MOLONG and district servicemen and servicewomen who served their country have been immortalised in a gallery of portraits painted by late artist Anne Marie Ingham.
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The unique war memorial features around 60 portraits of personnel from the Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, and is on display in the Molong RSL Club.
Helen Hayes worked closely with Anne Marie to record the stories of the region’s veterans in two books for the gallery, and said the experience was very emotional.
“I talked to families and listened to their stories,” she said. “We were shown amazing diaries and letters and photos and all kinds of memorabilia.”
Anne Marie began the gallery in 2005 with a portrait of Peter Cameron from Euchareena, who served in the Boer War, and later enlisted in World War I.
The first portraits were unveiled in 2007, and by that time Anne Marie had planned to complete 60 portraits all together.
Helen said the artist grew up in the 1930s and remembered World War II well, and did it to show her deep gratitude for their sacrifices.
“She wanted to raise awareness of these people, and also be an educational instrument for future generations so they could learn about the servicemen and women from Molong and its districts.”
The Molong RSL Club renovated its foyer to house the gallery, and displays the collection on behalf of Anne Marie, who passed away in March aged 82.
