Boer War Memorial

The Gatton Boer War Memorial has had a chequered past. It was originally unveiled in 1908 by the Queensland Governor Lord Chelmsford. A memorial design competition was held and was won by Toowoomba architect William Hodgen. The pedestal was produced by Toowoomba monumental mason Walter Bruce and the original marble soldier statue was imported from Italy. Unfortunately, this monument was hit by a two-ton truck in 1940, causing the statue to crash to the ground. Local fundraising began to repair the memorial and it was wisely relocated to the nearby park opposite the railway station with a new sandstone soldier statue installed. The reconstructed memorial was unveiled by a group of local Boer War Veterans at the Victory Day Parade and carnival on 11 June 1946.