contractor, Mr Goode, of the acceptance of his plan and estimate and to ask him to proceed with the construction, with the proposed completion date to be 1st April of the following year. It is interesting to note that no consideration was given at this time to recording the names of previous sons of Port Macquarie who had served the Empire in
other conflicts. Records showed that at least 27 local men and boys. served in the Boer War of 1899-1902 but no memorial had previously! been erected to commemorate their commitment and apparently no consideration was given to including their names on the new memorial. The site chosen for the memorial at the junction of Horton and Cla-
rence Streets with a backdrop of the Post Office, was considered to be the prime position in the Port Macquarie township at that time. Being | at the northern end of the main town thoroughfare, the monument complemented the vista of the pioneer cemetery which was located on The Memorial looking the knoll at the southern boundary of the town. Northwards At the time of its unveiling in 1921 the chosen position could be seen by almost every
traveller
using
the Pacific High-
way, which then ran through the town. Many driv-
ers and passengers broke their journey for welcome relief and a cup of tea in Port
Macquarie before proceeding out to the punt at View looking South along Horton Street
Blackman's
Point to cross the
Hastings River. A picnic site adjacent to the memorial, looking onto the Hastings River and well shaded in 1921 by tall pine trees, provided an excellent spot for weary travellers to enjoy their
break. In an endeavour to compile an accurate list of those whose names should be inscribed on the memorial, the Port Macquarie News published an invitation to parents or other citizens to forward to the committee the names of "soldiers" from the town and district
It was not made clear whether the word "soldier" was meant to include men from the local area who had enlisted in the Navy or the infant Australian Flying Corp or, indeed, the
young women who served in the Nursing Corps . Research by the Port Macquarie Historical Society has revealed that two volunteers from