The Strathbogie Tableland History Group has joined forces with Euroa RSL in time for Remembrance Day on Tuesday, 11 November, to bring completion back to the village's memorial statue that has long stood guard over the fallen in the middle of Main Street. The original rifle on the Italian marble carved statue was stolen in May 2023 with no trace of its whereabouts, save for a small fragment found nearby. Kyabram memorial company D.P. Jones took on the case of restoring the statue by giving it a 'much needed' clean before installing a new rifle which was carved from the original Carrara marble. Stronger steel pins were glued into both the rifle and statue to ensure the memorial would stand safely for another century or more. Friday October 24 was the big day for the memorial's repair, with the workers not minding the small audience that gathered. The Strathbogie Tableland History Group wish to give a huge shout-out to members Tracey Thomson and Allan Rowarth and the Euroa RSL for their support and generosity in sharing the cost. The monument's origins came about in December 1918 when a committee was formed in the hope to obtain some sort of memorial for local servicemen. Some of these soldiers came from Melbourne orphanages to live with the local families, go to school and help out on the farms. Twenty who left from the Strathbogie Tableland did not come home. Cr. Robinson Armstrong headed the committee, having had three sons that served, and Harold Vroland - whose brother did not return - was elected secretary. It was in May 1919 that the monument was decided upon and that it would be erected at a cost of £350 and be placed in the township on the highest point. To raise the money, the committee would ask for donations, but those donations were only to come from the tableland. S. Talochino of Benalla was chosen to provide the monument, and when the first one arrived from Italy it was found to have a defect and was sent back and replaced at Talochino’s own expense. When the monument arrived and was ready for installation, more than 14 volunteers were called upon to cart the Monument from Euroa railway station - to be undertaken in one day. Once the Memorial was in place, the roadway needed to be altered, and 27 volunteers armed with picks and shovels attended to this. The Memorial was unveiled on 18 October 1920 by none other than the much-loved and respected Major General H.E. ‘Pompey’ Elliott. A souvenir booklet was produced at the time which listed the memorial's many subscribers, including approximately sixty families and one hundred individual school children from five schools. In the 1920s the memorial needed a repair, and concrete was added around the base within the pillars. The lettering was regilded in 1934, and in 1954 Talachinos were engaged again to change the original lettering to raised lead lettering. The locals came to the fore once again and raised all the money to pay for the change themselves. The trustees also asked Mr Talachino if he would add a spray of golden wattle, in the same style as the raised lettering, but Mr Talachino replied “that it would not look anything if done the same as the lettering and would look very nice in gold and we will do this for you”. In 1977 a new, higher concrete base was installed and in 1988 a new flag and flagpole were erected nearby. It was announced in 1998 that the memorial would receive federal funding for general cleaning, repainting of lettering and emblems, galvanising the metal chains, and restoring the rifle. The ANZAC Day service has been held at the memorial for many years in conjunction with the school. In more recent years, Strathbogie Tableland History Group has hosted the day with the school. Lest We Forget
