SUTHERLAND Shire’s fallen heroes will be honoured when the new Woronora Military Memorial is opened by NSW Governor Sir David Hurley at Woronora Memorial Park on August 6.
The opening ceremony will conclude when a whistle sounds across the memorial park at 5.30pm, marking the exact moment the Battle of Lone Pine commenced at Gallipoli 100 years ago.
Australia’s 1st and 3rd Brigades suffered 2277 casualties in the battle and seven Victoria Crosses were awarded to Australians.
There are three Victoria Cross recipients who rest or are memorialised by family at Woronora Memorial Park who will be honoured with granite plaques on the new memorial.
These include John Patrick Hamilton, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for outstanding courage during the Battle of Lone Pine.
Woronora is also the resting place of hundreds of Defence Force personnel who have served Australia over the years.
The new memorial will include a wall of remembrance displaying four bronze emblems representing Australia’s defence forces.
A feature of the memorial will be a statue of a small boy holding a note to his WWI Digger father saying ‘‘Miss you Dad’.
Pine trees that have a direct lineage from pine cone seeds collected from Lone Pine, Gallipoli, have been planted near the memorial.
"The military memorial at Woronora will be a place of powerful significance where every Australian can reflect and remember our heroes past and present, and their families who suffered as a result," Woronora Memorial Park chief executive Graham Boyd said.
Everyone is welcome at the opening ceremony. People should arrive via the main entrance of Woronora Memorial Park in Linden Street, Sutherland, at 4.15pm.
The ceremony will start at 4.30pm.
Details: 9545 4677.
