RAAF Memorial, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
S 32° 55.736 E 151° 46.400
56H E 385314 N 6355924
In the south eastern corner of Civic Park, in the Memorial Grove is a sandstone obelisk for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Waymark Code: WMV32V
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 02/15/2017
Views: 2
The uppermost item on the western side of this sandstone block is the insignia of the RAAF.
Next is red-brown bronze plaque, which reads:
"Royal Australia Air Force Memorial
Erected by Newcastle Branch Air Force Association and Newcastle City Council in Memory of R.A.A.F. members who paid the Supreme Sacrifice.
Don G. McHattie G.M. Sculptor, Ex RAAF"
The lower red-brown bronze plaque reads:
"The R.A.A.F. Wedgetail Eagle
"Aquila Audax (Noble Bird)
"The eagle has stood for courage and bravery ever since the time of the Roman Legions and is a worthy representative of the R.A.A.F. as portrayed on the service badge. The eagle portrayed on the column is directly carved from a solid block of local sandstone and is in repose, having the wings folded in memory of the dead."
[This plaque appears to be riveted to the sandstone blocks]
From a PDF document on Civic Park Memorial Grove, for the bottom item:
"In November 1968 a bronze wreath was fixed to the sandstone monument in honour of the “W.A.A.A.F. Association”.
The inscription in the centre of the wreath reads :- “LEST WE FORGET”. Presented by the Newcastle W.A.A.A.F. Association [11.11.68] "
[Unfortunately this has been scratched, and almost unreadable]
In addition, the above has an article from the "Newcastle Sun", 12 April, 1967:
"A monument will be erected in Civic Park, Newcastle, tomorrow as a memorial to RAAF members killed in action.
"The monument, portraying an eagle in repose, was sculptured by a former member of the RAAF, Mr Don McHattie of Bar Beach.
"It will be erected in the Memorial Grove, near the corner of Laman and Darby Streets.
"Mr McHattie said today the eagle had been carved from a solid block of Ravensworth sandstone and mounted on a tapering column of sandstone donated by Newcastle City Council.
"Mr McHattie said the sculpture, standing four feet high, was stylised in design and simple in decoration. The sculptor was born in Newcastle and served with the RAAF in World War II. He was awarded the George Medal for bravery when disaster struck a peacetime exercise by 15 Northern Rivers Lancers in which three men lost their lives in Stockton Bight in March, 1954."
Date Created/Placed: 25 June, 1967
Address:
Civic Park, 206 King Street,
Newcastle, NSW, 2300
Height: 4 metres
Illuminated: no
Website: [Web Link]
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