When thinking about the experience of the First World War for Australians there are two main narratives, there are the soldiers who fought overseas, then there was the Australians who remained in Australia during the First World War. It was a brutal battle against relentless forces, with many not returning back to Australia. Lasting from 1914-1918 the First World War was known by many as the ‘war to end all wars’, this remained, of course, until the Second World War. This essay will explore the experience of the war for the soldiers and Australians overseas, but also the experience of the Australians who stayed in Australia. Secondly this essay will explore the idea of a memorial, and if The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne complies with…show more content… The idea of The Shrine of Remembrance was that anyone who came after were “to give remembrance to all who had exhibited that fortitude and sacrifice, the men who returned as well as those whose bodies were buried on the other side of the earth” (Inglis, 1998, p. 2). They are places in which a person can reflect on those who have fought in these wars for Australia. Today there is a large movement towards remembering. There is an ever growing record of attendance to the dawn service at The Shrine of Remembrance. “There are memorials in almost every Australian township… it is a distinctive feature of the Australian war memory that they record the names of the survivors as well as the dead” (Macintyre, 2009, p. 166). To move forward to today’s idea of remembrance Australians take the ANZAC spirit and commemoration of the wars seriously as it played a part in the growth of this nation and its national identity. Australia as a nation has this special place for remembrance, this is located centrally to the CBD on Saint Kilda Road. This was chosen due to the ability to be seen from many locations in the city particularly from Swanston Street. The Shrine is today more than a memorial. It features an education centre, in which it helps to educate groups of school children on the military events in which Australians have engaged in “war, conflict, peacekeeping and peacemaking” (The Shrine of Remembrance, n.d.). Today The Shrine is more than just a symbol for memorial. It is also a symbol for education, with many schools making a visit to the Shrine as a part of their curriculum. The Shrine when it was constructed many of the workers were returned servicemen. The Shrine was built during Australia’s Great Depression, so this helped to give the returning soldiers a job. This building is not just a place for remembering, there is also a