A new World War I memorial in Melton pays tribute to the soldiers and medical staff who served in the great war.
The memorial, outside the Melton Country Club, will be dedicated on September 24.
Melton Returned and Services League secretary Kevin Murray said the statue, which depicts the silhouette of a soldier and a female nurse, was a poignant reminder of the role that local men and women played in the war.
“It’s symbolic of all of those who served in World War I,” Mr Murray said.
“It’s a reminder that we did have ladies that put their lives in danger to nurse those soldiers back to health.
“Many of the casualties during the war were because of sickness … they were standing in mud and water and there were all kinds of illnesses spread around … the medical staff, a lot of whom were women, played a significant role in saving their lives.”
Mr Murray said the memorial to remember those who served, and to honour those still serving, has been five years in the making.
The $20,000 project was funded thanks to an Anzac centenary grant from the veterans’ affairs department in 2015.
“There is a quote on the memorial which says, ‘All gave some, Some gave all, Some are still giving’ – I think it’s a fantastic tribute to our servicemen and women,” Mr Murray said.
