Cenotaph : Camp Holland, Tarin Kowt

Three tiered Memorial cenotaph constructed from faux sandstone panes joined together. There are two square tiers at the base, with an obelisk mounted on the top. The obelisk is engraved with ‘LEST WE FORGET/ TARIN KOT/ AFGHANISTAN’, with the inscription painted gold for contrast.

Cenotaph from the Memorial at Camp Holland, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan.

Australians first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001. From 2005 to 2013, most Australian personnel were based at Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan province.

The first Australian Reconstruction Task Force, which arrived in Tarin Kowt in 2006, lived and worked with Dutch comrades who had named their base Camp Holland. The Australians eventually took over responsibility for the camp and the province. They worked with local communities on a range of infrastructure and reconstruction projects and undertook mentoring and advisory roles with the Afghan security forces.

This memorial was located in the centre of Camp Holland’s parade ground and provided a focal point for commemorative ceremonies. Here the Australians would gather to honour members of the International Security Assistance Force who had lost their lives in the region.

The memorial, and the refurbishment of the precinct, was sponsored by the RSL Australian Forces Overseas Fund in 2011.