Major General Sir William Throsby BridgesPrint Page 
The grave commemorates Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges who was killed at Gallipoli in World War One.
Two Aleppo pines, progeny of the famous 'Lone Pine' from Gallipoli, were planted near the gravesite in 1993. They acknowledges the service of 71 Royal Military College graduates who served at Gallipoli.
It is a memorial to the first Commandant of Australia`s first Military College. The Royal Military College of Australia was established in 1911 under the direction of Brigadier-General Bridges with the objective of providing an officer training facility for the Australian Army.
General Bridges was Commandant of the College until he was called to serve in World War One in May 1914, when he assumed a senior appointment as Inspector General. He was appointed commander of the Australian Imperial Force, with the rank of Major-General, in August 1914. In the Gallipoli landing in April 1915 his division was the first ashore on ANZAC Cove. On the morning of 15 May he was shot by a sniper in Monash Valley, his wound became gangrenous and he died en route to Egypt on 18 May. He had been knighted on the previous day.
Gen. Birdwood visited Duntroon yesterday and unveiled a monument to Gen. Bridges, who was killed soon after the landing on Gallipoli. He was accompanied by Lady Bridges and Bishop Long. On arrival at Queanbeyan Railway Station he was received by returned men. Then, passing on to Duntroon, he was met by a guard of honour of cadets at the home of Major-Gen. J. W. Parnell, C.M.G. Among these were a score of New Zealand cadets. The parade could not have been better performed. In the afternoon Gen. Birdwood carried out the unveiling ceremony. Around three sides of the grave stood Duntroon cadets, and on the other side a body of returned soldiers. Following the prayer of dedication by Bishop Long, Gen. Birdwood, in a striking eulogium, unveiled the stone memorial. Addressing the cadets before proceeding to the site of the grave, he said he did not remember having seen a better parade than what he just witnessed.
The Register (Adelaide), 16th April 1920.
Location
| Address: | General Bridges Drive, Mount Pleasant Nature Reserve, Campbell, 2612 |
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| State: | ACT |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.297946 Long: 149.158961 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Grave |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 18-May-1915 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 18-May-1915 |
| Designer: | Walter Burley Griffin |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Thursday 15th April, 1920 |
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Plaque at entrance :
Major - General Sir William Throsby Bridges, K.C.B., C.M.G.
William Throsby Bridges was born at Greenock, Scotland on the 18 February 1861 the son of a captain of the Royal Navy who had married a Miss Mary Throsby of Throsby Park, Moss Vale, N.S.W.
His family moved to Canada where in 1877, he entered the Royal Miltary College, Kingston. He left Kingston in 1879 to join his family which had then settled in N.S.W. In 1885 he was commissioned Lieutenant in the New South Wales Permanent Artillery. By government direction, Bridges had planned the establishment of a military college and on 30 May 1910 he was appointed its first Commandant with the rank of Brigadier-General. Under his supervision, the Royal Military College was founded at Duntroon and the early courses developed.
Appointed Inspector-General in May 1914, he organised and raised the first A.I.F. With the rank of Major-General, he trained and commanded the 1st Division of that force, leading it at the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. General Bridges was mortally wounded on 15 May 1915 and died aboard the hospital ship "Gascon" on 18 May. The previous day he had been created Knight Commander of the Bath. "In recognition of the most distinguished service in the field."
The memorial stone on his grave was unveiled by General Sir William Birdwood ST., on 15 April 1920.
Plaques on gate :
This is consecreated gound please remain outside the fence
Plaque :
Consultant architect for the design and construction of this grave was Walter Burley Griffin
Lone Pines
On 8th August 1993 on the slope below General Bridge`s Grave. Two Aleppo Pines were planted which are progeny of the famous 'Lone Pine' from Gallipoli.
These pines acknowledge the service of 71 Royal Military College graduated who served at Gallipoli in 1915, of whom 19 were killed during the campaign.
Lest We Forget
