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Australian War Memorial, Canberra
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The Lancaster bomber, G for George - Canberra
The Lancaster bomber, G for George
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Australian War Memorial
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Australian War Memorial: Canberra War Memorial a must see destination
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  • Simpson and his Donkey a Legend - Canberra
    Simpson and his Donkey a
    Legend
    by fachd,
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    The Australian War Memorial is the national capital icon and is considered one of the nation’s best. The Australian War Memorial was opened in 1941. It is a collection of historical information, memorabilia, paintings reflecting to Australian men and women involvement in world war conflict. The collections range from Boer War (South African War), WWI to recent Gulf War, which covers large information. Also is a place for conserving Australian cultural heritage. Inside the War Memorial visitors are able to see many exhibitions on display. The exhibitions are well assembled. You will see uniforms that Australian soldiers and nurses wear, they are also American, German, Russian, British and others. There’s scenery of important battles. Tanks from WWI, the Japanese mini sub, the Korean War and many more are display. Inside the War Memorial you could spent all day just observing and reading the display. On the side of the building there are two large wall of which names of fallen loved one is scribed. For remembrance red poppies are placed by relatives. Not far from the Pool of Reflection is the Domed, inside the Domed is the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier (1914-1918). Outside the building there is a statue of Simpson and his Donkey. John Simpson is Australian hero. At Gallipoli with heavy bombardment, Simpson and a donkey carried water up Shrapnel Gulley and bring the wounded soldiers into safer area. Along the Anzac Parade there are several memorials representing Australian involvement in War, the Vietnam War memorial is one of them. War Memorial probably is not everyone cup of tea. No one in the right mind condone war. To me War Memorial is a learning place to visits. In a nut shell it made me realized that war sucks which no one wins. In my opinion war should not be glorified, it should be put into memory and hopefully it should not happen again. Open daily between 10.00am-5.00pm. Free admission. Donation box at the entrance.

  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: The Australian War Memorial
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  • Australian War Memorial and Mt Aislie - Canberra
    Australian War Memorial and Mt
    Aislie
    by tiabunna
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    This should top the list as a 'must see'. Situated across the lake from Parliament House, along the Anzac Avenue axis (see heading photo) and directly below Mt Ainslie, the Australian War Memorial is the seemingly contrasting combination of a world-class war museum and a very solemn war memorial. You will be alternately fascinated and depressed by what you find there. The overall effect is tremendously moving. I would suggest that you allow a day for a visit if possible. If only half a day is available, ensure you visit the Shrine to the Unknown Soldier and the Hall of Memories (where there are plaques listing over 100,000 Australians who have died in wars involving our country - well over half in WW1). There are free guided tours of the Memorial. For those interested in family genealogy, there is also a comprehensive database of military records, available to family members.

  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Directions: At the foot of Mt Ainslie, where Limestone Avenue, Fairbairn Avenue and Anzac Parade meet. It's a little far to walk from the city, but you can get there on bus route 33 or 40 from the main bus interchange at Civic (the main city area).
  • Website: www.awm.gov.au

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    Australian War Memorial: Anzac Parade and Memorials
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  • It is probably fair to state that Anzac Parade is by far the most important ceremonial parade in Australia. Flanking the Parade are separate memorials to units of the military forces and to various campaigns. Fittingly, the first installed was to the Mounted Infantry of Australia and New Zealand (ANZAC is the acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) who operated in the Middle East in 1916-1918, during WW1. This is on the western side of Anzac Parade, not far from St John's Church. The attached photos give a sampling of the memorials, but there are many more to see. Suggestion: take a walk up and down Anzac Parade to view the memorials, also including St John's church and school museum (see separate tip) - this will take about half a day without rushing. If you can organise a group (there is a minimum number limit) you can book free guided tours, presented by National Capital Authority volunteer guides.

  • Phone: (02) 6272 2910
  • Directions: Anzac Parade extends from the War Memorial to Constitution Avenue. Bus routes 33 and 40 to the Australian War Memorial, bus routes 30,38 and 80 to St John's Church and schoolhouse museum at the other end of Anzac Parade.

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    Australian War Memorial: Who wanted it anyway?
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  • This is another of the roadside reminders, this time about Vietnam, the war that no-one wanted to know about after it was over. Thus it was that thousands were subjected to the horrors of war and came home to a nation that hardly cared. It was little wonder that so many were traumatised by the experience. It was sad that the nation almost ignored their plight. In fact, it was too late for some who took their own final solution. However, while we might try to disown the political folly of the action, we should try and care for those who, in many cases, were unwitting victims of the call-up. This encompassing sculpture goes some way to acknowledging their sacrifice.

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: War Memorial - getting personal
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  • A place to die - a diorama of the battlefield at Y - Canberra
    A place to die - a diorama of
    the battlefield at Y
    by iandsmith
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    I never knew the man, only his wife and his son. At the age of 35 he found himself in the god forsaken mud that was the battlefield at Ypres. He had travelled from South Australia and married Bathia and they lived at Wilberforce to the west of Sydney on a farm. By all accounts it was a happy existence until the war intervened. On the way over he had written home on the leaves from pussy willow trees. Echoes from the past that resonate still from a shelf in my study room. Heart rending epithets such as "To Bessie from W. My thoughts are always of you and Tom"; "There are some nice places but none so nice as home"; "To Bessie from W. far across the sea"; "From A55 to Kelmont, where would I rather be?". I find it a bit gut-wrenching reading them now. Thus it was that these are the last pieces of tangible evidence of his existence. On the 4th October, 1917, along with many others, he was blown to smithereens by shellfire defending a country halfway round the world that he probably hardly knew existed. Two thirds who died did so by shellfire in that conflict........and for what? To placate a few male egos? Such were the times. And what have we learnt from them? My father, his son, also joined the services and served in the Second World War in New Guinea and stayed in the R.A.A.F. till his retirement. I served for one year in my youth, falling short of the standard required for an armament fitter and luckily getting out. My sons are anti war, no doubt influenced to some degree by their father. As one gets older one's roots seem to take on a significance not apparent in one's younger days and so it was that I made a pilgrimage to the War Memorial basement level to find out where my grandfather might be commemorated. It turns out there's a plaque on the Menin Gate at the town of Ieper (formerly Ypres) in Belgium. It was a teary-eyed moment for me to find that out and the rest of my time in the War Memorial I seemed to be burdened with that information, unable to take in some of the exhibits as I might have.

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: Simpson and his donkey
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  • The exploits of a man and his donkey during the ill-conceived and executed battle on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey are the stuff of legend. How this man carried wounded troops back from the front line, time after time, is one of the great Australian epics of heroism under fire. It is held in such high esteem that this statue holds a pride of place as you walk from the carpark to the museum. During the current, at times hysterical, debate over immigration, this man's exploits were held as a prime example of what it means to be an Australian and what our values are. The high ranking politician who espoused this was perhaps unaware that Simpson was, in point of fact, an illegal immigrant and lied his way to get into the army. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: The Shellal Mosaic
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  • About the last thing you'd expect to find in a war museum is a floor mosaic from historical times. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across the Shellal Mosaic that was originally housed in a Palestinian chapel. The Hellenistic style of the vine trellis has pagan connotations. The full symmetry of design, detailed tonality of the animals create realistic 3 dimensional aspects of them. For me I was immediately reminded of the superb, virtually intact example at Aquileia in northern Italy. You can also see the merging of styles with the Hellenistic vine linking to the Roman isometric border and the symmetry being very Gazaean in design. When it comes to the Christian ideals of the floor piece it is obvious that the architecture of the church was extremely basic and primitive, with a simple rectangular floor and no presence of an apse. The only clue to where the altar may have been is the journey, one might say, of the central links of vines that symbolise traditional offerings, leading from one small crucifix cross to the top one where the altar may have been. At the top there is an inscription that says: "this temple with rich mosaics did decorate our most holy bishop...and the most Pious George, priest and sacristan, in the year 622 according to the era of Gaza, In the tenth year of the indication". An art historian by the name of Henderson has interpreted it as an allegory of salvation: The Vine is Christ as well as the Tree of Life that shelters all of god's creatures, and each animal represents either a virtue or aspect of humanity such as the Peacock (resurrection and eternal life). Down the centre, the subjects that arent of wildlife each have thier own meaning. The Amphora is the water of life with the unconsecrated water being in the west (at the bottom of the mosaic) and the baptismal or holy water being in the ast (at the top before the altar).

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: The long road
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  • On the broad avenue called Anzac, THE most memorable street in Canberra, there are memorials placed dedicated to areas of conflict participated in by Australians. It is the grandest street in Australia, its width alone demanding your attention but the layout on the sides amplifying that attention. This particular piece is in memory of those who served in the maritime areas and it seemed a little incongruous to me stuck amid the classic gum trees, very few of which have ever been to sea. The chiselled edges and sombre colours seem to typify war statues, possibly alluding to a formidable comradeship and solid appearance of them as a foe. Sometimes, for me, the heroism displayed by many tries to paper over the cracks of those who will never return.

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Directions: On the south eastern side of Lake Burley Griffin
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: Another war capture
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  • Hagar, the bust from Palmyra - Canberra
    Hagar, the bust from
    Palmyra
    by iandsmith
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    From the fabled city of Palmyra comes this bust, another World War I trophy, and it is of Hagar that refers to a famous story according to which Muslims believe that Hagar (Arabic Hajar), mother of all future Arabs, finds water in a well miraculously provided by Gibreel. Her quest is ritually reenacted by all those who go on the Hejira to Mecca, where the well is now enclosed by the Haram, the grand mosque. Her son Ismail (Ishmael) is considered the ancestor of all Arabs.

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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    Australian War Memorial: "G" for George
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  • This famous World War II bomber flew three tours of duty, 90 sorties, and thus became famous for doing that alone. Most didn't even make the first thirty. All the original markings are still on it and they currently have an excellent light and sound show that simulates, to some degree, what it must have been like during a bombing raid. Frankly, I thought the sound effects must have been pretty close to reality. The markings on the side also indicate when new captains took over.

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  • Phone: 02 6243 4211
  • Website: http://www.awm.gov.au/

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