Hobart Cenotaph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hobart Cenotaph |
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| Australia | |
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| For Tasmanians who served in wars and peacekeeping operations since 1914 | |
| Unveiled | 13 December 1925 |
| Location | 42°52′39″S 147°20′10″E / 42.87750°S 147.33611°E near |
| Designed by | Hutchinson & Walker architects |
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"Lest We Forget", "1914–1919" & "1939–45"
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The Hobart Cenotaph is the main war memorial in Tasmania, Australia. It is often called The Cenotaph or Hobart War Memorial. This important monument stands tall in Hobart, the capital city. You can find it on a small hill on the Queens Domain, looking out over the city and the River Derwent. It is built right where the old Queens Battery used to be.
The Cenotaph is a very important place for Anzac Day services. People gather here at dawn and mid-morning to remember those who served. A marching procession also ends at the Cenotaph. Every Anzac Day, as the sun rises, a single bugler plays the "Last Post." This is a special song to honor fallen soldiers.
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History of the Hobart Cenotaph
The Hobart Cenotaph was built in a style called Art Deco. It looks like an Egyptian obelisk, which is a tall, four-sided pillar. This monument was first built to remember Tasmanians who died in World War I. Later, more parts were added to honor soldiers from all wars and peacekeeping missions since then.
The original words on the Cenotaph say: "Lest We Forget" and "1914–1919." Even though World War I ended in 1918, the date 1919 is used. This is because the Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended the war, was signed in June 1919. No names of soldiers are written on the Cenotaph itself.
During its construction in 1925, an Anzac Day service was held there. A special zinc box was placed inside the base of the monument. This box held the names of 522 Tasmanians who died in World War I. The Cenotaph was officially revealed on December 13, 1925. It replaced an older wooden memorial.
Design of the War Memorial
The Hobart Cenotaph was designed by Hutchinson and Walker, an architecture firm from Hobart. They won a public competition in 1923 for their design. Their first idea was for an obelisk about 65 feet (20 meters) tall. But it was decided to make it even taller, at 75 feet (23 meters).
The obelisk stands on a stepped base made from bluestone. The obelisk itself is made of grey granite. The main part of the obelisk gets narrower towards the top. It has sloped edges and a pyramid-shaped cap. Just below the cap, on each side, are red glass Latin crosses. These crosses light up all the time to remember those who died.
Other parts of the original design include a bronze laurel wreath on the north side. There are also bronze panels on each side of the base. Six rosettes are on each side of the obelisk's base. Groups of three flag holders are on the north, east, and west sides. On each of the four sides, you can see the symbols of different military groups. These are the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps. The nursing corps symbol was added in 1991. Bright lights at each corner shine on the obelisk at night.
The location for the Hobart Cenotaph was chosen very carefully. It is a high spot with great views of the city, Mount Wellington, and the Derwent River. This spot also has its own military past. It was home to the Queens Battery from 1838 to 1923. After the Cenotaph was finished, the area around it was improved. A paved path lined with Poplar trees was created. This path is called "Anzac Parade" and leads from the Tasman Highway to the Cenotaph.
Additions to the Cenotaph
The Hobart Cenotaph was first built to honor Tasmanians who died in World War I. However, it was later decided to change the Cenotaph. It would now also remember those who died in later wars and conflicts.
The first addition was for soldiers killed in World War II. This was placed right below the "1914–1919" inscription and simply says: "1939-45." More recent conflicts are also remembered on the base of the monument. These include: "The Korean War," "The Malayan Emergency," "The Indonesian Confrontation," "The Vietnam War," and "Peace-Keeping Operations."
Victoria Cross Memorial
In 2003, two low walls were built on either side of Anzac Parade. These walls are just north of the Cenotaph. They hold soil from the birthplaces of all thirteen Tasmanians who received the Victoria Cross. They also contain soil from the battlefields where these brave soldiers earned their medals. The walls also tell the stories of each Victoria Cross recipient.
The Tasmanians who received the Victoria Cross are:
- Second Boer War – Trooper John Hutton Bisdee, Lieutenant Guy George Egerton Wylly
- World War I – Corporal Walter Ernest Brown, Captain Percy Herbert Cherry, Sergeant John James Dwyer, Lieutenant Alfred Edward Gaby, Lance Corporal Bernard Sidney Gordon, Sergeant Stanley Robert McDougall, Captain James Ernest Newland, Sergeant Lewis McGee, Captain Henry William Murray, Sergeant Percy Clyde Statton, Sergeant John Woods Whittle
Soldier's Memorial Avenue
The Soldier's Memorial Avenue is on the Queens Domain. This memorial was created even before the Cenotaph was built. The idea for the Avenue came up in late 1917, and work began in 1918. The first trees were dedicated on August 3, 1918. A large crowd of about eight to ten thousand people attended the ceremony. This was a big event, as Hobart's population was only about 29,000 at the time. Newspapers like the Hobart Mercury covered the event widely. Special pins and souvenir programs were also made.
The Hobart City Council and the RSSILA worked together to plant the trees. The New Town Council also joined in. Nearly 390 trees were planted in the first stage. A second planting happened on February 15, 1919, with 110 more trees. More trees were added in the months that followed.
The trees planted were three types of cedars: Himalayan cedar, Atlas cedar, and Blue Atlas. The exact reason for choosing cedars is not clear. However, people at the time noted their religious meaning and long lifespan.
Originally, the trees had wooden name boards. These boards were covered in zinc and painted. In the early 1930s, these were replaced with zinc name plates hanging from the trees. Over time, many of these plates disappeared due to damage or rusting chains. By the 1980s, more than half were gone, and most of the rest were removed.
The Avenue began to be restored in 2002 by the Friends of Soldiers Walk (now Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue) and the Hobart City Council. More than 480 bronze plaques have been placed at trees along the Avenue. These plaques are on concrete bases. They show details like the soldier's full name, military unit, place and date of death, age, and job. They also include other information about their family and military life.
Discussions about the main Hobart war memorial were influenced by the Avenue. A decision was made that any new war memorial should be close to the Avenue. The original plan was to put the memorial on the Domain itself. When the old Queens Battery site became available, the new memorial (the Cenotaph) was placed there. In 1926, two rows of cedars were planted on the city side of the area. This was to connect the Cenotaph to the Avenue. This part was called the Soldiers Memorial Avenue extension. By 2000, only two of these trees remained west of the Cenotaph.
See also
In Spanish: Cenotafio de Hobart para niños
