Sanctuary frieze: Australian Light Horse

Detail of Sanctuary frieze on the south wall

The twelve frieze panels in the Sanctuary, three on each wall, depict the tasks performed by service men and women in the First World War. The north wall depicts the Infantry in action. The south wall depicts the Australian Light Horse, Imperial Camel Corps, and Supply and Transport. The east wall depicts the Royal Australian Navy afloat and ashore, and the Royal Australian Flying Corps. The west wall depicts Signallers and Tunnellers, Field Artillery and Medical Corps.

Lyndon Dadswell, a young sculptor, designed the friezes for the Sanctuary under the supervision of British expatriate sculptor Paul Montford. He also carved the friezes with the assistance of Victor Wager. Dadswell later served as an official war sculptor in the Second World War. The bas-reliefs are carved in Hawksbury freestone.