Vol 5 No 2 Dec 2008-Mar 2009 - Bundaberg Regional Libraries

quite a lot of attention and praise fromBundaberg residents.The Memorial’s FoundationsThe foundations were constructed bylocal contractor Mr W.P. Guthrie and thefoundation stone was officially laid byGeneral Sir William Birdwood, who waspopularly known as “the Soul of ANZAC”,on 15 May 1920.Despite it being a damp day a crowdof several hundred attended, with thebalconies of the Post Office and RoyalHotel also filled with spectators. TheBundaberg City Band played during theceremony and Sir William presented anumber of medals to returned soldiers,and spoke with mothers, widows andrelatives of fallen soldiers.On 13 October 1920 the tablet bearingthe inscription of the laying of thefoundation stone was laid in place, tomuch less fanfare.The MemorialBundaberg’s Fallen Soldiers’ MemorialStatue originally had a base of threechiselled trachyte steps. However, sincethe addition of the roundabout in 1992,only one of these steps is now visible.Resting on the steps is the die which is1.8 metres (6 feet) square. The base ismade of chiselled trachyte and at eachcorner is a pedestal of polished trachyte.On top of the pedestals are red granitepilasters which hold a polished granitefrieze and a chiselled trachyte cornice.On each side of the die are panels ofpolished trachyte overlaid with redgranite in which the names of the fallenhave been cut and gilded.The frieze contains the inscription“The Great War of 1914-18” and alsothe tribute. On top of the cornice isan octagonal base of chiselled trachyteholding a circular polished trachyteplinth, with a column of red granite, 60centimetres (2 feet 3 inches) in diameter,finished in the Ionic style, sitting on theseoctagonal bases.The Memorialstandsapproximately12 metres high,including thestatue. It cost atotal of £1885/0/3.This total includesthe cost ofthe statue, thefoundations,the engraving,the architectfee, postage,clerical work,etc. As a resultof the effortsof the Soldiers’ReceptionCommittee, andthe contributionsof local people,when thememorial wasunveiled it wasentirely free ofdebt.The DiggerStatueFinally, at the top of the Memorialstands the Digger. The Digger is madeof Carrara marble from Italy and standson a base of white Ulam marble. AMr Illingworth, who at the time wasregarded as one of Australia’s leadingmodellers, created a model of the Diggerwhich was then sent to Messrs. Anselm,Odling and Sons in Carrara Italy, where“the finished statue came from thehands of one of the world’s most famoussculptors”. 1Carved from a solid two ton blockof marble, the Digger is approximately7 feet (2.1 metres) high and weighsapproximately 1.5 tons. He is shownhead bowed, resting on arms reversed,and with his left leg bent in a relaxedstance. The stump behind him is aHISTORY 19