Have you ever wondered how mail was received by soldiers on the front line? In this festive edition of Shrine Stories, Exhibitions Coordinator Katrina Nicolson uncovers a unique Christmas message and unpacks just how complex it was to coordinate wartime post. 

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. 

Uncover a story of determination and ingenuity as Shrine curator Neil Sharkey reveals the story behind these aluminium false teeth. With links to Ambon, this item tells an important story about the conditions that prisoners of war endured and the struggle to survive. 

At the height of the Holocaust, twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp - mainly Jewish women and girls - were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers. Drawing on diverse sources including interviews with the last surviving seamstress, The Dressmakers of Auschwitz follows the fates of these brave women.

In this captivating podcast recorded live at the Shrine, author and historian Lucy Adlington joined us virtually in conversation with the Melbourne Holocaust Museum’s Dr Breann Fallon.

Lucy refers to some pieces of clothing in this podcast. To view images of these belongings, go to https://www.shrine.org.au/live-shrine-dressmakers-auschwitz. 

This program was presented in partnership with the Melbourne Holocaust Museum and Melbourne Jewish Book Week.

To attend one of our events in-person, head to shrine.org.au

In this episode of Shrine Stories, we uncover the story behind a toy rabbit on display in the galleries. 

Listen as Shrine Education Officer Peter Luby uncovers its link to the fall of Singapore and the mystery behind its owner. 

Music

On this Day - Richard Smithson 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Recorded live at the Shrine, listen as Dave Sabben MG unpacks his book Mentions in Despatches, which is made up of hundreds of letters that he sent home to family during his service in Vietnam.

Hosted by Peter Meehan OAM, this conversation will give you an unrivalled account of what life was like for a frontline soldier in a war without front lines.

To see what's on at the Shrine, head to shrine.org.au/whats-on-at-the-shrine

Music: Right on Time, Adi Goldstein 

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. 

Have you ever paid attention to the Shrine's roof? If not, now's your time!

In this episode of Shrine Stories, you'll hear about a big change that was made to the roof in the '60s and why it was needed. 

Listen as the Shrine's Education and Volunteer Manager Laura Carroll uncovers a story that's been hidden in plain sight. 

Music

On this Day - Richard Smithson 

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for acts of bravery during wartime, and to date, only 101 Australians have been presented with this prestigious medal.

One of them is Captain Robert Grieve, whose medal is on display in the Shrine Galleries.

Join us as Philip Powell unpacks the story behind Grieve’s VC, his unlikely meeting with the Queen and how the medal survived a large fire.

Music: Across the Line, Lone Canyon 

Over the course of his life, Tim Fischer wore many hats: deputy Prime Minister, politician, diplomat, farmer, chairman, patron and advocate for many causes.

But one that often goes under the radar is that of a Second Lieutenant in the Australian Army.

In this episode, author Peter Rees unpacks Tim's military service and how it impacted his life as a politician. 

Music:

'I've Been There' by Alsever Lake 

How does a window go from being boxed up in a shed to on display at the Shrine? 

In this episode of Shrine Stories, you'll learn the story of the John Charlton Memorial Window, and it's rather tumultuous journey over the last century. 

Listen as art historian and author Dr Bronwyn Hughes OAM unpacks the window's history, significance and journey to the Shrine. 

Music: 

Across the Line - Lone Canyon 

Special thanks to the generous support of The Copland Foundation towards the design and installation of the window

Kat Rae is an artist and veteran of the Australian Army who has transformed her experiences with Defence into striking art. 

In this episode of Shrine Stories, we learn about the inspiration, process and message behind Kat's series of reduction linocut prints that depict the mountains of Afghanistan. 

To follow Kat's work, head to katrae.net

Content Warning: This episode discusses themes of mental health and suicide that may cause distress. If you need support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For a full list of support services, head to shrine.org.au/wellbeing-resources.

Music: Across the Line, Lone Canyon 

Artist Ian Alderman spent seven years photographing the Belgian army’s bomb disposal team as they recovered ammunition from land that was once the battlefields of Passchendaele.

Once a shell was identified, he had just two minutes to capture the moment before the team moved on to their next call. 

This intricate work culminated in Recovering the Past—a unique photographic exhibition that connects these Belgian men with men of the Australian Imperial Force who fought during the First World War. The two groups are united through the art of photomontage, which results in a fascinating reflection on the enduring repercussions of human conflict.

Listen as Ian unpacks Recovering the Past, including how he combined 100-year-old photographs with modern ones, and what he hopes people take away from his exhibition. 

The Great Escape has gone down in history as one of the most crafty, yet ultimately tragic, escapes from a prisoner of war camp (listen to our other episode, 'Shrine Stories: The Great Escape', to hear the full story!).

But what happened in the camp after the escape? Were the remaining planned escapees punished? And how did the men cope with the news that 50 of their own had been killed?

Flight Lieutenant James Anthony Cathcart 'Tony' Gordon was 180^th in line to escape, and his son Drew Gordon joins us for this episode to share his father’s story, and what life was like after the Great Escape in Stalag Luft III. 

Music:  Across the Line - Lone Canyon

The Shrine Stories podcast takes you on a deep dive behind the objects on our gallery floor.

In this episode, we explore the story behind a Norwegian language certificate that sheds light on the lengths some prisoners of war went to to escape captivity during the Second World War.

The certificate belonged to Squadron Leader James Catanach, and for fans of the movie ‘The Great Escape’, this episode is sure to interest you.

Music: Across the Line - Lone Canyon

The Shrine Stories podcast takes you on a deep dive behind the objects on our gallery floor.

Just before Anzac Day in 1971, Melburnians woke to the news that the Shrine had been graffitied. Officials were understandably furious, but the identities of those involved remained a mystery.

Shrine curator Kate Spinks-Colas joins us on this episode to unpack what happened, and why. 

Music:  Across the Line - Lone Canyon

Image: Reproduced courtesy State Library Victoria 

Whether you're a history lover or someone looking to learn more about Australia's wartime history, this podcast is for you. 

Bep-Rie Gomperts was two years old when the war started in the Netherlands. It soon became clear that she and her family needed to go into hiding for their safety. 

Bep spent the next several years moving from family to family and was seperated from her mother just shy of her sixth birthday. 

Listen as Bep recalls her childhood with several different families and what life was like amid the uncertainty.  

Music: If I Were You, Alsever Lake

Silke Hesse was among more than 12,000 people who, at the peak of Second World War, were held in internment camps across Australia.

She was almost six years old when she first stepped foot in Tatura internment camp. 

Listen as she shares her story experiences of internment.

Music: If I Were You, Alsever Lake

The Shrine Stories podcast takes you on a deep dive behind the objects on our gallery floor.

In this episode, we explore a poster on display in the Vietnam War section of our Galleries.

The poster was originally made and distributed in the United States as a protest piece. However, the one hanging at the Shrine has been re-designed and adopts a whole different meaning despite its similarities to the original. Join the Shrine's Collections coordinator Toby Miller as he unpacks this story. 

Music: Across the Line - Lone Canyon

Garry Fabian was just eight years old when he and his parents were interned at Theresienstadt - a ghetto, concentration camp and transit camp used by Nazi Germany to house Jews from across Eastern Europe. 

Of the 15,000 children who went through the camp, only 150 survived. 

Listen as Garry shares his story and reflections on his childhood.

Music: If I Were You, Alsever Lake