June 2018
Experience the Battle of Hamel in Virtual Reality
The French countryside will be brought to virtual life in stunning 3D at the Australian War Memorial this winter for the centenary of the Battle of Hamel on 4 July 2018. This important action is the first time Australian and American soldiers fought side-by-side.
The Battle of Hamel VR Experience is a ten-minute interactive digital experience. Audiences will wear a VR headset and headphones to fully immerse them in the scene at the village of Le Hamel in 1918. Tanks, aircraft, and the battlefield will be presented in a combination of 3D and 360-degree video. Audiences will hear how Sir John Monash meticulously planned the battle, before choosing to continue the experience from the perspective of an airman, infantryman, or tank crewman.
You can experience the Battle of Hamel in VR at the Australian War Memorial from 22 June to 22 July. Book your free tickets here.
$10,000 art prize for veteran artists
The Australian War Memorial and the University of Canberra invites current and former Australian Defence Force personnel to participate in the inaugural Napier Waller Art Prize.
The prestigious Napier Waller Art Prize program aims to promote the healing potential of art and raise a broader awareness of the military experience and the impact of service on the individual.
Entries open Monday 11 June 2018 and close Wednesday 11 July 2018 and entrants can submit any visual art medium. Visit our website for more information.
Commemorative Car Poppy
Brendan Nelson, Director of the Australian War Memorial, and Detective Sergeant Marcus Boorman, Australian Federal Police, have a simple message to ‘Pop a poppy on your car’.
As an act of remembrance the Australian War Memorial is urging Australians to put a commemorative poppy on their cars to help mark the centenary of armistice.
“Popping a poppy on your car is a very simple way of saying: ‘I care and I remember’,” Dr Nelson said. “It marks you as a person who simply wants to say: ‘I am grateful for the men and women whose sacrifices have given me the freedoms that I enjoy.’”
Poppies are now available from the Memorial shop and online for $9.99.
Proceeds will support Legacy Australia and the Memorial. Read more…
John Monash sculpture dedication
Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Hamel, the Australian War Memorial will dedicate a new sculpture to commemorate the life and achievements of General Sir John Monash. Members of the public are welcome to attend the sculpture dedication.
A lucky escape
It was a moment that changed Eric Geldard’s life forever. At 4 o’clock on 26 July 1945, he was accidently shot through both legs in New Guinea and almost bled to death as he was carried to safety on a makeshift stretcher for seven hours through enemy territory by “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”. Continue reading…
From the Memorial Shop
Welcome Home bear, First World War 1918
limited edition
To mark the centenary of the Armistice that ended the First World War the Memorial has produced a limited edition “Welcome Home” bear.
A donation is made from the sale of each bear to the charity Soldier On, which supports Australia’s physically and psychologically wounded servicemen and servicewomen. Founded in 2012, Soldier On works to enhance recovery, inspire communities, and empower those who have served our country, giving them the dignity they deserve and the chance to do and be whatever they choose.
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