UNVEILING AND RE-DEDICATION OF DESERT CORPS
MEORIAL AT AANY JESTE AUTALIA 11TH OCTOBER, 1964
Speech by the Prime Minister, the IRt. Hon. Sir Robert Mienzies.
Mr. Minister, Your Excellency and Ladies and Gentlemen
This is a day of history and symbolism for two countries
Australia, certainly for us New Zealand, certainly for them,
our enduring brothers in this world. The Minister has told you
something of the history of this memorial. It was in 1932
that it was unveiled by W. M. Hughes at Port Said, and there
was an interesting symbolism about its position in Egypt,
because there it was at the mouth of the northern entrance
to the Suez Canal; there it was looking out towards Palestine,
Syria, towards the very centre of the Old Jorld,
A very remarkable piece of symbolism that was that on
an errand of war, men snould have come fiom two countries to
find their way into one country which was the home of Christendom,
and a group of countries which in a true sense were the home
of European civilisation, ' e don't always remember that the
civilisations of Europe came from originally the vicinity of
the Caucasus and that the Phoenician moves across Europe first
of all produced the great civilisation of Greece and then of
Rome and then of the Romance countries and then of Great
Britain herself.
Therefore, here was a country which, however desert it
might look, was the very cradle of religion and of civillsation,
and men came to it from the far corners of the earth, fiom our
two countries which had comparatively little history of their
own and very little long-derived history, although they were
old in point of years,
Now this was, of course, a matter of enormous significance.
It meant that people who might have been thought to have no
particular interest in that part of the world went there in
order to resist aggression, in order to right wrongs, in order
to give let it be remembered, a practical demonstration of
Christian faith in the very home of Christianity, and therefore
it was a most appropriate and symbolic thing that this monument,
as it then was should have pointed the way to this remarkable
series of countries, this remarkable cradle as I have called it,
of civilisation and religion.
Then in 1956, it was attacked in the most vandal-like
fashion. There was no reason in it, there was no sense in it.
Indeed, when I heard about this, I couldn't help remembering
that in 1941 and 1942, Egypt had been protected against being
over-run, by forces from Great Britain and Australia and New
Zealand at the Battle of Alamein, and this therefore was a
wanton act. However it had one result and that is that by
great skill and artistry, the memorial has been re-established,
and now it has been re-established in a place which I venture
to describe as equally symbolic in its own fashion. If it
couldn't stand to point the way to what was then the future
at Port Said., it is a good thing that it should stand here to
point the farewell to those who left here to go to Egypt, to
go to the Middle East, the last point of departure, the last
lovely glimpse that some of them were ever to have of their
own country. a o o / 2
-2
And, therefore, I subscribe to the views, if I may
with great respect, of the Soldiers' Leagues of both Australia
and New Zealand in their view that this was the proper place
in which this memorial should stand.
Now, Sir, there is one other thing I would like to say.
War memorials are perhaps not unccmnionly misunderstood.
There are those whz3 think that they are merely commemorative
of war, that in some way they glorify war. I would like to
think they do far more than that. I would like to believ: e,
and I know you believe, that they are symbolic of something
enduring in human nature, something enduring in the human
spirit, because it is after all, human nature tie human
spirit that is the ena. uring element in all hisL.-' y3 i. t may
be turned aside from its normal occupations, it may be called
upon to perform great sacrifices it mcay have its m(, ments of
anger and even its moments of hazred, but when these things
have settled down irnto their place, it is the human spirit
which is the continuing element in our civilisation,
It is a wonderful thing, isn't it, that we should
occasionally be able to stand in a place like thais and think
about the human spirit, think about indomitable human nature
and be proud of it and be refreshed ty it. This to me is
the great significance of this place, It may very well be
that this memorial will not be seen by thousands of people at
a time as it might be in some other place, but w'hoever comes
here and looks at it and remembers its history will, I believe,
feel that he's had his own spirit" touched and refreshed iy
contemplating, i. rhat man can do, what man can endure, -whrat
wonderful lovely qualities in man can survive every kind of
t rial. I remember early in 1941 at Chsavers in England,
sitting after dinner with 4finston Churchill and he was kind
enough to say something to me, to deliver his philosop,-, y to me
in a sentence, as I know he has to other people, but I was
lucky to hear it myself on that occasion. This was early in
1941, when there was no second front, when all the apostles
of gloom were talking about defeat, when America was not in,
vnen Great Britain had conducted the Battle for Britain and
was under bombing attack every night, and I remember the great
man turning to me and saying, " However long you live, remember
this. This is the truth. In war, fury. In defeat, defiance.
In victory, magnanimity, and in peace, goodwill." This I
believe is a marvellous philosophy and it might well be borne
in mind by all of us as we look at this memorial to wonderful
fighting men and as I take the opportunity and give myself
the honour of unveiling a plaque on this occasion,