Thursday, March 28, 2024

War mural

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War mural
Photo: The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Kirstin Nicholson, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

The memorial park in King Edward Street has another memorial in the form of a colourful yet poignant mural.

The mural was commissioned by the Cohuna/Leitchville RSL and supported by the Victorian Government and the Victorian Veterans Council. The undercoat was done by Nigel Spradbury and the mural was painted by Tim Bowtell, renowned silo artist, over five and a half days and was completed on Wednesday, March 23.

With the theme of compassion to your fellow man, the mural features four Australians who have served over our country’s wartime history, standing in front of a field of poppies. Cohuna/Leitchville RSL members John Brown, Bill Bruns, Trevor Powis and president Geoff Dale spent around 12 months researching suitable images and stories for the mural.

“We feel that the mural complements the memorials we’ve already got there in the park, and shows compassion to your fellow man,” said John Brown.

Those featured include:

  • Cohuna nurse, Sister Elizabeth O’Reilly who served in World War One.
  • Trooper Jon Church, rescuing a child in Rwanda.
  • An injured Private George ‘Dick’ Whittington who served in World War Two, assisted by Raphael Oimbari, a Papuan native.
  • Corporal E. G. Dowell who served in the Korean War. With him is a Korean orphan who was given a toy made by members of 1st RAR.

Further signage explaining the stories behind each of the images will be erected in due course.

The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper 31 March 2022

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 31 March 2022.

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