Harvey remembers fallen soldiers
THERE was standing room only when close to 600 people attended the dedication of Harvey's new war memorial on March 15.
Architect James Alexander's contemporary design for the immediate surroundings of the roughly-cut obelisk - with a rusted central fire pit in the shape of a poppy and curved panels embracing the town - has won the wider community's praise.
Returned and Services League Harvey branch president, Eric Hall, was delighted the project had been completed in time for next month's centenary commemoration of Anzac Day.
Mr Hall said it was a place for the community to reflect and respect the sacrifice of soldiers killed in the wars.
Harvey shire president Tania Jackson said the community commemorated the new war memorial with pride as well as grief for those who lost their lives.
"Harvey has never had a dedicated war memorial and Anzac Day ceremonies were held in front of the library," she said.
"The idea for this project was first put to the shire by the Harvey RSL in 2011 and council took the view that it was an opportunity to create something special.
"Council worked closely with the RSL branch and it simply would not have happened without the dedicated shire staff.
"You will agree with me that it is a magnificent work."
RSL State president Graham Edwards told the crowd that memorials such as Harvey's reminded people of the significance of the Anzacs.
"For the past 100 years, Australia has kept the flame of remembrance burning, mainly through the work of the RSL," he said.
"This is an incredibly beautiful memorial but it can never fully express the loss of young Australian women and men during the wars. The memorial is about the more than 100,000 Australians who lost their lives and had their hopes, dreams and ambitions cut short."
Military padre Father Ian Johnson conducted the blessing of the memorial in the presence of representatives from the Anglican Church, Church of Christ and Seventh Day Adventist Church before Mr Hall and Cr Jackson planted a seedling originating from the Lone Pine in Turkey and unveiled a plaque.
Since the official opening of the war memorial, people have steadily returned to take a closer look, place a poppy and admire it at night when illumination highlights its special features.
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"This is an incredibly beautiful memorial but it can never fully express the loss of young Australian women and men during the wars" - Graham Edwards
