Howard War Memorial

Wide Bay's rural town Howard is home to an intriguingly different looking soldier statue. The Howard War Memorial, unveiled by local war hero and politician Colonel CDW Rankin on 18 December 1921, was imported from Italy, as was the soldier statue in nearby Bundaberg. Soldier statues were more popular in Queensland than in southern states. They were seen to personify the ANZAC traits of loyalty, innocence, courage, youth and masculinity. However Howard's life-size soldier is clearly not an Australian: he wears a full Italian-Alpino uniform and trappings, including badges, and bears the rank of a sergeant. The soldier stands on a pedestal, produced by Maryborough monumental mason John T Satchwill. The pedestal bears the names of 37 local soldiers who died in WWI. The Howard and Burrum district memorial committee, assisted by ladies of the Red Cross, had raised £300 for their WWI tribute. Memorial plates have been added honouring two soldiers who died in WWII and one who died in the Korean conflict.