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Desert Mounted Corps MemorialPrint Page 
The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial commemorates all the Australian Mounted Divisions, the Australian Flying Corps and every other Australian and New Zealand unit and formation that served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria from 1916 to 1918.
This was the first memorial to be constructed on ANZAC Parade. A plaque was placed at the memorial site in 1992 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba.
In 1923, Charles Web Gilbert, with architects Stephenson & Meldrum, were awarded first prize for their winning design for the 'Monument to the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Forces who laid down their lives in Egypt, Palestine and Syria, 1916-1918'. The design for the memorial featured a sculpture of an Australian Light Horseman mounted on a rearing horse and a New Zealand Mounted Rifleman who had dismounted his horse. This was positioned atop a stone pedestal, which was then semi-encircled by a stone wall.
Gilbert had commenced work on the full scale sculpture component of the memorial, but died suddenly in 1925. The sculpture was then worked on briefly by Paul Montford, before being completed by Sir Bertram Mackennal.
However, Egyptian nationalists destroyed the memorial during the 1956 Suez crisis. This memorial was created by noted Melbourne sculptor, Ray Ewers OAM. It is a second casting, re-creation of the original sculpture by Australian sculptor, C. Webb Gilbert.
It is a free-standing, cast bronze figurative sculpture, set on a granite base. It depicts a mounted Australian Light Horseman defending a New Zealander who stands beside his wounded horse.
Location
| Address: | ANZAC Parade, Reid, 2612 |
|---|---|
| State: | ACT |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.287535 Long: 149.142274 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW1 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 04-August-1914 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 28-June-1919 |
| Artist: | Ray Ewers & Charles Webb Gilbert |
| Link: | http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Friday 19th April, 1968 |
|---|
Australia and New Zealand
1916 - 1918
Plaque :
Desert Mounted Corps Memorial
This was the first memorial to be constructed on ANZAC Parade. The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial commemorates all the Australian Mounted Divisions, the Australian Flying Corps and every other Australian and New Zealand unit and formation that served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria from 1916 to 1918.
The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial is a free-standing, cast bronze figurative sculpture, set on a granite base. It depicts a mounted Australian Light Horseman defending a New Zealander who stands beside his wounded horse.
The original Memorial was in Port Said, Egypt. However, Egyptian nationalists destroyed it during the 1956 Suez crisis. This memorial was created by noted Melbourne sculptor, Ray Ewers OAM. It is a second casting - a recreation - of the original sculpture by Australian sculptor, C. Webb Gilbert.
The memorial was unveiled by the Right Honourable. J.G. Gorton MP Prime Minister of Australia on 19 April 1968.
Plaque :
Beersheeba Day 1992
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the "Battle Of Beersheba" and the immortal charge of the Australian Light Horse that day
31 October 1917
We will remember them
