War Memorial First Proposed in January 1922

The first suggestion of a public War Memorial in Essendon was raised by W. Basham, one hundred years ago.

Walter James Basham operated a Real Estate Business from premises at 153 Puckle Street from 1916 until 1928. At the time he was suggesting the War Memorial he was living at 20 Taylor Street, Moonee Ponds. He died in 1948, living at that time at 34 Mantell Street, Moonee Ponds.

On 29 October 1924, the Mayor, Cr. George A. Mitchell called a public meeting and construction was underway by June 1928 in Queens Park. The memorial was designed by the City Surveyor, W. Murray Pullar, in conjunction with his assistant, S. Steel.

On Anzac Day 1929, returned servicemen gathered at the Holmes Road Memorial Hall and marched to Queen’s Park where the 60 feet (18.3 metres) Cenotaph was dedicated by Brig-Gen H. E. (Pompey) Elliott. The special Anzac Day Service was attended by over 3000 citizens.

The War Memorial was later supplemented by The Anzac Memorial Wall, erected in Queens Park as a joint venture between the Essendon Historical Society and the Moonee Valley City Council and dedicated on 23 April 2017.