Stone of Remembrance

The Commonwealth War Cemetery located at Ambon, Indonisia, is often referred to locally as the Australian War Cemetery, holding memorial of more than 1000 Australians including approximately 350 from the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion from the conflicts of World War 2.  The Cemetery is maintained by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission and a Stone of Remembrance project finally reached completion in 2012 after the original stone proved too difficult to ship remained in Sydney with placement in the Sydney War Cemetery.  The Commonwealth Ware Graves Commission had long held a desire to completed the Ambon Stone of Remembrance and following initial correspondence to J.H. Wagner & Sons in September 2009 we undertook a long process of provided project experience, control samples, logistics control, tendering, Sandstone processing including carving and detailing, packaging and shipment, culminating in the despatch of two shipping containers three years to the day on 19th September 2012.  

From quoting to order and processing to shipment some of the external delays included the sourcing of competitor quotes, the allocation of funding, the availability of ground's staff for stone delivery in Indonesia and the frequency of shipping.  At the Toowoomba factory of J.H. Wagner & Sons the processing, shaping and letter carving in the Sandstone Altar stone and 37 step pieces finally received approval to proceed in January 2012 and was fully completed in March.  Hand cut 'V' lettering was performed by Stone Mason Robert Wagner.

The Commonwealth War Cemetery at Ambon holds great importance for Australia's military history and for J.H. Wagner & Sons the opportunity to provide the Sandstone Stone of Remembrance was a great honour.