Significance of the Elements of the Memorial 

The Memorial was designed to incorporate many of the icons of Apprenticeship days so that visitors can reminisce on their days at the Apprentices School.

1. The walls and support columns are representative of the Apprentice-built Marine Memorial walls at Balcombe and are of the same design and colour, and constructed in the same English bond brickwork. Each wall represents a School and the names BALCOMBE and BONEGILLA are at the top of their respective walls. Memorial plaques for departed Apprentices can be placed on the respective wall. The columns hold a plaque recognising the donors who helped to make the Memorial possible and the Memorial name.

2. The gates are copies of the iconic Apprentice built US 1st Marine Division Memorial gates at Balcombe and also the set which were removed from Balcombe to the entrance of Latchford Barracks. The Memorial gates were built as a gift by ASEME with material donated by the RAEME Association.

3. The paved area represents the parade grounds of the Schools with the engraved pavers representing the thousands of Apprentices who spent hours on these parade grounds. In Army tradition parade grounds are hallowed ground.

 4. The flag pole was fabricated at and donated by SME and stands at the centre of the Memorial supporting the flags of Australia and the Apprentices School. These flags remind us of our pride, loyalty and honour to our country and our mates.

5. The central pit containing the Apprentices School badge sculpture and the dedication plaque represents a weapons pit to remind us that we were all bloody good soldiers. It also acts as a repository for the ashes of many Apprentices who wish their spirits to remain with their colleagues.

6. The Apprentices School badge sculpture, the dominant feature of the Memorial signifies the excellent education, trade and military training received by Army Apprentices.

7. The garden contains long lasting conifers which act  as a reminder of the green of the jungle in which so many Apprentices found themselves serving.

8.The Memorial wall to be built behind the gates will silhouette the gates (the gates are currently lost against the dark vegetation behind) and will hold the Apprentice KIA plaquesfrom the RAEME Memorial, the Crab Day memorial if it can be found, the KIA plaques from the intake avenue of trees at Latchford (if offered), and if Bonegilla closes down, the memorial plaque from that site.

9.The dedication plaque reminds us all of our worth and for what the Memorial stands for.