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© Cathy Dunn Photo of War memorial © Sue Kelly The Milton Ulladulla District’s War memorial is found at Milton Memorial Park, on the corner of Princes Highway and Thomas Street Milton, opposite Milton Primary School. Ulladulla lies 7 kms south. Both being part of the City of Shoalhaven on the South Coast of NSW. The Historic township of Milton is classified with the National Trust. |
The Memorial is a granite obelisk, constructed in 3 stages above a rusticated base. The surrounds were once fenced with granite fence posts with galvanized pipe railing. This area is now paved to match the Milton streetscape. This along with spot lights, which light up the memorial every night. The granite for the memorial and fencing posts would have come from the Moruya quarry, which also supplied granite for the construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge.(1)
The memorial features names for both WW1 and WW2. This lettering is incised with gold leaf high lighting. There are small bronze plaques attached to base, noting that there is no plaque for WW2. One distinguishing feature on the memorial is that the names of the servicemen and women included their rank and are so listed, with KIA over-ranking them all. PVT. is used to abbreviate Private in WW1, whilst the correct abbreviation PTE is used for the WW2 servicemen.
HISTORICAL NOTES.
The land on which the memorial is built was bought by the Crown on November 20 1895, from Samuel Pickering for £50.(2) Had there been plans for a memorial to the local Sudan War Servicemen?
Phillip Jackson was part of the Australian Contingency that assisted the British Forces in the Sudan War. He was born September 22 1865 at Narrawalle Farm, Ulladulla (now part of Milton), the son of Nelson and Sarah Jackson.(3) He died May 18 1885 Suakin, a memorial stands for him at Milton Methodist Cemetery. (4) Phillip Jackson is one of the nine names on the National Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial for the Sudan War.
In June 1920, there was notice for a public meeting to be called on the suggestion that a War Memorial be built at Milton. (5) The land was officially subdivided on February 20 1922.(6) The memorial was unveiled on May 23 1923. Both the WW1 and WW2 Servicemen and Women are listed on the memorial.
WW1 - 93 men, 1 woman, 12 KIA, 5 Military Medal, 1 Royal Red Cross.
WW2 - 121 men, 0 women, 8 KIA, 1 Military Medal.
This shows that a higher percentage of the population took active duty in WW1, with more deaths.
The only woman listed is Sister Kitty Porter. Katherine (Kitty) was awarded the Royal Red Cross for her service in the Medical Corp. Her heroic efforts founded the beginnings of women’s independence in this small country town. No woman is listed for WW2, even though some local women served in the Women Armed Forces and many others contributed to the local War effort.
Henry Cooley was an aboriginal who served with the 56th Battalion, he enlisted on November 11 1915, returning to Australia January 18 1919. Also from the local area in the 56th Battalion was Bruce (Brian) Wynter Warden. (7) Henry Cooley answered the call of his Country. Yet he wasn’t allowed to a have drink at the local hotel with fellow ex-servicemen and didn’t even have the right to vote.
There are stories of war machinery been located in front of the memorial in the 1930’s. (8) This would have been the 3 inch (75mm) trench motor, which was given to the Milton Community by the NSW Trophy Committee. It had been captured by the 56th Battalion at Bellecourt on October 29 1918. (9) The whereabouts of this machinery is unknown today.
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.
Nearly 600 school children and traffic on the Princes Highway pass the memorial every day. Do they understand the meaning and honour behind the names on the Memorial and what it meant to the local community members when first constructed? A form of Nationalism, with participation and grief for those who didn’t return home.
Will future generations have remembrance for the servicemen and women who answered their country’s call to arms? Are we losing the meaning and spirit of Anzac with each pasting generation?
The War Memorial is visited by the members of the local community on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day each year to remember and respect those who gave their all, in the fight for freedom.
LEST WE FORGET
WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM
Beesley, Ron.
A History of the Ex-Servicemen’s Movement in Milton Ulladulla, paper presented to the 70th Anniversary of the Milton Ulladulla RSL, Ulladulla, September 1989. Looks at the social lives of Returned Soldiers in this district also the formation and development of the RSL.
Goodman, R.
Our War Nurses, The History of the Royal Australia Army Nursing Corp 1902 - 1988, Boolarong Publications, Brisbane, 1988. Has some references to Kitty Porter, the only women who is featured on Milton’s War Memorial.
McAndrew, Alex.
Milton-Ulladulla in the Wars, McAndrew, Epping, 1994. War service by some local men and women.
REFERENCES
1. Interview with Warren Millard of Ulladulla, February 1997.
2.Land Titles Office, Old System Book 276, Folio No. 937.
3. NSW Register of Birth Death Marriages, Birth Certificate 1865/15915.
4. Cathy Dunn, Methodist Church of Milton Ulladulla. Milton, June 1994, p. 48.
5. Australia War Memorial Canberra, Record MRF N131.
6. Subdivision plans A788230. Shoalhaven City Council.
7. Australian War Memorial - Nominal Roll of the AIF. AWM 133.
8. Interviews with both Warren Millard and Gordon Cole held in February and March 1997.
9. Australia War Memorial Canberra, Record 194, N131.
Shoalhaven Heritage LEP