In the comments on my ANZAC Day post, Mick mentioned his visit to Kings Park and its memorial trees. After the war, a tree was planted for each fallen soldier and given a plaque bearing his name.
The tradition was continued with subsequent wars, and there are now more than 1700 soldiers remembered in the park that overlooks the city and the Swan River.
Perth’s war memorial atop ANZAC Bluff, looking eastward to Darling Scarp.
Having walked through Kings Park myself many times, I noticed that many plaques were damaged or unreadable.
The Honour Avenues Group has taken on the task of maintaining the plaques, and they install about fifty new plaques a year.
Members of the Honour Avenue Group at Kings Park. Pictured in the foreground is Barry Campbell. Picture: Michael Wilson, The West Australian.
Most of the Group are, not surprisingly, former servicemen themselves.
Story from The West Australian here. The HAG also has its own website, and is building a database for the men and women on the plaques.
Further regarding my ANZAC Day post – I feel I should confess to greatly simplifying the history of the 10th Light Horse. Reciting the assorted disbandings and reformations and redesignations, I feared, would be as convoluted a tale as the family tree of European royalty.
For those interested, the Australian Light Horse Association provides a more detailed history of the Regiment’s changes. And the Australian War Memorial has a page dedicated to the Regiment with a brief history of its service in World War 1.
The mind is an unexplored country. 
Thanks Gregory, what a great story. I presumed a treasure of that significance would have attracted some federal or state funds.
Obviously war memorials aren’t as important as gender study grants and ranbow crossings.
Anyway I’m glad the HAG (they should get a new acronym) are on the job. I’ll contact them and see if I can donate in some way.
Cheers Mick
By: haverm56 on April 27, 2024
at 6:57 PM