Historical information

On the 4 August 1934, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Great Britain declaration of war on Germany, 106 trees were planted, during a ceremony, on the lawns of the newly created garden of the Shrine of Remembrance.
The Shrine of Remembrance was built to provide a place to grieve and remember Victorians killed in the First World War (1914-18).
Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester and son of King George V, officially opened the Shrine before a crowd of 300,000 people in November 1934.

Captain Robert Sunter, commander of the coastal liner Manunda, Adelaide Steamship Company, was chosen to plant a Queensland kauri (tree - number 100) on the main avenue from Domain Rd leading to the Shrine of Remembrance.

The photograph was published in the Herald (4 August 1934, p. 40).

In the Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 3 August 1934, page 8

In Memory of the Merchant Service- Captain Sunter to Plant Tree at the Shrine

Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of Great Britain's declaration of war on Germany, and at 10 and. Captain R. Sunter, the commander of the coastal liner Manunda, will plant a tree in the Shrine! of Remembrance reserve In memory of the officers and men of the Australian merchant service who gave their lives during the war. The tree, , which will be No.100 in the reserve, will bear the following inscription based on the wording of the ' British
Mercantile Marine memorial at Tower Hill. London:

"1914-1918. In remembrance of the officers and men of the Australian Mercantile Marine who died for King and Country and have no grave but the sea. Planted August 4, 1934."

During the war 12 ships of the Australian merchant service were sunk and 95 officers and men lost their lives.The Shrine of Remembrance committee recently asked the director of navigation (Captain J. K. Davis) to nominate a member of the mercantile marine to plant a tree in the reserve. Captain Davis passed on the request to the secretary of the Merchant Service Guild of Australia (Captain T. D. Snape) and, after having conferred with various sections of the sea-going service, Captain Snape announced yesterday that Captain Sunter had been chosen unanimously. Captain Sunter has a distinguished war record as commander of the hospital ship Wandilla. Born at South Shields, in England, in 1878, he is a son of the late Canon Sunter, of Adelaide. He served an apprenticeship in sailing ships, and soon after obtaining his master a certificate entered the service of the Adelaide Steamship Company, where he has remained. In the Wandilla during the war Captain Sunter became known to thousands of wounded soldiers and troops."

Padre Frank Oliver of MtS can be seen assisting with dedication at far left. Captain Robert Sunter who also served in WW1, a friend of the seamen and the mission, died a month later in Cairns.
A window funded by crew of the Manunda and friends was dedicated to his memory in St Peter's Chapel, MtSV in February 1936 by Padre Oliver. (see item 0038).

Significance

Depicts one of the few memorials specifically commissioned for Merchant seamen of WW1 and in later years also a focus for those who died in WW2 and other conflicts.

Physical description

Mounted black and white photograph of a group of people at a tree planting, minister of religion at far left, on dark grey mount with typed caption label on the lower edge of mount

Inscriptions & markings

Typed caption in upper case:
CAPTAIN R. SUNTER OF THE M.S. “MANUNDA”, AT THE INVITATION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE WAR MEMORIAL IN MELBOURNE , PLANTS A TREE IN THE AVENUE OF REMEMBRANCE TO COMMEMORATE THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AUSTRALIAN MERCANTILE MARINE WHO BETWEEN 1914 AND 1918 DIED AS A RESULT OF ENEMY ACTION AND WHO HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA. AUGUST 4TH 1934