AN APPEAL has been launched to move Miranda’s historical war memorial.
Built in 1918, the war memorial stands at the northern end of Central Road, Miranda, and is the site of one of the state’s largest Anzac Day dawn services outside of the Sydney central business district, attracting up to 5000 people.
It originally stood in Seymour Shaw Park but over the years, Central Road was extended, leaving the memorial isolated on a roundabout in the middle of the road.
The memorial’s current location makes it difficult for veterans on Anzac Day, said Bruce Grimley, convener of the Miranda RSL Sub-branch war memorial relocation committee which has the job of raising the funds for the relocation.
‘‘We want to move it 15 metres back into the park, to provide a more appropriate place where people can sit and quietly reflect.’’
The park also has more space to accommodate the growing crowds at memorial services including large numbers of school students.
The relocated memorial will have new lighting and be accessible for people with a disability.
Plaques will be added to honour Australian servicemen and women from all conflicts since World War I.
Names will be included of distinguished shire residents who served in war, such as nurse Nellie Gould of Miranda who helped found the Army Nursing Service Reserve in 1899 and served in the Boer War and World War I.
The sub-branch hopes to have the work completed by the end of 2012.
The sub-branch donated $10,000 to start the project and so far has raised $55,000 of the $130,000 needed from local businesses.
This includes a $15,000 donation from Olsen’s Funeral Parlour at Sutherland.
The state and federal governments and Sutherland Shire Council have expressed their support. The sub-branch is seeking sponsors from business and residents.
‘‘This memorial doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to the citizens and we require their support to raise funds,’’ Mr Grimley said. ‘‘If the citizens are involved, they will protect it for the future.’’
An account has been opened at St George Bank for donations which can be paid into the account — number 491 809 102 — or sent to Miranda RSL Sub-branch Memorial Fund at PO Box 4, Miranda 1490 (Attention Bruce Grimley), or by phoning 9525 0844 or 0400319079.
Search for old digger
MIRANDA RSL Sub-branch members are hoping that the mystery of the lost statue of the World War I Digger that disappeared from the Miranda war memorial more than 90 years ago may soon be solved.
The memorial was built about 1918 and stood in the grounds of the old Miranda Public School on the Kingsway until 1965.
It originally was topped by a concrete statue of a World War I Digger.
But the statue, known as Old Digger, divided the community from the moment it was unveiled because it showed the soldier as standing at ease and not at attention, in a position of vigilance.
At the time, one resident described the statue as ‘‘a grotesque figure in cement, so badly moulded, that if the face were not placed on one side of the head, it would be difficult to tell which was its front or its back’’.
It was soon removed and buried in the school grounds.
But some veterans resented the Old Digger’s removal and dug up the statue and placed it Seymour Shaw Park.
The statue disappeared again but made a brief reappearance on past Anzac days.
Veterans would put the statue on a horse and cart and parade it up the main street of Miranda on Anzac Day with a sign around its neck saying ‘‘Old Soldiers Never Die’’.
The Old Digger has not been seen for several decades and mystery surrounds his final resting place.
Merle Kavanagh of the Sutherland Shire Historical Society has a theory the statue was ‘‘indecently interred’’ about 1933.
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