By Jed Lanyon
The Seville Township Group is inviting local residents to the unveiling of the Seville war memorial honouring George Ingram, the Yarra Valley’s only Victoria Cross recipient from World War I.
On Friday 10 May at 7.30pm a plaque will be unveiled at Seville Public Hall to mark the centenary of Ingram’s welcome home to Seville.
Then on Sunday 12 May George Ingram’s panel at the new Seville War Memorial will be unveiled at 2.00pm near the Seville Water Play Park.
Special guests who will unveil the panel include, retired Major-General Michael O’Brien CSC and George Ingram’s son Alex Ingram.
This glass panel has been set to face towards Ingram’s former home and in the direction of Seville Primary School, where he was a former pupil.
When completed, the memorial is designed to carry four panels. The committee raised $110,000 to construct the foundation and framework of the memorial and to put in place the first glass panel dedicated to George Ingram.
Local military historian and chair of the Seville War Memorial Committee Anthony McAleer wrote a biography on George Ingram.
“The Seville community have never had a place where they can come together as a community to recognise their Anzac heritage and this was first inspiration in getting this memorial done,” he said.
Currently, the only war memorial in Seville is the bus stop on the Warburton Highway.
Mr McAleer said that when planning for the memorial, they wanted to emphasise detail rather than simply list names like many other memorials created long ago in a time where people in smaller communities knew the individuals.
“We wanted somewhere where the community could gather together, and then we wanted something that was 21st century,” he said.
“What we’re looking at doing is making this memorial different to other memorials in that it’s going to be educational, people will read the stories on the panels and they will learn and it’ll be there for generations to come.
“This memorial is going to be emotive, people can read these stories and the letters and the personal experience of these soldiers and I think they will be quite moved by it,” Mr McAleer said.
Mr McAleer believes this project will be the most significant war memorial in the Yarra Valley and one of national significance as it will be honouring a Victoria Cross recipient.
The project has been pushed by the Seville War Memorial Committee, which is a sub-committee of the Seville Township Group.
The timing for the remaining three panels depends on how quickly the final funds can be raised, which at this stage total around $80,000.
To donate to the cause, visit: https://www.frrr.org.au/online_donations.php and select the Seville Township Group – War Memorial fund.
Donations are tax deductible.
