TIMELESS WOLLONGONG

Thirroul residents were the first in the Illawarra to propose a memorial to those servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.

Two women, Mrs Arnold Higgins and Granny Margaret Riach, were at the forefront in raising funds for a memorial fountain.

A committee was formed in 1919 to organise the erection of a memorial fountain and it met at the School of Arts Hall on April 8, 1919 for the purpose of selecting a suitable site.

The Returned Soldiers and Sailors League met at the Bulli Council Chambers in April 1919 where J.S. Kirton, the patron of the fundraising committee, explained the position to the RS&S League (sub-branch) where he said Mrs Riach had been raising funds long before the Peace Celebrations. The sub-branch congratulated Mrs Riach for her fundraising efforts.

Quite a lot was written during 1919 in the local newspapers about Mrs Margaret (Granny) Riach who then was about 73 years old. She was named a "veteran collector" who worked tirelessly for more than three years raising by herself most of the £200 at hand.

By June 1919 an application was made to Bulli Shire Council seeking permission to erect the memorial on council-owned land adjoining the School of Arts on the Main Road at Thirroul.

A week later a notice in the local newspaper called for tenders for the construction of a Soldiers Memorial Fountain. Applications were to be received by the honorary secretary H.McNaughton, until June 30, 1919. In September 1919 steps were taken to prepare the site and the committee was approached to collect the names for the memorial. By October the South Coast Times published the names of 110 veterans. Then on October 18, 1919 a ceremony of laying the foundation stone took place in front of parliamentary figures and aldermen of Bulli Council. A bottle was inserted in the cavity of the foundations. The bottle contained a record of the interest and labour in the project of Mrs William Riach and Mrs Arnold Higgins. There was also a record of Granny Riach starting the campaign in April 1916 with a contribution of £7.16. By 1917 there was £47 raised. Granny Riach took on the full force of raising funds when ill health forced Mrs Higgins to step back. By April 1918 Granny had increased the fund to £90.

The foundation stone was inscribed with "This foundation stone was laid by Mrs Higgins on behalf of the citizens, October 18, 1919".

In the second week of April 1920 the memorial arrived in Thirroul in preparation for completion by the sculptor Alexander Casafrandi.

In all, the memorial would stand on a dark freestone base mounted by an octagonal marble-panelled surround, bearing the names of the veterans. The base and tablet section would stand 18 feet in height and on top would be a five-feet, eight-inch statue of an infantryman standing at ease.

The Illawarra Mercury reported in April 1920 that Thirroul deserved credit for being the first to unveil a soldiers' memorial. On Anzac Day 1920 a large crowd of more than 2000 gathered at the front of the School of Arts and at 3.15pm, the patron J.S. Kirton welcomed everyone to the unveiling of the memorial. He said all knew of the efforts of fundraising to make this day possible. Mr Kirton then called upon Granny Riach to unveil the monument. He then called on Elsie Riach, a granddaughter, to turn on the tap on the fountain and partake of the first drink. Mrs Ryan of Bulli Pass Hotel presented Granny Riach with a silver cup suitably inscribed.

In 1938 the School of Arts was sold to the Returned Soldiers League and became Thirroul RSL Club. In 1968 the memorial fountain was moved from its original position and relocated next to the RSL Club. Since 1996 a second memorial has been added for those who served in World War II.

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM. Call 0409 832854 or email sycado6@bigpond.net.au