People marching to the Lakemba War Memorial from The Lakemba Club this upcoming ANZAC Day will notice a pleasing change to the memorial after recent cleaning and restoration efforts.
The sandstone memorial, located in front of Lakemba Railway Station, was originally unveiled on 19 April 1953 to commemorate local servicemen and women, veterans and fallen comrades.
The restoration process included applying a gentle cleaning treatment, hand scrubbing to lift accumulated dirt and algae, repointing mortar joints and fixing minor surface damages.
Members of the Lakemba RSL Sub-Branch were on hand, together with Canterbury-Bankstown Council Mayor Clr Bilal El-Hayek, to admire the newly restored memorial at its recent unveiling.
“It looks so good compared to what was there before, Council has done such a good job,” said Tim McCaw, Social Welfare Officer of Lakemba RSL Sub-Branch, and one of the major driving forces advocating for the Lakemba War Memorial’s restoration.
“For veterans and returned service people, marching to a memorial or cenotaph is such a moving moment and brings back a lot of memories.”
“I’m the fourth-generation soldier in my family to serve this country, so it means a lot to me to see it restored, preserving it for future generations,” said Tim.
“ANZAC Day is about remembrance – remembering those who have served, those who have lost their lives, and what they did for Australia through great hardships.”
The Lakemba Club will be hosting an ANZAC Day March on Thursday 25 April from 7.15am, followed by a Gunfire Breakfast afterward for those who participated. Members of the public are welcome to join and pay their respects on the day.
