The Coolamon Cenotaph is a granite pillar, with attached polished granite plaques engraved with dedications and honour rolls of those who have served. The memorial was originally erected to commemorate those from the district who served in the First World War. Additional plaques were later added to commemorate those who served in the Second World War and later conflicts.
Following the First World War, a Coolamon Soldiers' Memorial Committee was formed to raise funds for the erection of a memorial in the town. Meetings were held to select a design and location for the memorial which was planned to include lettering of 100 names (The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 2 April 1920). By April 1920 funds totalling £359 had been raised through a variety of activities including a boxing tournament, fancy dress cricket match and night socials.
A final decision on the design was delayed in August 1920 due to advice received from the War Memorials Advisory Board in Sydney. The Memorial Committee voted to arrange for competitive designs from architects for a memorial costing no more than £500 (The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 3 September 1920).
By February 1921 the memorial was under construction in Sydney, with the builders planning to complete the memorial in time to be exhibited at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The inscriptions had been decided upon; bronze wreaths were to be placed on each side with the words Gallipoli, France, Flanders, and Palestine. The memorial was to carry the names of 244 men who had enlisted from the Coolamon district (Narandera Argus, 1 March 1921).
The memorial was unveiled on 27 June 1921 by Brigadier General C F Cox, CB, CMG, DSO before a gathering of about 700 people. A full report was published in the Daily Advertiser, 28 June 1921, which included a list of the names included on the honour roll.