ProvenanceBadge sold as a souvenir of the laying of the foundation stone by Sir William Birdwood in March 1920 to raise funds for the building of the Soldiers Memorial Hall in Renmark.
Field Marshal William Riddell Birdwood was in command of the AIF in WWI. His bravery earned him an enduring respect of the AIF. His visit to Renmark was during his 1920 tour of Australia and New Zealand on the occasion of being made a general in the Australian Military Forces. A day of celebration was organised for Birdwood’s visit, including parades, musical performances and a banquet. Birdwood was given a silver trowel bearing the photo of a cluster of oranges. After retiring from the Army in the 1930s, he wished to become Australia’s Governor-General. He was not able to do so after the prime minister insisted the role be held by an Australian.
Various fundraising events for the hall included a street carnival with various stalls, riverside picnics, a children’s fancy dress ball, musical concerts, fortnightly euchre parties (a trick taking card game similar to Whist), and dances held throughout winter. The Renmark Rowing Club held a water carnival and the football club organised a fancy dress football match. It was built at a cost of £5300 and opened in March 1923. The building includes four honour rolls with the names of those soldiers from the district who never returned from the war. It is a two-storey building. The idea was to use the ground floor for a library and public reading room connected to the Institute chambers for the District Council, while the top floor was leased to the local RSL branch to use as a club.SignificanceIllustrative of the badges that were popular as a means of raising funds or showing support for particular organisations or causes during World War I. This and other associated badges are a rich source of evidence on the material and cultural history of Australia, particularly during wartime. The symbols, colours and mottoes used on the badges themselves also express ideas about the values and identity that Australians held in the early to mid-twentieth century.DescriptionCircular badge: printed paper between tin base and celluloid cover. Depicts drawing of a building with head of a man inset. Marked 'Renmark Soldiers' Memorial: 1920' 'Gen. Sir. W. Birdwood KCMG'.Creator (person)Creator (organisation)AcknowledgementDate of Creation1920Date of Usage1920MaterialTin
|paper
|celluloid Accession NumberHT 1986.0002
