WAR historian Tim Sargeant is calling for a bronze statue to be erected in town to recognise the lone Bathurst-born Victoria Cross winner.

As Australia pauses today to mark the 100th anniversary of the Anzacs landing at Gallipoli, Mr Sargeant is pushing for greater recognition of World War 1 hero Lieutenant Colonel Blair Anderson Wark.

It comes as the Bathurst RSL Sub Branch prepares to unveil this morning two new commemoration plaques on the War Memorial Carillon honouring Bathurst-born Lieutenant Colonel Wark and the 436 local men who died in the Great War.

The plaques will be on display at today’s main Anzac Day service in Kings Parade from 10.30am, but will not be installed on the Carillon until a later date.

But Mr Sargeant, who has welcomed the plaques, would like to see more done to recognise our VC winner.

Lieutenant Colonel Wark was presented the VC for his bravery while acting as the temporary commander of the 32nd Battalion against the Hindenburg line on the Western Front in 1917.

Often moving ahead of his troops in the face of heavy fire, Wark secured the help of a passing tank near Bellicourt in northern France and attached 200 leaderless Americans to his command before rushing a battery of 77mm guns which were firing at his rear companies.

He captured four guns and 10 crews. Then, with two non-commissioned officers, he surprised and captured 50 Germans near Magny-la-Fosse.

Mr Sargeant said the people of Bathurst could do more to honour Lieutenant Colonel Wark.

“The ultimate would be to have a full-size bronze statue,” he said. “It is part of recognising the courage and the heroism of Blair Wark.” 

A bust of Lieutenant Colonel Wark would be his second choice.

Mr Sargeant added that Lieutenant Arthur Charles Hall, who attended school in Bathurst before moving, should also be recognised for being a recipient of the Victoria Cross. Lieutenant Hall won his Victoria Cross for his actions on September 1 and 2, 1918 at Peronne in France.