Australian War Memorial to Display Oldest Wreath at Ceremony
Governor-General Sam Mostyn will lay the Australian War Memorial’s oldest wreath during the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Canberra. The scarlet poppy wreath, first laid in 1934, will return to public view for the first time in decades as wartime relics take spotlight.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn will lay the Australian War Memorial’s oldest wreath at the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Canberra, bringing the scarlet poppy back into public view for the first time in decades.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday at the memorial’s parade ground. The wartime relics take spotlight as Australia marks the day of remembrance.
The wreath was first laid in 1934 by the then governor-general, the Duke of Gloucester, while the memorial was under construction. It commemorated the 61,727 Australians who died serving in the First World War.
Memorial staff have preserved the wreath. Its return comes as the Australian War Memorial marks 85 years as a permanent symbol of Australians’ sacrifice and experience in conflict.
The memorial officially opened on November 11, 1941, while World War II was underway. The observance, then called Armistice Day, became Remembrance Day after the war to honor Australians who served and died in all conflicts.
Matt Anderson, the memorial’s director, said the day remained a solemn reminder of conflict’s toll. “We need to acknowledge the horrendous nature of war and what we ask our men and women to do,” he said.
Anderson said the memorial was intended to serve as a memorial, archive and museum, while urging people to say “never again to war.” He linked that purpose to a statement by then governor-general Lord Gowrie at the memorial’s 1941 opening.
The memorial’s National Collection contains almost two million artifacts. Among them is a commemorative cloth poppy worn by First World War veteran Stanley Mason, which was displayed when the memorial opened to the public 85 years ago.
Shane Casey, the memorial’s senior curator of military, heraldry and technology, said preserving the objects helps future generations understand the sacrifices made before them. “These two items, a poppy from the official opening and the AWM’s oldest wreath, show the continuity of tradition in expressing commemoration,” he said.
The national ceremony will be broadcast live on television and streamed on the memorial’s Facebook page. Remembrance Day marks the end of fighting on the Western Front in the First World War at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.
Australians and people in other Commonwealth nations observe one minute of silence at 11 a.m. local time on November 11. The red poppy is the best-known symbol of remembrance.
