John Williams, Treasures of Nhill and District, Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times

Lowan Councillor Alfred Dahlenburg said at the dedication of the NHILL War Memorial on the 13th of September 1921, that the project had been beautifully thought out and that it was “a sight worth seeing”.

The memorial was originally erected in memory of those from the Shire who served in World War One.

It was unveiled exactly 7 years after the first contingent of young men enlisted in NHILL.

There are about 1,500 memorials to the First World War across the country – so many that Australia has been called a “nation of small town memorials”.

Cold hard granite was the preferred choice for a monument as it was forever compared to a memorial building which could be demolished over time.

The memorial that everyone always remembers of course is the little digger on the pedestal sometimes with arms reversed and head bowed, sometimes standing erect with his rifle by his side and they are mounted depending on the wealth of the district.

“It is a Dinkum Digger, wearing the celebrated, world-known Australian military slouch hat.”

Lowan was a wealthy district so it’s no surprise that the NHILL Memorial, at the top end of Goldsworthy Park, was fully funded by the local community and was once referred to as the finest example outside of Melbourne.

The memorial was designed by John Robertson and the total height of the column, including the life-size figure representing the “Digger” infantryman is 20 ft. (6m). Marble and granite is used for the pedestal. It is believed the soldier sculpture was made in Italy.

During the unveiling, on a fine Spring Day, Elsie Conway, a little girl, whose father James was one of the first men from Nhill killed at the war, placed a wreath on the monument which to this day continues to be maintained by the local branch of the RSL.

Elsie was the sister of well-known local hairdresser Micheal James (Jim) Conway.

His father, a member of the Light Horse Brigade was killed at the Nek, Gallipoli on the 7th of August 1915.

NFP September 3 1915:

“Jimmie” Conway, as he was familiarly known to his friends was among the first of the local volunteers to offer his services to his king and country 28 days after the British declaration of war.

He was born in Blackburn, England, in 1877, and came to Australia with his parents when a boy.

He joined Messrs Arnold and Barnes’ staff in Nhill in 1902, where he followed the occupation of bricklayer. In1906 he was married to Miss Phoebe Mayes, of Nhill.

The Deceased was a young man who was always popular among his friends on account of his cheerful disposition and thorough straight forwardness. He took a deep interest in all military matters, and was one of the best and first members of the Nhill Light Horse Corps.

Flags at the Nhill school and at the shire hall were lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect for our gallant soldier who gave his life for his country.“

Jim Junior’s workplace at Max Davey’s was directly opposite the memorial, a constant remembrance of his father’s sacrifice, a father he never knew as he was born in the same year of his dad’s death.

(The writer’s Great Uncle, Thomas Dickinson from Broughton, also of the Light Horse, was killed at Hill 60 Gallipoli on the 28th of August 1915 and his father Richard is seen in the photo addressing the crowd.)

The League says “every family in the district has at least one relative named on the memorial that now includes other conflicts.”

Pictures [] show the unveiling ceremony during which 2,000 people attended with other pictures showing a backdrop of gum trees and later palm trees. Another picture shows the memorial surrounded by a picket fence.

The Soldiers Lounge in Clarence Street was also officially opened on the same day.

The NHILL War Memorial…. when floodlit at night it IS a “sight worth seeing”.

(Photos of the Memorial unveiling and the Soldier’s Lounge opening were the first local pictures published by the NFP. (The same issue of the paper carried an ad offering a remedy for “shell shock” or what we call today PTSD Post-traumatic stress disorder).

This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 24 April 2024.