2. Collie Soldiers Park
Saluting their Service - Grahame Old
The spiritual home of ‘Collie Boys’ who gave their lives for this country
Soldiers Park Collie has social significance to the community of Collie as the focus of Anzac Day services in Collie from 1922 to the present day. The memorial provides a place for commemoration of those that served during times of war and conflict. The park is valued for its picturesque parkland setting, which includes the Commemorative Arched Entrance Gates, leading into the avenue of honour lined with mature camphor laurel trees, to the formal War Monument. The broader grassed area of the park is bounded by mature pepper trees lining the Collie River embankment, and further camphor laurel and eucalypts along both street frontages.
The War Monument was erected in 1921 to honour Collie’s war dead from WW1, later the names of those killed in WW2, Korea and Vietnam were added. The Commemorative Arch and Entrance gates were erected in 1930 to mark the centenary of European settlement in WA.
In 1990 commemorative rose gardens were included on either side of the war monument. The rose gardens are surrounded by a concrete apron with brass plaques affixed to the apron. The plaques list the names of Collie’s war dead from WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. The centre piece of the east side rose garden is a granite stone memorial with brass plaque in honour of; 3970 Cpl 16th Infantry Battalion Martin O’Meara VC.
Martin O’Meara was working in the timber industry, Bowelling Block, Collie at the outbreak of WW1. He applied to enlist in Collie on the 17th August 1915, aged 29 yrs. Cpl O’Meara was awarded the Victoria Cross for “Most Conspicuous Bravery” during the Battle of Pozieres, over the period 10/11/12 August 1916. Sadly the mental scars from that terrible war were too great a burden for Martin O’Meara , he spent the rest of his life restrained as an inmate of the Claremont mental hospital where he died in 1935.
The centre piece of the west side rose garden is a granite stone memorial with brass plaque in honour of ‘Collie Boy’ 5/673 Pte 3rd Battalion RAR Kenneth George Sketchley, Killed in Action Korea, 03 October 1950, aged 20 yrs. Pte Sketchley was the first Australian Soldier Killed in the Korean War.
At the rear of the war monument a granite stone memorial with brass plaque was erected in 2000. The plaque, thought to be amongst the first in WA, commemorates all Aboriginal Servicemen and Servicewomen who have served the nation in all wars.
Two plaques are mounted on the inner side of the Commemorative Arch at the park entrance gates. The first plaque is in honour all those Servicemen and Servicewomen who have served the nation in all wars that Australia has been involved in since 1860. The second honours all those Servicemen, Servicewomen and Police Officers who have served Australia on Peacekeeping Operations since 1947. Australia has a proud record in United Nations World peacekeeping.
Collie War Monument
The Collie War Monument commemorates Collie’s Servicemen and Servicewomen who have served in all wars and conflicts. Originally erected to commemorate the fallen from WW1, the monument is a 33 ft tall, Obelisk, sitting on a four tiered granite stone base. A bronze wreath and Rising Sun emblem are affixed to the middle of the monument, four polished granite Plaques are affixed to the base. The plaques are inscribed with the names of ‘Collie Boys’ killed whilst on active service during WW1 & WW2, and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The Memorial was designed in 1921 by local Collie architect, Walter Dobson Pusey and built by Messrs Wilson, Gray & Co, at a cost of 800 pounds. The foundation stone was laid on the 15th May 1921 and the memorial was officially opened by the Governor of WA, Sir Francis Newdegate on Sunday 4 September 1921. Walter Pusey also designed the Commemorative Arch and Entrance gates in 1930. The Memorial, Arch and Gates are registered with the Heritage Council of Western Australia.
AWM Places of Pride Website
In 2018 the Australian War Memorial in Canberra commenced an initiative called ‘The Places of Pride’ – National Register of War Memorials. Across this great country are thousands of memorials that stand as a reminder of the service and sacrifice Australian Servicemen and Servicewomen, have made for our freedom. The AWM sought assistance from RSL Sub Branches, Schools and Shires to assist in building a website where photos of the memorials will be on display to the nation and kept forever. The Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch on behalf of the community of Collie has ensured that our ‘Soldiers Memorial Park’ is included on that website. (search: AWM Places of Pride).
Centenary Re-Dedication Ceremony
2021 marked the centenary of the laying of the Collie War Monument foundation stone. The Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch in conjunction with the Shire of Collie commences a project in 2020 to re-furbish the monument in time for a centenary dedication ceremony. The project was jointly funded by generous donations from Collie Shire, Bendigo Bank, Synergy and South 32. After the works were completed a re-dedication ceremony took place on Saturday 15th May in Soldiers Park. The guest speaker was the President of RSLWA Mr Peter Aspinall AM. The community of Collie were encouraged to attend.
The Collie Cardiff RSL acknowledges the Shire of Collie for the obvious high standard of maintenance in the park surrounds.