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Cooke Park War Memorial, Parkes

Cooke Park War Memorial, Parkes
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - 5 stele right to left
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - WW1 stele
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - WW2 stele
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - coat of arms stele
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - Korean War stele
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - Vietnam War stele
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Rose garden with restored German Feldkanone
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - 5 steles front view
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Parkes Cooke Park Cenotaph - 5 steles
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Description / Background

This memorial honours all military personnel who failed to return home after military actions. It stands at the corner of Cooke Park, near the intersection of Welcome and Short Streets. The memorial is constructed of granite with bronze art designs. It is comprised of five stelae, situated at the rear of a sloping platform. Each stele is decorated with the following imagery, representing a conflict:

  • First World War - Simpson and his donkey
  • Second World War - Fuzzy Wuzzy and wounded soldier on the Kokoda Trail
  • Korea - Soldiers marching
  • Vietnam - Operation Ulmarah depicting helicopters and troops
  • 'Peacekeepers' (centre stele) - a dove

Dimensions:

  • The stelae are 1500mm high, 200mm deep and 900mm wide.
  • The platform is 600mm high, 450mm deep and 14 metres wide.
  • From the top of the steps to the platform is 2000mm, and each of the five steps is 1200mm wide.

The memorial is surrounded by the following landscaping:

  • The walkway from the corner of Welcome and Short Streets is bordered by rose gardens.
    • Right side of garden - yellow rose signifying peace
    • Left side of garden - red rose signifying loss of life - 'Lest We Forget'
    • Centre of garden - white rose signifying loss of innocence
  • Within the garden stands a restored German feldkanone.
  • The end of the walkway is surrounded by rosemary.
Inscription

Stele 1

First World War 

1914 -1918 

Parkes [Names]

Alectown [Names]

Bogan Gate [Names]

Bruie Plains [Names]

Peak Hill [Names]

Tichbourne [Names]

Trundle [Names]

Tullamore [Names]

Wongalea [Names]

Yarrabandai [Names]

Stele 2

Second World War 

1939 -1945

Parkes [Names]

Alectown [Names]

Bogan Gate [Names]

Peak Hill [Names]

Trundle [Names]

Tullamore [Names] 

Stele 3

Korean War 

1950 -1953

Parkes [Names]

Bogan Gate [Names]

Stele 4

Vietnam War 

1962-1972

Parkes [Names]

Platform

LEST WE FORGET

Sudan (NSW Contingent) March-June 1885. Boer War 1899-1902. Boxer Uprising 1900-1901. Malayan Emergency 1950-1960. Confrontation (Indonesia) 1964-1966.
Gulf War (Middle East) 1990-1991. Afghanistan 2000-2002. Iraq 2003. Peacekeeping

Veterans listed on this memorial

Veterans listed on this memorial

Last held rank Given name Family name Conflict/s Service No. Service Campaign Read more
Private A H Lander World War 2 NX68901 view
Private F R Lander World War 2 NX18220 view
Private M E Langford (aka Dean) World War 2 NX5569 view
Corporal T H Langlands World War 2 NX67004 view
Private H Latham World War 1 5370 view
G Le Plastrier World War 1 view
Corporal L Leister World War 1 4840 view
Corporal F J Leonard World War 2 NX56221 view
Private J E Lewis World War 1 2933 view
Sergeant J F Long World War 1 1094 view

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Sidebar
Address
Cooke Park
Cnr Welcome and Short Streets
Parkes NSW 2870
Local Government Area
Parkes Shire
Setting
Garden/park
Memorial type
Monument
Recorded by
Paul Thomas
Year of construction
2001
Dedication date
23 April 2004
Conflict/s
Sudan, March–June 1885
South African War (Boer War), 1899–1902
China (Boxer Rebellion), 1900–01
First World War, 1914–18
Second World War, 1939–45
Korean War, 1950–53
Malayan Emergency, 1950–60
Indonesian Confrontation, 1963–66
Vietnam War, 1962–75
Iraq: the First Gulf War, 1990–91
Afghanistan, 2001–present
Iraq: the Second Gulf War, 2003–09
Peacekeeping, 1947–present