Vandalised War Memorial

[Tony Smith]

The following article appeared in our local paper:

"THEIVES WRECKED AN 85-YEAR TRADITION"

The Rydal community has been devastated to find that it's war memorial has been desecrated and it's WW1 machine gun, which was on top of it, has been stolen.
For the past 85 years the German machine gun, captured as a trophy in the 1914-18 campaign, was above the stone memorial whichs lists the names of all men who enlisted from the Rydal district, including those who were killed in action.
The memorial has stood proudly at the entrance to Rydal Railway Station and has been cared for by the community.
It was the focal point for the commemoration held in Rydal last Anzac Day as it has been so many times since the end of the Great War.
It appears that the thief cut into the steel mounts with bolt cutters and then dragged the gun off the memorial.
President of Rydal Village Association, Linsey Featherstone, whose Grandfather's name is one of those on the memorial, has described the act as completely despicable.
"I cannot understand that anyone would be so low as to sneak into our Village in the dark of night and destroy that which our community holds most sacred" he said.
"Rydal is remarkably free of vandalism and theft so this horrible act is all the more shocking."
Lithgow Police are investigating and anyone who is able to assist in their inquiries should contact Lithgow Police Station.
The machine gun is of little value to collectors as it is incomplete and it would not be possible to make it operational."