) and councillors, Sir Robert Best, M.H.R., and a large gathering of residents. The statue, which has a commanding appearance, is erected on a site known as "One Tree Hill," overlooking Heidelberg, and is built of conical, rough cast, and stands about 20ft. in height. The statue is inlaid with marble slabs, upon which the names of 146 soldiers and two nurses are inserted.

The scholars of the Balwyn an Deepdene State schools, and the 24th Battalion of the Citizen Forces, under Lieut. Colonel Kruse and Lieutenant Thomas, formed a guard of honour. Brigadier-General Brand unveiled the memorial, and subsequently Captain, the Rev. J. Nicholls, of the Presbyterian church, dedicated the memorial. Mr. Nott, chairman of the committee, in presenting the building to the mayor and councillors of Camberwell as trustees, said that the monument did not contain the names of all the residents of the city who fought abroad, and the committee would be glad if relatives would send the names of sons and others which did not appear on the slab. 
Argus (Melbourne), 26 May 1919.

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Dedication