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Yamba Cenotaph

Yamba Cenotaph
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Yamba Cenotaph, front view, showing sides 1 and 4
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Yamba Cenotaph, close-up of plaques on side 2
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Yamba Cenotaph, side 3
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Yamba Cenotaph, side 4
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Yamba Cenotaph, close-up of Royal Australian Navy and Merchant Navy emblems on fence
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Yamba Cenotaph, close-up of parents memorial slab
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Yamba Cenotaph, close-up of plaque for parents memorial slab
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Description / Background

The Yamba Cenotaph is a concrete column, surmounted by an orb. The column is positioned on a pedestal, which has several levels. The whole structure stands atop a two-step platform. There are 12 marble plaques attached to the sides of the pedestal. Eight of these carry the names of those from the local area who served in the First and Second World Wars, while two carry the dedications for these wars. The final two marble plaques are for those who served in Korea, South East Asia, and Vietnam. A bronze plaque dedicated to Korea is also attached to the pedestal. 

The memorial is surrounded by a fence and accompanied by a flagpole situated next to the kerb. The fence consists of eight brick pillars, which are joined by pipe railings. The memorial and pillars are all painted white. The rendering and painting of the pillars and platform was undertaken in 2020–2021, with the support of a Community War Memorials Fund grant from the NSW Government. 

The cenotaph unveiling took place on 11 August 1923, and was attended by a large audience. The details of the ceremony were reported in the The Daily Examiner (Grafton), 14 August 1923, which also listed the names of those who served in the Great War. The chair of proceedings, Mr D Tulloch, was joined by Councillor J Parsons, Harwood Shire President, who unveiled the monument, and speeches were made by members of the clergy. A machine gun was mounted on the base of the monument facing the street (which is now absent).

Set into the pebblecrete paving at the base of the cenotaph is a small cement block, which is imprinted with two small hands and two small feet, alongside the words 'They Died That They May Live'. The tablet honours the five fathers who died while in service in the Second World War. The imprints belong to Stanley McDermid, the only son of Keith McDermid, one of the five fallen veterans. Stanley is representing the youth of Yamba. The cement work for the tablet was produced by Mr Rutledge, from the Pilot Station. This unique memorial was unveiled on 2 January 1949 (The Daily Examiner, 4 January 1949) with the dedication and address performed by Captain J A Grant.

On the exterior of the memorial fence are five military emblems. Three are situated at the front of the memorial, representing the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, and Australian Merchant Navy, with two emblems representing the Royal Australian Air Force, and Australian Women's Services placed either side of the entrance to the cenotaph on the third side. 

Various commemorative services are held at the memorial each year. The Yamba Australia Remembers Memorial is also located nearby.

Inscription

Clockwise from memorial front

Side 1 - top plaque

World War 1

In memoriam

[Names]

Side 1 - middle plaque

Erected by the residents of

Yamba & District in honor of

the men who fought in the

Great War 1914–18 & in memory

of those who fell.

For God, King & Empire.

Side 1 - bottom plaque

World War 2

[Names]

Side 2 - top plaque

World War 1

[Names]

Side 2 - middle plaque

Erected by the residents

of Yamba & District,

in honour of all men who

fought in Word War 2.

1939 – 1945.

And in memory of those

who fell for

God, King & Empire.

Side 2 - bottom plaque

World War 2

[Names and fate]

Side 3 - top plaque

World War 1

[Names]

Side 3 - memorial plaque

In honour of all who fought

in Korea, Sth E. Asia, Vietnam

Side 3 - middle plaque

[Names]

Side 3 - bottom plaque

World War 2

[Names]

Side 4 - top plaque

World War 1

[Names]

Side 4 - middle plaque

In memory of

Korea

1950 – 1953

Side 4 - bottom plaque

World War 2

[Names and fate]

Parents memorial slab (below Side 2)

They Died

[footprints between two handprints]

That These May Live

Parents memorial plaque

These hands and footprints symbolise the

many thousands of children who were

deprived of the opportunity of ever having

experienced the love of their father.

The imprints here belong to

Stanley McDermid whose father,

Keith McDermid, was

killed in action at Sanananda New Guinea

on 22nd December 1942.

Lest we forget

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
Pte Cecil H Allison World War 2 Army view
Sgt George A Anderson World War 1 AIF view
Dvr Claude A Baker World War 1 AIF Hannebeek Valley view
Pte Victor R Baker World War 1 AIF England view
Cpl Richard C Barber World War 1 AIF Fromelles view
Cpl Eric G Barclay World War 2 Army view
Lieut George Barclay World War 1 AIF view
W Baxter view
Dvr William Biddle World War 2 Army view
Cpl Walter C Black World War 2 Army At Sea view

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Sidebar
Address
Cnr Queen Street and Marine Parade
Yamba NSW 2464
Local Government Area
Clarence Valley Council
Setting
Roadside
Memorial type
Board/roll/plaque/tablet
Column/pillar
Flag/flagpole
Recorded by
Simon Blake. Graham Wilson.
Year of construction
1923
Dedication date
11 August 1923
Conflict/s
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
Materials
Brick
Bronze
Concrete
Marble
Metal