Unveiled: Milton Park monument to centenary of sacrifice

The official unveiling of our newest war memorial last night had the feel of an Anzac Day dawn service.

Light rain was falling as those present huddled in the darkness of an early June evening in Milton Park, Ingleburn.

And while this was an unveiling ceremony, it incorporated elements of a dawn service, from the bugler playing The Last Post to Ingleburn RSL president Ray James reading the Ode to Remembrance.

And then there were the moving words of Mayor George Brticevic, which would not have been out of place at an Anzac Day dawn service.

“This memorial honours those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the past 100 years,’’ he said.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Campbelltown’s service men and women were ordinary young people whose courage, sense of mateship and sacrifice, embodied the Anzac spirit that we as a nation hold so dear,” he said.[/social_quote]

The memorial itself is quite impressive, both in size and design.

As the mayor explained, it is a replica of the handmade and individually numbered Anzac Centenary commemorative awards which were presented to students of schools across Campbelltown City in 2015.

“And the monument was built using pine timber from a Lone Pine seedling,’’ the mayor said.

“There is also timber from Bardia Barracks in the Ingleburn Army Camp.’’

Among those present were local MPs Anne Stanley (Werriwa) and former mayor Anoulack Chanthivong (Macquarie Fields) as well as former mayor Paul Hawker and former Cr Wal Glynn.

Newly elected Ingleburn Rotary club president Drew Percival was also in attendance.

The Milton Park war memorial area is complemented by a new barbecue and picnic shelter, which were a gift to the Campbelltown City community by the Rotary Club of Ingleburn to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The monument is just one of a number of ways in which council is honouring the city’s veterans as part of its Anzac Centenary activities between 2014 and 2018.

“I’m very proud council has committed to commemorating their sacrifice through this and other tributes, including the World War I memorial in Mawson Park and the plinths which have pride of place at Ingleburn Railway Station,’’ Cr Brticevic said last night.

“Council is also currently working on a tribute to the 7th Light Horse Infantry that will celebrate their part in the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba.”