The last of the stone facings of the new Narrabri war memorial at Narrabri RSL Club have been fixed in place by stonemasons, paving is completed, polished marble columns are now being installed and the project is on schedule for completion.
The new memorial will be finished in time for a special unveiling and dedication ceremony on Sunday, March 15, with people asked to be present by 10.45 for the 11am ceremony start.
The Narrabri War Memorial committee is planning the dedication to be a major community event, with former service personnel, their families and the general community invited and encouraged to attend.
Invitations have been sent to community organisations and schools, and the War Memorial committee, headed by RSL president Barry Stanford, is hoping many people from the shire will attend to be part of the historic ceremony.
“Everybody is welcome.”
There will be more than 300 chairs set out for the expected large attendance at the dedication ceremony.
The ceremony will be led by Narrabri RSL sub branch president, Mr Ken Craddock.
Mr Craddock confirmed that the national president of the Returned and Services League of Australia, Rear Admiral Ken Doolan AO, will unveil the memorial plaque.
Official guests include the acting state president of the RSL, and northern country vice president, Peter Stephenson OAM.
Two members of the late Private Nathaniel Gallagher’s unit have been invited and are expected to attend. Private Gallagher, Wee Waa, died in August 2012 while on operations in Afghanistan.
The new Narrabri War Memorial is an impressive monument to those district people and others who enlisted at Narrabri who served and lost their lives in conflicts.
The memorial for the first time will record the names of all personnel from World War One to the recent conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The grey, rough hewn quartzite facings, honour rolls and lighting make an impressive memorial which is designed to be the community cenotaph for many generations to come.
The memorial will be lit with recessed and external lighting, with garden beds at its perimeter. It will be flanked by the two field guns which were part of the previous memorial.
The Narrabri War Memorial committee and a band of volunteers have worked hard to raise funds for the project which will cost over $400,000. Local people have contributed and Federal and State governments have provided grants.
The memorial has been underwritten by Narrabri RSL Club.