First World War Galleries - General Backgrounder

General information

• A new permanent exhibition – Australia in the Great War – will be on display in the Australian War Memorial’s First World War Galleries from 1 December 2014.
• The 1,750-square-metre exhibition will present the story of Australia in the First World War chronologically. All major theatres of operations are covered: Gallipoli; the Western Front; Sinai and Palestine; and the war at sea. The events taking place on the home front and the immediate and enduring legacy of the war are also included.
• The Memorial holds one of the world’s great collections of material related to the First World War. The First World War Galleries integrate a wide variety of items from this collection, including dioramas and other works of art; uniforms; medals; technology such as artillery and firearms; photographs; film; and personal items such as letters and diaries.
• Since the opening of the Memorial in 1941 the First World War Galleries have undergone several major alterations and many small iterative changes. Originally occupying the Memorial’s entire exhibition space, the First World War Galleries now occupy the prominent west wing of the building’s ground level.
• Despite changes down through the years, the galleries include some of the oldest parts of the Memorial building. Significant heritage value can be found in the form of the architectural spaces; the fabric, fixture and fittings; and the function and character of the galleries.
• The redevelopment of the galleries presented a significant challenge in retaining and restoring these values while simultaneously acknowledging the changing concept of commemoration and presenting the story of the First World War with veracity, depth, and relevance to Australians today.

Project cost

• The current estimated cost for this project is $32.37 million (GST excl.), comprising $1.7 million in seed funding provided by the government in 2011 to develop a detailed business case and new policy proposal for full funding; $27 million provided by government in 2012; $2.67 million allocated from the Memorial’s existing capital reserves; and $1 million in sponsorship from BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities.

Major contractors

• The exhibition designer is Melbourne-based firm Cunningham Martyn Design.
• The architect for the project is Sydney-based multi-disciplinary design practice Johnson Pilton Walker.
• The construction and exhibition fit-out contractor is Built Holdings and the major sub-contractor is Designcraft.

Stakeholder information

Indigenous service is represented by:

• the tombstone of Corporal Harry Thorpe MM, which was recovered from Heath Cemetery in France and loaned to the Memorial by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• the newly acquired medals of decorated Indigenous soldier Richard Kirby DCM
• the Semakh diorama, highlighting the role of Indigenous soldiers in the 11th Light Horse Regiment
• a number of photographic portraits.

Women are represented by:

• the uniform and medals of Matron Grace Wilson
• the medals of Doctor Phoebe Chapple – one of the first two female doctors to serve on the Western Front
• the dress made and presented to Mrs Minnie Rattigan, of the Anzac Buffet, by amputee Australian soldiers
• fundraising and recruitment activities in Australia
• a number of photographic portraits, including those of mothers and widows.

Naval representation is strong and includes:

• a model of the battlecruiser HMAS Australia and the breech from one of its 12-inch guns
• a model of the submarine AE1
• a film that re-creates the journey of AE2 through the Dardanelles
• relics of HMAS Sydney (I) and SMS Emden action
• a torpedo of the type used by German U-boats.

The air war is represented by:

• the flying suit of an Australian airman
• a parachute used at Hamel in the first ever air supply of ground troops
• the cross-cut from the wing of the Red Baron’s Fokker triplane
• the propeller from a Sopwith Camel
• the log book from Sir Ross Smith’s famous Bristol Fighter used in Palestine.

British leaders are mentioned, including Field Marshals Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Edmund Allenby; and Generals Birdwood, Rawlinson, Gough, and Plumer. The full dress-tunic of General Sir Richard Haking, who commanded the attack at Fromelles, is also displayed.

Australian leaders are prominently featured, including Generals Sir William Bridges and Sir Harry Chauvel, as well as less-senior commanders such as Harold “Pompey” Elliott, Raymond Leane, and Charles Rosenthal. Lieutenant General Sir John Monash features prominently in the new galleries. His service from 1914 to 1918 is portrayed through a range of items including his tunic, medals, and maps, as well as an audio-visual presentation on the battlefields of 1918.

The Australian/Turkish relationship is explored via material including uniforms and personal effects. A prominent feature in the Gallipoli area is a large-scale photograph, sourced from Turkey, of Esad Pasha and his senior staff taken after their victory in the campaign. The famous speech attributed to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is also featured.

Turkish, German, British, French, and US uniforms are displayed.