A bronze statue of a World War I Australian soldier in battle-worn uniform, about to throw a Mills bomb, is the centre piece of the monument and is referred to as "The Bomber". It stands on a  cairn of rough cut Harcourt granite and this rests on a platform of three surrounding steps. There are 4 bronze tablets with the names of  365 fallen from the district.  The monument reaches a height of 6.4 metres and stands at a major intersection in the city centre.

Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash, who had been corps commander of the Australian forces, visited Broken Hill and at a smoke social given in his honour by returned soldiers, expressed his surprise that no war memorial existed in Broken Hill given that so many men from the town and district had enlisted for active service. Those present at the meeting decided that steps should be taken to erect a monument and the Mayor, Alderman J. H. Wicks, convened a public meeting following which a memorial committee was formed.

The first meeting of the Broken Hill and District War Memorial Fund Committee was held on 31 August 1922 and it proceeded to plan what form the memorial should take. It was decided that it should include in some way the figure of an Australian soldier on active service and that Mr. C. Web Gilbert of Melbourne, a leading sculptor, be asked to accept the commission to execute the work. At a meeting on 10 July 1923 the Committee decided that a bronze figure of a bomber, as per a photo submitted by Web Gilbert,  be adopted as the memorial. Mr. Web Gilbert in acknowledging receipt of the order stated that he would begin work on the statue early in 1924. The committee then wrote to him expressing regret that the work was not to be proceeded with immediately and pressing for quicker work.

When the design became public it created a controversy, many citizens expressing the opinion that it was unsuitable, being too "brutal", "boastful", "challenging" and "warlike". Conflicting opinions were aired in newspaper editorials and letters to the Editor but the decision had been made and the commission accepted. Approval was received from the Attorney General for erection of the memorial in the grounds of  the court house on land given by the government of New South Wales.

 The figure was cast in France from a clay model designed by Web Gilbert using as a model ex-A.I.F Sergeant W. H. Guest. It reached Adelaide in September 1925 and was forwarded to Broken Hill. The pedestal was designed by architect Mr Herwald G Kirkpatrick of Sydney and erected under his supervision by the contractors, Swanson Bros. The cost was £2,750 including £1,500 for the figure. The memorial was unveiled by Sir John Monash on 11 October 1925. 

An unsourced document in the Inglis Collection¹ says, 'It is erected to express the sadness and sorrow entailed by the War and it is intended to embody the whole meaning of those troubled years which have bequeathed to us the memory of so many good lives lost and stout hearts which no longer beat. It marks the Victory which crowned their whole efforts and the pride with which this District can truly affirm - 
                                                            "Our men did not a little to that end." '

South face

Polished granite slab
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE MEN OF BROKEN HILL
AND DISTRICT
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR
1914  -  1918
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BOTH
BY NIGHT AND DAY

Bronze plaque below

East face

On base of statue
Web Gilbert
          1924
Sculptor

Bronze plaque below

North face
Bronze plaque

West face
Bronze plaque

Other image(s) - Click for larger view

      
        Closer view - photo © Robert Heal

Information current to November 2000

Sources:  ¹The Inglis Collection in Australian War Memorial, AWM PR 00944  3/102
                   The Barrier Miner 11 July 1923; 7 August 1923; 10 August 1923; 15 August 1923; 22 September 1923
                 

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