Moree Aboriginal Servicemen Memorial

About

This memorial is a large sandstone bushrock, bearing a bronze honour roll plaque. The roll lists Aboriginal servicemen who enlisted in the First and Second World Wars. It includes their name, rank, conflict, serial number, service unit, and years of birth and death. The names were compiled by Noeline Briggs-Smith OAM, Aboriginal elder, researcher, author, and cultural presenter. The plaque is simply decorated, with a Rising Sun emblem at the top and crossed rifles and a boomerang at the bottom. The memorial is located in a commemorative area within the Aboriginal portion of Moree Cemetery, which has been restored and identified as the final resting place of the Aboriginal people. The area was developed by the Moree Aboriginal Corporation and is known as 'Tranquility'. It features a semi-circular retaining wall, with in-built seating, garden beds, and two other large bushrocks. Attached to these rocks are two plaques for individual Aboriginal servicemen, listed separately on the NSW War Memorials Register as Gunner Percy Adam Morris Suey Memorial Plaque, Moree and Private Ronald Thomas Smith Memorial Plaque, Moree. The honour roll was funded by the Federal Government's 'Saluting Their Service' programme, awarded by the Hon. Alan Griffin, Minister for Veteran's Affairs. The grant was given to both the Moree Plains Shire Council and the Aboriginal section of the Moree library to create the roll based on Aunty Noeline's research. The memorial was officially dedicated by David Williams, President of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Veterans Association. Mr Williams came from Sydney to officiate at the ceremony, which was in honour of every Aboriginal service person.

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