Royal Australian Regiment Memorial

Installed 1976

The trunks of four palm trees and some decorative plants partially obstruct the view of a sandstone wall decorated with bronze bas-relief sculptures of soldiers. In front of the wall is a shallow fountain.

Bronze bas-relief sculptures of three soldiers taking cover behind sandbags and foliage. One aims a rifle, one holds a rifle at rest, and one holds binoculars near his face.

A curved sandstone wall with bronze relief sculptures commemorates the foundation of Australia’s first regular operational infantry regiment.

Regimental Square

339A George Street

Sydney

Directions and transport

Artist: Dennis Adams

Artwork description

The memorial consists of a gently curved wall of Sydney sandstone onto which a series of bronze bas-relief sculptures are attached to represent the soldiers of the original 3 battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment. An infantryman standing in front represents the 9 battalions that served in South East Asia.

The sandstone wall measures 8.23m metres in length and 1.5m in height. In front of the wall is a small pond with decorative aquatic plants.

The memorial was erected to commemorate the foundation of Australia’s first regular operational infantry regiment and is located in a small pedestrianised square, known as Regimental Square, between George Street and Wynyard Lane.

This war memorial is one of only a few commemorating the wars in South East Asia.

It remembers soldiers who fought in Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Malaya and Borneo.

Artist

Dennis Adams was born in Sydney in 1914 and studied at the Royal Art Society in Sydney and Royal Academy School in London. He joined the 18th Battalion, and was later seconded to the Department of Home Security for camouflage work on RAAF stations.

In 1942, he was appointed war artist and in 1943 made Captain in the Military History Section of the Australian Imperial Force. He went on to serve in New Guinea, Middle East, Italy, Egypt, UK, France, Belgium, Newfoundland, Canada, the Bahamas, US and Japan. Adams received the Order of Australia Medal in 1989.

The Royal Australian Regiment Association chose Adams for this work following a recommendation by Sir William Dargie. Adams had already undertaken several other sculptures including some for the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The square and memorial were associated with the City of Sydney strategic plan in 1971, which provided for local precinct action plans. Part of these plans included closing minor roadways and lanes to create pedestrian plazas. Streets affected under this plan included Martin Place, which became Sydney’s first pedestrian plaza in 1972, and Wynyard Street, which was closed to traffic and transformed into a pedestrian plaza in 1973.

The Bank of New South Wales and the Bank of New Zealand each contributed $10,000 toward streetscaping costs.

At first the name Kapyong Square was chosen for the pedestrianised square, commemorating the battle of the Korean War. This was recommended to the Geographical Names Board of NSW. The Royal Australian Regiment later requested the name be changed to Regimental Square to honour the memorial and to recognise that the site was part of the Army Barracks in the early 19th century.

Service members and other organisations and individuals paid for the work on the memorial wall, which was unveiled on 8 December 1976 by Sir Roden Cutler, the Governor of NSW. Alderman Leo Port, the Mayor of Sydney, officially opened Regimental Square at the same function.

The memorial was handed over by the Royal Australian Regiment Association to the City of Sydney on the same day.
- On a plaque facing east, an inscription reads:
  
  The Royal Australian Regiment Memorial
  This memorial commemorates the foundation of Australia’s first regular operational infantry regiment. In the past Australia has had permanent military units with special functions, such as coastal artillery batteries and earlier, other units seconded from the British army. The first three battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment were formed in 1945 from volunteers from the Second A.I.F & served in various theatres of war to safeguard our nation.
  The Royal Australian Regiment Memorial honours all ranks who have served or who will serve in it and above all those who have made the supreme sacrifice
- On a plaque set into the northern wall facing south, an inscription reads:
  
  Bank of New Zealand
  Donated part of the cost of providing this public area to commemorate its first hundred years in the City of Sydney 1875-1975
  Erected by the Sydney City Council 8th December 1976
  L.P. Carter; Ald. Leo Port, M.B.E.
  Town Clerk; Lord Mayor.
- A plaque set into the southern wall facing north reads:
  
  Bank
  Part of the cost of providing this public place was borne by the Bank of New South Wales. The Bank has been closely associated with this historic area since 1853.
  Erected by the Sydney City Council 8th December 1976
  L.P Carter; Ald. Leo Port, M.B.E.
  Town Clerk; Lord Mayor.
- An inscription on the sandstone wall reads:
  
  Royal Australian Regiment Memorial
  Korea 1950-53; Malaysia 1964-65; Vietnam 1965-72; Malaya 1955-63; Borneo 1963-66
  Dennis Adams

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Sculptures

Royal Australian Regiment Memorial

Artwork description

Artist

Commission

Inscriptions

Conservation

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