Perth Modern School War MemorialPrint Page

The memorial surmounted by the school crest in bronze, a Sphinx, and bearing at its base a sundial stands in the grounds of the Perth Modern School commemorates former students who died in service or were killed in action in World War One.  It was erected by funds subscibed by students and ex-students of the school.

When the memorial was being designed in 1921 there was considerable discussion over a German student who attended the school  in 1911 when his father was the German Consul for Western Australia.  The family returned to Germany in 1914 and the son was called up and killed on the Western Front.  One side of the discussion was along the lines of “The memorial is to honour the names of former students who died serving their country” which would have been 25 names and a fair bit of controversy.  The other side was “died in their service to Australia”.  That side carried the day which is why there are only 24 names on the memorial.  

This afternoon a war memorial will be unveiled at the Perth Modern School. The cenotaph is constructed of granite from the Mahogany Creek Quarries, and Mr. C. W. Arnott was responsible for the preparation of the granite and its erection. The bronze sphinx and wreaths were executed by Mr. Marriott, of Melbourne The enlistment board is made from local timbers, the exterior framework and carving being of jarrah, while the panels, bearing the 148 names are of swamp banksia. Messrs. Sandover and Co. were responsible for the making of the board, while the carving was done by Mr. Madeley. Both the cenotaph and the enlistment board were designed by the committee's hon. architect. Mr. W. B. Hardwick, F.R.V.I.A. The ceremony will be performed by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Robert McMillan, at 3.15 pm.
Sunday Times (Perth, WA), 22 October 1922.

The Perth Modern School Museum Association Inc received a grant from the Department of Veterans` Affairs to refurbish the memorial and its 24 names in 2019 and to add a plinth with the names of the five former students who died as a result of their service and whose deaths became known after the memorial was built in 1922.  

The Department of Veterans` Affairs also assisted with creating a digital honour board (see Web Hyperlink below) which contains the names of the 152 former students who died as a result of their service in World War One (29) , World War Two (119), the Malayan Emergency (1) and the Vietnam War (3).  

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Dedication