Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408:front:0:p157
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 507878–510581

the design was primarily Sodersteen's work and drew upon the recent development of the Art Deco style. The form of the building was strongly influenced by Crust's intention to incorporate a commemorative courtyard for the Roll of Honour.

Construction, which began in 1928-29 was curtailed and then postponed by the onset of the Depression. In 1934 work started again in a limited way. The builders at this time were Simmie and Company of Melbourne. The building's design was subject to many changes throughout its fourteen years of construction and major details were not resolved until 1938.

Parts of the building were occupied by memorial staff and collections as early as 1935, although the main building structure was not completed until 1941. The official opening on 11 November 1941 acknowledged that the building was substantially complete, however some areas of the memorial were not finished until many years later. One of the outcomes of the long construction period was the development of the display technology for the collection.

The intended role of the memorial to commemorate those who died in World War One, then known as the Great War, was reviewed in 1939 as another war loomed. After much consideration, the Board of the Memorial recommended in 1941 that the scope of the Memorial's Act be extended to include World War two. As a result, plans for the extension of the Memorial were prepared in about 1947 although not constructed for many years.

The Memorial's Act was again amended in 1952 to extend its scope to include Australian involvement in all wars. In 1973, the scope was broadened to allow commemoration of Australian's who died as a result of war but were not in the armed forces. Significant work at the Memorial includes: 1950, stained glass windows installed in Hall of Memory; 1955, statue installed in the Hall of Memory; 1955-58, mosaics installed in Hall of Memory; 1959, Hall of Memory opened; 1967, Roll of Honour for World Wars One and Two completed; 1968-71, major extensions undertaken; 1983-84, alterations add new stairs, theatre, western entrance and foyer bookshop; and 1993, Ewers' statue removed and the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier constructed in the Hall of Memory. Ewer's statue is now located in the grounds to the western side of the main building. During 1999 -2001 a major new building, ANZAC Hall was constructed.

The Australian War Memorial was conceived to commemorate those Australians who died in war, initially the Great War but later all wars. In part, it was a response to the perceived need for a place in Australia for relatives and friends to mourn those who died and were buried overseas, in places out of reach of most