Unique addition to Anzac Day commemoration in Kiama

A World War I soldier will stand watch over 1st Kiama Scout Hall as part of Anzac Day commemorations this weekend.

The replica Australia Light Horse soldier has been crocheted by Lexi, as part of her Australian Scout Award Special Interest Area project, and knitted by her grandmother (and adult helper) Liz.

Lexi, whose friends nicknamed her “Grandma” due to her love of crocheting, said she was asked to make crocheted poppies to be part of an Anzac Day project by Cub Scouts, Scouts and Venturer Scouts.

Youth members in Scouts have the opportunity to develop new skills, not only through adventure and leadership, but also through Special Interest Area projects. For Lexi, that was learning to crochet, with the skill making her a valued part of the Group’s project.

“I decided to learn to crochet after watching people on Pinterest posting samples of crochet they had made,” she said.

“I used samples of spare wool and some plastic crochet hooks and watched YouTube videos. After a while, I asked to get some metal crochet hooks and wool and continued crocheting until I could make more interesting projects.

“As I was preparing to do my peak award for Scouts, I thought it would be good to do crochet for one of my SIA projects. I have concentrated on making Amigurumi animals, which I make for family and friends, and I surprised my Nan when I made her a bunch of flowers for Mother’s Day last year. These flowers were judged as best in show at the Kiama Show in January.

“For the display, the soldier was being knitted by my Nan who suggested I crochet parts of the uniform such as the slouch hat and putties, as well as the straps for the backpack as my Nan can’t crochet. We found a YouTube post for how to make a cowboy hat and adapted it to suit the slouch hat. I also looked up how to make crochet feathers.”

Her grandmother Liz also took on the project as she had always loved knitting.

“I decided to make a World War I Australian Light Horse soldier as my grandfather, William Selwyn Small, served in Palestine in the 2nd Australian Light Horse Battalion from 1916 to 1919,” Liz said.

“I searched up ideas on YouTube and researched photos of the Australian Light Horse uniform to adapt patterns. I decided to ask Lexi to use her crochet skills to make the slouch hat, putties and buttons as I can’t crochet. These pieces took a lot of skill, and I am amazed how efficiently Lexi was able to crochet them.

“I am so proud of Lexi and watched how crochet has helped her increase her confidence and develop a positive attitude about herself.” 

1st Kiama Venturer Scout Leader Debbie Gibson said the soldier will be part of a full display at the hall, which has been a work-in-progress for about two years.

“My idea was born from some displays I had seen in the UK (of knitted soldiers appearing at Remembrance Day events),” she said.

“As our hall is located on a prominent point on Kiama Harbour it was decided we would put together a display that would involve the knitting of a life-size soldier standing in front of the silhouette of a Lancaster bomber and in the background would be hundreds of poppies suspended on a net attached to our hall with small white crosses standing in the grass.

“Lexi has contributed to this project by crocheting red felt poppies and her love of crochet has led her to be able to create a hat, complete with feathers, for our soldier, as well as crocheting the ‘puttees’ for the soldier’s legs. Lexi is extremely creative with her crochet, being self-taught, and I believe she truly has a talent in this area.”

The display is part of a wider project to help celebrate 1st Kiama Scout Group’s centenary this year.