Field of Crosses
First Field of Remembrance
The first Field of Remembrance (also known as the Field of Crosses) was held in Sydney in 1952. It was an idea that originated from the late Mrs C J Pope, widow of Rear Admiral Pope, after she had visited London and been impressed by the Field of Remembrance held each year in an old churchyard near Westminster Abbey. In 1972 the Attorney-General granted the War Widows’ Guild of Australia NSW Ltd permission to use the word 'ANZAC' in the title, and the Field has been known since then as the ANZAC Field of Remembrance and continues to the present day.
The small wooden crosses are colour-coded to represent the different armed forces. A sprig of rosemary is attached to each cross which represents a loved one gone but remembered. Now it is done with a Poppy. They are each personalised with hand written names or small messages.
Creswick's Field of Crosses - First service ANZAC DAY 1965
The First Keeper of the Field of Crosses was Arthur Bellingham, who proposed the setting up of the crosses in 1964
The first mention of Creswick's Fields of Remembrance was in the "Creswick Advertiser" dated 23 April 1965;
The Cross of Remembrance beside the memorial column will be floodlit on ANZAC Eve and ANZAC Night.
The Cross of Remembrance is a large cross-marked out by inserting a big number of small crosses in the lawn. There is provision for each small cross to bear the name of a remembered ex-serviceman.
The public is invited to supply these names – please advise Mr. George Paine or Mr. Fred James.
The first Field of Remembrance (also known as the Field of Crosses) was held in Sydney in 1952. It was an idea that originated from the late Mrs C J Pope, widow of Rear Admiral Pope, after she had visited London and been impressed by the Field of Remembrance held each year in an old churchyard near Westminster Abbey. In 1972 the Attorney-General granted the War Widows’ Guild of Australia NSW Ltd permission to use the word 'ANZAC' in the title, and the Field has been known since then as the ANZAC Field of Remembrance and continues to the present day.
The small wooden crosses are colour-coded to represent the different armed forces. A sprig of rosemary is attached to each cross which represents a loved one gone but remembered. Now it is done with a Poppy. They are each personalised with hand written names or small messages.
Creswick's Field of Crosses - First service ANZAC DAY 1965
The First Keeper of the Field of Crosses was Arthur Bellingham, who proposed the setting up of the crosses in 1964
The first mention of Creswick's Fields of Remembrance was in the "Creswick Advertiser" dated 23 April 1965;
The Cross of Remembrance beside the memorial column will be floodlit on ANZAC Eve and ANZAC Night.
The Cross of Remembrance is a large cross-marked out by inserting a big number of small crosses in the lawn. There is provision for each small cross to bear the name of a remembered ex-serviceman.
The public is invited to supply these names – please advise Mr. George Paine or Mr. Fred James.
Relocation of the Field of Crosses
The original location of the Field of Crosses was beside the Fountain (running North/South) as shown in the photo below, at the Dawn Service in 2013.
Each year the public would be gathered around the crosses at the Dawn Services whilsts the service itself was held in front of the Cenotaph. In 2014, the location was changed so that the Field of Crosses were beside the Cenotaph running East/West, so that the public could see the crosses and both the Dawn and ANZAC Day services, as shown in the 2014 photo's below.
With the increase in the number of RSL crosses and the inclusion of the World War One Enlistment Project for which crosses were made for soldiers and nurses, who were born in the Borough of Creswick and enlisted in the First World War, the Field of Crosses was enlarged so that it again started in front of the Fountain and continues down to the Cenotaph
When you walk amongst the crosses or Flanders Poppies, you get some sense of what it must have been like in the trenches.
If you have any information about the Creswick Field of Crosses, please contact us. If you have any photos we can use that would be appreciated. Please provide date of service with your photo.
The original location of the Field of Crosses was beside the Fountain (running North/South) as shown in the photo below, at the Dawn Service in 2013.
Each year the public would be gathered around the crosses at the Dawn Services whilsts the service itself was held in front of the Cenotaph. In 2014, the location was changed so that the Field of Crosses were beside the Cenotaph running East/West, so that the public could see the crosses and both the Dawn and ANZAC Day services, as shown in the 2014 photo's below.
With the increase in the number of RSL crosses and the inclusion of the World War One Enlistment Project for which crosses were made for soldiers and nurses, who were born in the Borough of Creswick and enlisted in the First World War, the Field of Crosses was enlarged so that it again started in front of the Fountain and continues down to the Cenotaph
When you walk amongst the crosses or Flanders Poppies, you get some sense of what it must have been like in the trenches.
If you have any information about the Creswick Field of Crosses, please contact us. If you have any photos we can use that would be appreciated. Please provide date of service with your photo.
For many years the Field of Crosses have been laid out in front of the Fountain behind the Cenotaph.
Creswick Field of Crosses 2008
Creswick Field of Crosses 2013
2014
The Field of Crosses were moved to their new site for the 2014 ANZAC Day service in preparation for the Centenary of ANZAC Day in 2015, where over 1100 crosses will be unveiled.
The Field of Crosses were moved to their new site for the 2014 ANZAC Day service in preparation for the Centenary of ANZAC Day in 2015, where over 1100 crosses will be unveiled.
Creswick's Field of Crosses in their new location to the right of the Cenotaph
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Creswick's Field of Crosses at their new location - 2014
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2016 - ANZAC Day
Field of Crosses Memorial Gardens complete with crosses. 
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2016 - Remembrance Day
Planting of Flanders Poppies in their new location 21 July, ready for Remembrance Day 
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Laying of the new All-Weather paths - 15th & 16th October 2016
Due to inclement weather that can occur around ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, the ground would get very wet and slippery and with many feet looking at the crosses, very boggy and not easily accessible for wheelchairs and walkers.
It was decided for public safety to cover the ground using Kaolin Sand which is white to match the Crosses and the cross shape o the paths. When packed it is like concrete and allowing those in wheelchairs and walkers to move aroudn without getting bogged.
Due to inclement weather that can occur around ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, the ground would get very wet and slippery and with many feet looking at the crosses, very boggy and not easily accessible for wheelchairs and walkers.
It was decided for public safety to cover the ground using Kaolin Sand which is white to match the Crosses and the cross shape o the paths. When packed it is like concrete and allowing those in wheelchairs and walkers to move aroudn without getting bogged.
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Completed paths for Remembrance Day 2016
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New Paths for ANZAC Day 2017
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Aerial shot of the sealed paths - Courtesy Terry Hope Productions