Update

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback on this project.

Community engagement was undertaken early this year as part of the Indigenous Soldiers Memorial Projects.

Engagement for the First Nations Memorial Plinth Project included:

• two Community Meetings with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• consultation with the Ipswich RSL Sub Branch

In consultation with the Ipswich RSL Sub Branch the following wording was chosen for the memorial plinths:

“This Memorial is in commemoration and recognition of those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Men and Women who served in all wars and those who paid the ultimate Sacrifice.”

In accordance with the Ipswich City Council Indigenous Accord, further recognition of the Frontier Wars will be incorporated within the Ceremonial, Healing and Remembrance Place design elements.

Little was known publicly about the presence of Indigenous men and women in Australia’s armed forces prior to the 1970s.

We now know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have served in every conflict and commitment involving Australian defence contingents since Federation, including both world wars and the intervals of peace since the Second World War.

Over 1000 Indigenous Australians fought in the First World War. They came from a section of society with few rights, low wages, and poor living conditions. At this time, most Indigenous Australians could not vote and were not counted in the census.

But once in the Australian Defence Force, they were treated as equals and paid the same as other soldiers. Indigenous Australians served on equal terms but after the war, they were not afforded the same compensation, opportunities or recognition on their return.

The restrictions on joining the armed forces have changed over the last 100 years and restrictions based on race were abandoned in 1949. Since then, Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander men and women have served in all conflicts in which Australia has participated.

You can view the listing of all known Indigenous service men and women at the Australian War Memorial listing.

Photograph: Australian War Memorial P11519.001 Studio Portrait, Pte Norman Baird (L) and Pte Benjamin Dallow, both of 9th Battalion, QLD.