Near central Melbourne we have The Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial built to remember those who fell during World War I. It has now come to represent all those who have fallen defending our country and is affectionately and simply known as the Shrine.
This instantly recognizable building is the central focus of our yearly ANZAC day dawn service (25th April) and Remembrance Day (11th November) services and holds a special place in the heart of many Melbournians.*
Western Mail 13 Jul 1933 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37705892
In the grounds of the Shrine, called King’s Domain, there are various kinds of memorials to different aspects of war. One of these is the Lone Pine.
During the Battle of Lone Pine, one of the bloodiest battles of the Gallipoli peninsula, during which thousands of Turks and Australians died, the one remaining pine tree on the ridge was blown apart.
Cones from this tree were bought back from the battlefield by soldiers who fought there, and later a seedling raised from the one bought back by Sergeant McDowell of the 23rd Battalion was planted in the grounds of the Shrine in 1933 in memory of that terrible battle.
Sadly, the news comes that arborists have decided that, due to disease, Melbourne’s Lone Pine is at the end of its days and it will be removed next week. It is sad news for that tree, but the memorial will continue. A new tree will be planted in its place, one of its own offspring cultivated years ago, no doubt for this very purpose. Not only that, the wood from the tree will be recycled for use within the Shrine itself. (ABC News)
____________________
*If you look at the wikipedia entry for the Shrine you will see just how special it was historically. Under the ‘construction and dedication’ heading there is a small aerial photo taken at the time of the dedication ceremony in 1934. The caption reports that 300,000 people attended. That was one-third of Melbourne’s population at the time.
Really sad, specially while you have to see an old tree to be slayed.
It is sad, but at least they had the forethought to grow a standby tree to replace it. A living memorial like that will never last as long as we might like it to.
It’s remarkable that anything came back alive from Gallipoli. For a soldier to have have brought back a seed and from that seed been able to raise a tree is truly amazing. The tree’s demise is somewhat ironic in that the last World War I veteran just died within the past year or so.
I agree that the officials who were wise enough to foresee the day when the original tree would falter should be commended. And afterall, we all live on through our offspring, do we not?
It is amazing isn’t it. I was really surprised to find that so many years lapsed between him bringing it back and the first lot of seedlings too. That pine cone was really patient, wasn’t it! You can actually buy seeds from the tree too. I wonder how many Lone Pines there are in Australia?
I bet this back-up tree had a few back-up trees of its own, just in case of disaster!
Ah I love stories of continuity. If they’d just decided to replace that pine with something else then I’d be up in arms but having its own offspring take its place is so /right/. Generations of people have continued to honour the Shrine and the fallen so it seems only right that generations of trees should do the same thing. Love the whole idea.
You know, when I heard the start of the news report I immediately went …grrrrr…. but when they said what it will be replaced with I was ok with it, then they explained the recycling the wood and I thought it was just wonderful.
A tree will never last forever and to think that they have planned appropriate replacements for the long term, and even have plans to make sure the old wood doesn’t just get thrown away warmed my heart 🙂
I have noticed that the Shrine seems to become more and more popular every year. I would love to go to the dawn service there one ANZAC day, but I have to confess that leaving home in the middle of the night for the trek there is just a little more than I can bear… 😉
Yes, that respectful attention to detail really pleased me as well.
I’ve never been to a dawn service and to be honest I don’t think I ever will coz 8am is dawn as far as I’m concerned! Just not an early bird. There is something special about it though isn’t there?
I am not morning person either, in the past I have gone down to the dawn service in the town and then come home and gone back to bed…
You would probably love to hear the sounds of the Last Post drifting through the early morning fog. It is an otherworldly experience, makes you feel hugely patriotic.
The Last Post is haunting, as is that poem – Ode to Remembrance. I always get the chills at this bit –
“Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.”
I have a thing about being remembered. I guess it’s the closest an atheist can get to immortality.
Yep, that bit gives me chills too. Ok, here is a clip for you, bring out the tissues… I’ve gotta go to the next dawn service…..
There is something so lonely about the Last Post. I’m glad we don’t forget them.
Moving and bittersweet.
I find it amazing that these soldiers carried the pine cones around throughout the rest of their war, and that they actually made it home for the seeds they carried to be planted. People are amazing things.