Aleppo PinePrint Page

The Aleppo pine tree (Pinus halepensis) commemorates those who have served in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved. The tree was planted on the opening of 15 self care units at the home and its 17th anniversary in 1982.

The Aleppo Pine is one of two species of pine at Gallipoli, the other being the Lone Pine (Pinus brutia). 

An Aleppo Pine tree, descended from a pine tree propagated from a pine cone brought back from Gallipoli was planted at the Sir Leslie Morshead War Veterans Home, Lyneham, yesterday. The tree, one of 10 successfully grafted from the crown of the Gallipoli tree growing at the Australian War Memorial, was planted by Mr Alf Clarke, president of the ACT branch of the RSL. It was grafted by a CSIRO research officer, Mr Stefan Mucha, himself a Polish war veteran and an RSL member. He was concerned that the original pine should not be allowed to die off, without ensuring its succession with 'proper sons or daughters', which is why the descendants were grafted rather than raised from seeds.

The original tree was raised from seeds from a cone taken from timber covering Turkish trenches on Lone Pine Ridge by Lance Corporal Benjamin Smith. He was serving with a unit, which had Canberra men and sent the cone to his mother. She raised two seedlings, one of which was given to the War Memorial and planted by the Duke of Gloucester in 1934. The planting followed the opening of 15 new self-care units at the home by the RSL national president, Sir William Keys.
The Canberra Times (ACT), 10th May 1982.

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