Memorial Tree

A TV news bulletin covering a group of disappointed returned service men and woman being shut out of ANZAC day memorial celebrations in Canberra because of Covid-19 restrictions in 2022, had John Green pondering. “There must be a better way”.

John thought on the idea of having a metal memorial tree out in the open space.

The memorial tree idea, while still fresh in his mind, then blossomed into a concept. This happened when he was wandering around the Greenbushes Cricket Club on an autumn day, a day that was overcast, drizzling with misty rain with the odd gusty wind. Then the sky suddenly cleared, turning the rain into a sun shower. “Looking up at the large tree by the club house, I saw its leaves glistening and sparkling in the sunlight.

“This completed the design features I had in my mind: the tree with its trunk, its limbs and branches could all be made of steel. It would stand eighteen to twenty metres high. I then proceeded to draw this vision freehand including the hand written epitaph.

“On the branches would hang 5,000 dog tags as leaves, each tag as leaves having five names on each”. John explained.

The 25,000 names will be of those Australians who have served or have died overseas since the end of the second world war.

John also envisages red fibre optic lights running to the ends of the branches to have the effect of the tree being on fire, reflecting the fire of their hearts.

How to make this tree a reality? John tells of how his idea is progressing, “One thing of course is to have an idea, turning it into a reality is another. I spoke initially to Jenny Mountford, the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire President, she thought my idea had merit and took the idea to Council.

“It was given ‘In Principal Approval’ subject to a number of conditions, the main ones being an engineer’s report on the structure and the finished construction must meet all safety concerns.

“If it is to erected it will be behind the Cenotaph in Greenbushes.

“As a way of raising funds for the project I was also given permission to conduct Music Sundays. I am busking with my DJ gear at the Old Greenbushes Cricket Club every Sunday from 3pm until 7pm. This is where I am playing ‘Australiana’ Australian Radio Songs from within the Club House.

“I encourage everyone to come down, sit on the oval and listen to some great Australian radio music from the past, all for a gold coin donation.

“It’s BYO everything, food, drink, chairs, picnic rugs, and a glad-to-be-here attitude. I would also encourage those owning an old Australian car to bring it with them to add to the atmosphere.

“A local artist, Jean Barrett, has painted an artist’s impression of the tree I am planning on constructing.

“The next step is then to have it designed. I am looking for a computer added design (CAD) engineer to help with the design. I would like the tree to bolt together like a Meccano set from small sections. This idea is still in its early phase.

“My old alma mater, Guildford Grammar School has indicated a willingness to help.”

The conflicts, battles, and wars Australia has been involved in since the WW2 are numerous, Korean War (1950–1953), Malayan Emergency. (1950–1960), Borneo Confrontation

(1963–1966), Vietnam War

(1965–1973), Gulf War (1990–1991), Australian-led international intervention into the 1999 East Timorese crisis

(1999–2000), Sierra Leone Civil War (2000–2003), Civil war in Afghanistan (1996–2001), (2001), War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq War (2003–2009), Operation Anode (2003–2013), Iraqi civil war (2006–2008), Operation Astute, 2006 East Timor crisis.

Operation Ocean Shield was NATO’s Horn of Africa 2009 -2016 by NATO,

American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War 2014–18,

War on ISIL (2014–present), Marawi crisis (2017) ISIL, Islamic State insurgency in Iraq (2017–present), 2019–2022 Persian Gulf crisis.

It seems Australian forces are involved in a lot of conflicts helping to make this world a better place for all, and in their honour they are deserving of another monument.