War Memorials in Australia

Yass Soldiers Memorial Hall

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Place: Yass, New South Wales, 2582
District:: Southern Tablelands
Orientation: 58 km NE of Canberra
Location: Comur Street between Rossi Street and Meehan Street
Position: 34 50 50 S     148 54 60 E
Ref: 20013

__________________________

The memorial hall is in the main street in the heart of the business district. 

The imposing building is two-storied, built of brick with freestone facings. In the vestibule are marble tablets with the names of fallen and returned servicemen and women.

On 28 August 1920 a public meeting was called for the purpose of erecting a suitable monument to perpetuate the memory of those who served in the Great War and it was decided to erect a Memorial Hall, making ample provision for club rooms for soldiers. Over 5,000 people were present when the foundation stone was laid by the Governor-General on 24th May 1922. At this ceremony an appeal was made for funds towards the cost of the hall and more than £600 was realised. The cost of the land was £1,298/10/6, of the buildings $8,923/10/6 and of the furnishings £1,293/14/4.

There are clubrooms on the first floor which were used by returned servicemen and which became the Soldiers' Memorial and Literary Institute when, in 1927, the local Mechanics' Institute sold its building for £2,400 and used the money to house its reading room and library in the hall.

Above front porch
1914.    SOLDIERS MEMORIAL HALL.    1918

 

Plaque on wall on left side of front porch
1914               Rising sun badge of             1918
YASS      Australian Military Forces      DISTRICT

SOLDIERS MEMORIAL
ERECTED BY A GRATEFUL PEOPLE
TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF
THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR

This stone was laid EMPIRE DAY 1922 by
His Ex. The RT. HON. LORD FORSTER, P.C., G.C.M.G.

 

Etched in glass in three pairs of entrance doors

Left hand pair of doors
Navy insignia

Centre pair of doors
Rising sun badge of Australian Military Forces

Right hand pair of doors
Air Force insignia

 

In foyer, on lintel above stairs
WE SHALL REMEMBER

 


Information current to March 2000

Sources:  Back to Yass 1927 Celebrations, Official Souvenir
             The Sydney Mail, 31 May 1922             


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