Memorial all set for Anzac Day
ALLORA residents will be able to pay tribute to Australian soldiers alongside a complete memorial statue this Anzac Day, after the rifle damaged last year was yesterday restored to its rightful post.
Southern Downs Regional Council parks co-ordinator John Newley said he had aimed to have the stature restored in time for and was relieved to pull it off.
“It was removed before last Anzac Day so my goal was to have it done before this one,” Mr Newley said.
“It is just the icing on the cake to have it finished in time for the Allora people to enjoy on Anzac Day.”
Mr Newley said JH Wagner & Sons in Toowoomba was responsible for the quality craftsmanship and he was grateful for their commitment to have the item completed in time for Anzac Day.
“(JH Wagner & Sons) have done a great job – they said they would do it in time and they did.”
The broken pieces of the original firearm were taken to Toowoomba and used to replicate the new piece.
Mr Newley said the hardest part of his job through the repair process was to find a company capable of doing the task.
“Once I established who could do the work it was easy – the hard bit was finding someone who could do it,” he said.
“And after seeing their workmanship I was very confident they could do it.”
The broken pieces from the original firearm will be returned to the Allora RSL to be kept as memorabilia.
Allora RSL Sub Branch secretary Ken Ashton said it was heartbreaking to see the memorial damaged, especially as it was only one of three in Queensland.
“It has been there for around 106 years and has never been damaged,” Mr Ashton said.
