The Eternal Flame of Remembrance was incorporated into the Women’s War Memorial in 2008 along with the Ataturk Tribute. The flame is constructed out of glass and brass emerging from a granite bowl. This memorial does not serve to recognize a specific conflict but rather to commemorate and honour Australian fallen soldiers in all conflicts.
Its inscription reads:
The Eternal Flame of Remembrance commemorates and honours all who served and those who made the supreme sacrifice.
This monument was commisioned by the Adelaide City Council and dedicated on 11th November 2008.
The flame as a memorial symbol
The concept of the eternal flame has been a long-standing symbolism in living memory. It is speculated its origins go back to Rome or Delphi with the idea of the hearth flame of the city. In recent memory, the use of an eternal flame can be dated back to post-war France where the flame was used alongside the tomb of the Unknown Soldier to symbolise the eternal soul and on-going remembrance. The first eternal flame in Australia was lit in Brisbance in 1930 as a tribute to fallen Anzac soldiers.
