Unveiled on 15 November 2003 at 11.00am at Dewar Street, corner Anzac Square, Campsie.
Anzac St, Canterbury
This street was given the patriotic name of Anzac in a January 1916 subdivision by Charles John Foord, who had owned the land for over thirty years and was an Alderman of Canterbury council at the time. The landing on the Gallipoli peninsula took place on 25 April 1915 and the evacuation of the Anzac troops was completed on 20 December 1915.
Mons St, Canterbury
This street was named Kaiser Street after the German Emperor in the 1884 Bridgewater Estate subdivision. As a result of anti-German feeling soon after World War 1 began in the 1914, local residents asked for the street name to be changed to Mons Street. This was to commemorate British gallantry in the battle near the Belgian town of Mons on 23 August 1914. The British were credited with fighting with courage, skill, discipline and tenacity, despite facing numerically superior German forces.
Cressy St, Canterbury
This street was named Bismarck Street after the German Chancellor in the 1884 Bridgewater Estate sub division. As a result of anti-German feeling soon after World War I began in 1914, local residents asked for the street name to be changed to Cressy Street. This was in memory of the heroism of the British sailors on HMS Cressy, one of the three British cruisers sunk by German submarines off the Hook Of Holland in 75 minutes on 22 September 1914 with the loss of 1460 lives. HMS Cressy had gone to pick up survivors of the other two cruisers when it was itself sunk.
“HMS Cressy” by UK Government – This is photograph Q 38576 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.
Onslow St, Canterbury
This street was named Deutchland Street in the 1884 Bridgewater Estate subdivision. As a result of anti-German feeling soon after the World War I began in 1914, local residents asked for the street name to be changed to either Glossop or Onslow. Captain J C T Glossop was the Commanding Officer of HMAS Sydney when it sank the German cruiser Emden off the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean on 9 November 1914. Captain Arthur William Macarthur Onslow, an Australian serving with the British Forces [16th (Queens) Lancers] was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium, in early November 1914. Canterbury Council chose Onslow “as a memorial to a brave officer who had fallen in the Empire’s cause”.
Anzac Square, Canterbury
This area was originally named Elgin Square in the 1885 subdivision of the Campsie Park Estate by the Anglo Australian Investment Finance & Land Co. Ltd. During World War 1 it was re-named Anzac Square by Canterbury Council in September 1916. Australian and New Zealand troops, after serving on the Gallipoli peninsula betweeen 25 April and 20 December 1915, were then fighting in France and Belgium. Anzac Square was dedicated to the memory of Canterbury’s sons who had already died in war. A plaque about the dedication was placed on the bandstand.
War memorial fountain that once stood in Anglo Parade (near the intersection of Beamish St), Campsie. The plaque on the memorial reads Erected by Campsie Tent No. 81 1.0.12. In honour of the fallen heroes of Canterbury District, 2nd October 1915.