Parkes Cemetery Great War Memorial

The memorial is a marble statue of a First World War soldier holding an unbayoneted rifle, and standing at ease. The statue is supported by a Yorkshire and Pyrmont stone pedestal, which is mounted on three large steps with risers on which to place wreaths. The whole memorial is positioned on a concrete platform and stands 5.3 metres high. The memorial was the work of C J Shakespeare and Son, masons of Court Street, Parkes.

Following the First World War, local opinion was divided concerning the creation of a community memorial to commemorate the men from the area who had died in the war, with ideas including a Memorial Avenue, Memorial High School and a Soldiers' Memorial. A public meeting was held on 10 July 1922 to consider the erection of a soldiers' memorial at Parkes. A sub-committee was formed to contact the War Monuments Advisory Board to seek particulars of suitable memorials and to invite competitive designs (Western Champion, 13 July 1922) 

Two years later the contract to erect the memorial was awarded to C J Shakespeare and Son, who had manufactured numerous headstones and memorials throughout the north western region (Western Champion, 1 May 1924). 

The memorial was unveiled in the Parkes cemetery on 11 January 1925 by Sir Neville Howse, VC, MHR, (Western Champion, 15 January 1925).