Sphinx in Sydney

[Dolphin]

In the suburb of North Turramurra on Sydney's northern fringe is a most unusual monument: The Sphinx. It's a memorial to the men of the AIF, many of whom spent time in Egypt.

The 1/8 replica of the Egyptian classic was carved from a large piece of local sandstone in Kuring-Gai Chase National Park by ex-5756 Pte William Thomas Shirley, 13th Battalion AIF, who was badly gassed on the Western Front. He lived in the Lady Davidson Hospital, about half a kilometre from the monument, in 1925-1926 and spent much of his time carving the monument and two adjoining pyramids. The carving and other work took about 18 months and was maintained by other ex-AIF men after Pte Shirley's death in 1929.

[jimmyjames]

Amazing. Pte Shirley has even managed to capture the sphinx's inscrutable smile.

Cheltenham displayed a Mark IV tank until the thirties - not sure what happenbed to it.

Regards

Jimmy

[jimmyjames]

A snap of the tank. It was presented to the town in 1919 for meritorious war savings. 285 was a female tank and was taken for scrap during WW2.

Regards

Jimmy

[Mat McLachlan]

Gee, I can't believe they would scrap an item of such historical significance. It's amazing how our value systems change over the years.

[Guest bonza]

Mat

People in glass houses shouldn't throw parties

At least there was a valid reason for re-cycling the tank. The decision taken to scrap the carriage of the Amiens Gun, see AWM Encyclopedia, by some Australian nobody, is almost criminal.

Pat