ANZAC Day is a time when we remember and honour those who have fought and even laid down their lives for their fellow Australians.
Seven carvers from the Caloundra Woodworking Club in Queensland were very proud to have been part of a project which saw them donate a framed set of carvings to the Caloundra RSL sub branch depicting scenes of war across various conflicts.
The group was inspired by a similar project created by the West Riding carving group in the UK which was done on a much larger scale.
After months of planning the carvers were happy to finally put chisels to timber to carve 12 scenes ranging from World War I through to the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict.
Personal history and interests of the individual carvers contributed to the themes chosen. Roy Cantor carved a portrait of himself as he was when serving in New Guinea during World War II. This was based on a photo he had from that time.
The timber, a beautiful piece of Huon pine, was anonymously and generously donated by a man who felt a connection to the project, as his father had been on the Kokoda Trail.
The scenes carved are:
• An Australian armour and infantry going to Tobruk in WWII
• A machine gunner in Korea
• P-40 Hawk plane that was used in New Guinea
• The HMAS Centaur Hospital ship that was sunk off Caloundra
• A bush master from the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts
• The Kokoda Trail during WWII
• The RSL Badge
• A nurse coming out of a field hospital
• Two troops on the trenches at Gallipoli
• The HMAS Brisbane
• A scene from Vietnam with the helicopters at Long Tan
• Artillery piece in Vietnam
• The carvings are on permanent display in the members' area of the Caloundra RSL.
For more information see www.caloundrawoodworkingclub.com.au