Mildura R.S. &. S.I.L.A War MemorialPrint Page

The monument commemorates those who died in service or were killed in action during World War One.  It is also known locally as the "Nurse Edith Cavell" monument, but it has no connection with the World War One nurse. There is no official reference to her. 

On Sunday, October 14th 1923, the Governor General (Lord Forster) and his wife (Lady Forster) unveiled the Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League of Australia Memorial Statue in front of "an enormous attendance" of district residents. Before the dedication ceremony in Mildura, returned soldiers assembled outside the Mildura Club on the corner of Deakin Avenue and 9th Street, and "headed by the Mildura Pipe Band, marched to the monument" according to the Mildura Cultivator newspaper.  A special order of service was organised, with hymns played by the Mildura Brass Band, Reverend Fettell of the Church of England in Red Cliffs shared the honour of conducting the service with Pastor Wakeley of Mildura Church of Christ. 

President of the Mildura Branch of the RSSILA, Mr Rupert Egge, told the crowd the monument was specially meant for the men who had not returned, explaining the figure on the monument signified 'grief' and would permanently perpetuate the memory of those who failed to return. 

The Governor General described the monument as a "handsomely sculpted figure", leaning against a white cross and raised high upon a pedestal. Lord Forster unveiled the statue " as a permanent memorial to our glorious dead who left this district to fight the great fight for the cause of civilisation."

While no official reference can be found linking the monument with Edith Cavell, the statue is known by many as the "Edith Cavell Statue" which may have come about from the timing of the unveiling. Nurse Edith Cavell was executed by the Germans in 1915 for helping British, French and Belgium soldiers during World War One. A commemorative statue was erected in 1920 to the British nurse at St Martin`s Place, Trafalgar Square, London and memorials to the British nurse were being erected across the Commonwealth with millions of people across the world sickened by the actions against her during the Great War.
Excerpt from Mildura Weekly, 21st August 2009. 

Location

Details

Dedication