TSS (The Southport School) was in the process of establishing a memorial hall to commemorate 52 past students that had fallen during WWI. They had obtained 52 Lee Enfield rifles (all decommissioned), along with battle jackets decorated with the appropriate rank and medals peculiar to each of the 52 fallen soldiers. In order to display this memorabilia, TSS approached the Men’s Shed to build four rifle racks to display the 52 rifles, using a good quality hardwood timber. After visiting the proposed memorial Hall site at the school, the project was accepted and so began a long process involving many hours and sweat and tears.
Over the following months, the racks were constructed by our members, namely Warren Street, Frank Bosio, Kevin Roberts and to a lesser extent, Andy Bryson. A couple of weeks before Anzac Day 2025, the four racks were completed and installed on their bases in the Memorial Hall, to the great delight of the Organiser Jason Sten.
As a result of this work, TSS has asked the shed to also build a Ceremonial Sword rack for 20 swords, and possibly also four timber coat racks to hold the 52 battle jackets, so watch this space.
