ANOTHER WAR MEMORIAL

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 14

ANOTHER WAR MEMORIAL

EGYPT, PALESTINE, SYRIA

In addition to other war memorials, there is to be erected on the Suez Canal at Port Said one to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who laid down their lives in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. Towards the cost of erection, the New Zealand Government has contributed £2000 and the Australian Government £10.000. According to a message received by the Minister of Defence (Hon. Sir E. Heaton Rhodes) from the Commonwealth Defence Minister, the amount subscribed by members of the New Zealand and Australian Forces serving in Palestine, who each contributed one day's pay, totals £5400 This makes a sum of over £17,000 available for the work.

i The Commonwealth Defence Minister ! advised that competitive designs had been invited for the structure, the first ; premium being awarded to Mr. £!. W. fMlbert, sculptor, and Messrs. Stephenson and Meldrum. architects, and they had been entrusted with the work. Mr. Gilbert had almost completed modelling in clay one half of the statuary group, which consisted of two horsemen, one a New Zeaiander and the other an Australian, when he died. Arrangements were made for another sculptor, .Mr. P. R. Montford. to finish in plaster the portion of the group nearly completed, and arrangements for the erection of the remainder had been held over pending the arrival in Australia of Sir Bertram Mackinnel, whose advice would be sought on the matter." Sir Heaton Rhodes has replied expressing regret at the sculptor's death, and his concurrence with the action taken by Sir Nevill Howse.