A jubilant soldier, clenched right fist in the air, seemingly cheering in triumph, creates an unusual sight at Atherton’s War Memorial. Tinaroo Shire chairman Mr Grau unveiled the memorial on 1 May 1924 following combined fundraising by local women and Atherton RSL. Leftover funds were used to expand Atherton’s hospital.<\/p>\n
The soldier statue, believed to have been designed and executed by the region’s then leading monumental firm Melrose and Fenwick, bears other unique features: a gas mask and a tin hat, instead of a slouch hat; rocks support the digger’s leg instead of a tree stump. Originally the digger carried a rifle with a fixed bayonet in his left hand, which was blown off in a severe storm in 1934.<\/p>\n
The names of the 67 men from the district who died in WWI are listed on a plate at the front of the monument; another 35 names, representing locals who died in WWII, appear on the rear.<\/p>\n
This monument was moved from the town’s main intersection and sits within a park, opposite Atherton’s RSL building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"