Cenotaph re-worked

By Kath Gannaway
WESBURN school children will see a significant improvement to their local cenotaph when they hold their Anzac commemoration in April.
Work started on repairs to the memorial last week after Warburton RSL received a $2700 grant through the Federal Government’s Saluting Their Service Commemorations grants program.
The memorial, on the corner of Station Street and Warburton Highway, honours the district’s World War I servicemen and women.
RSL secretary Bill Major said little is known of the origins but noted the wording on the plaque “ Duty Nobly Done 1914-1918” is the same as on the honour board at the primary school.
“We don’t know much about its history but we can see it is very simply built,” Mr Major said.
It appears that originally the bowl at the centrepiece of the memorial would have been a fountain, but no-one can remember when it last flowed.
The RSL has no information either as to the relevance of the ship’s anchor nearby.
Wesburn Primary School principal Anne Stenhouse said the school had established a tradition where the whole school marched, led by a piper, for a service at the memorial each year around Anzac Day.
The service this year will be on Thursday, 27 April, and Ms Stenhouse said the school community would be pleased to see the cenotaph restored to its former glory.
Casey MP Tony Smith visited Wesburn last week to look over the cenotaph with RSL members.
He said the Saluting Their Service program aimed to honour the sacrifice and service of Australia’s servicemen and women and preserve Australia’s wartime heritage and congratulated the RSL on their initiative in respect of restoration of the Wesburn cenotaph.
Warburton RSL would like to hear from anyone who has information about the cenotaph, photos or other memorabilia. Mr Major can be contacted on 0428 178 529.