Shrine Conversations: Vern Roberts on the surrender at Morotai
Release Date: 12/06/2023
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Shrine of Remembrance
In this episode, we delve into the fascinating history of the Shrine's Ray of Light. This feature was meticulously calculated so at 11am on November 11, a beam of sunlight would shine through a hole in the Shrine's roof and illuminate the word 'love' etched into the Stone of Remembrance. However, the introduction of daylight savings in 1971 threw a spanner in the works, causing the light to hit the stone an hour late. Join us as we explore how Frank Johnston, a surveyor and RMIT lecturer, worked on a solution to this problem and has continued to keep the light shining 50 years on.
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Shrine Stories: The False Teeth
Shrine of Remembrance
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Live at the Shrine: The Dressmakers of Auschwitz
Shrine of Remembrance
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Shrine Stories: The Toy Rabbit
Shrine of Remembrance
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Designing Remembrance: Hudson & Wardrop
Shrine of Remembrance
A century ago, a public design competition resulted in the grand architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance. For 90 years it has stood as an iconic sentinal in Melbourne's architecture, so it's hard to imagine anything else in its place... In this series, you'll uncover the designs that could have been Victoria's War Memorial and the architects behind them. In this episode, Dr Katti Williams shares the story of the architects behind the Shrine, Philip Hudson and James Wardrop, and how their military service impacted their thinking for the memorial.
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Designing Remembrance: Lucas
Shrine of Remembrance
A century ago, a public design competition resulted in the grand architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance. For 90 years it has stood as an iconic sentinal in Melbourne's architecture, so it's hard to imagine anything else in its place... In this series, you'll uncover the designs that could have been Victoria's War Memorial and the architects behind them. Listen as Dr Katti Williams unpacks the second-placed design by William Lucas, and the controversy that followed when he wasn't crowned the winner.
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Designing Remembrance: Stephenson & Meldrum, Turner
Shrine of Remembrance
A century ago, a public design competition resulted in the grand architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance. For 90 years it has stood as an iconic sentinal in Melbourne's architecture, so it's hard to imagine anything else in its place... In this series, you'll uncover the designs that could have been Victoria's War Memorial and the architects behind them. Listen as Professor Julie Willis explores the proposals of third-placed architect Donald Turner, and the fifth-placed design by Arthur Stephenson and Percy Meldrum.
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Live at the Shrine: Mentions in Despatches with Dave Sabben MG
Shrine of Remembrance
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Designing Remembrance: Lippincott & Billson, Desbrowe-Annear
Shrine of Remembrance
A century ago, a public design competition resulted in the grand architecture of the Shrine of Remembrance. For 90 years it has stood as an iconic sentinal in Melbourne's architecture, so it's hard to imagine anything else in its place... In this series, you'll uncover the designs that could have been Victoria's War Memorial and the architects behind them. Listen as Professor Philip Goad uncovers the plans of fourth-placed architects Roy Lippincott and Edward Billson, along with those of one of the sixth-placed architects, Harold Desbrowe-Annear.
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Shrine of Remembrance
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info_outlineLeading Aircraftman Vern Roberts was a fitter with No. 24 Squadron RAAF and was posted to Morotai during the Second World War.
On the 9th of September, 1945, Vern witnessed the Australian commander-in-chief Field Marshal Thomas Blamey accept the formal surrender of the 2nd Japanese Army.
Now 99, Vern has an impeccable memory and shares with Shrine curator Neil Sharkey his memories of service and life at Morotai.
Music: Kevin Grahams, Together