Plaster cast of a Greek inscription : Hellespont [Dardanelles], 5th century BC

Plaster cast of a Greek inscription from the mid 5th century BC. The transation of the inscription reads 'Doing battle beside the Hellespont these men lost their shining youth. They brought honour to their homeland, so that the enemy groaned as it carried off the harvest of war, and for themselves they set up a deathless memorial of their courage'.

This plaster cast is of an ancient Greek inscription from the 5th century BC. It is part of a longer inscription commemorating the sacrifice of Greek warriors who died fighting at the Hellespont (the Dardanelles) in the mid 5th century BC.

In 1932 the Australian poet Christopher Brennan brought the inscription to the attention of his friend, solicitor Robert Innes Kay. Kay then brought it to the attention of Australian Official Historian CEW Bean. All three were struck by how aptly the inscription related to the Australian experience at Gallipoli in 1915 - over 2000 years after the battle for which it was written.

John Treloar, Director of the Australian War Memorial that was being built in Canberra, arranged to have a replica of the inscription made through the offices of Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Hughes, who worked with the Imperial War Graves Commission in the Eastern Mediterranean and often visited Athens, where the original was located.

Initially Hughes acquired a 'squeeze' for the Memorial - an impression made of thick paper. However, as this would not make a satisfactory display item, Treloar asked him to acquire a plaster cast for the Memorial.

In November and December 1935, a plaster cast was made and was sent to Australian on board the ship Orford. This was received by the Memorial in February 1936. It was initially housed in Melbourne and later in Sydney. It was not displayed in the Memorial's permanent building in Canberra until 1954.