VIDEO: ‘Idiots’ vandalise new light horseman memorial

THE 5th Light Horse statue which was erected at Hervey Bay’s Freedom Park in Pialba early this month has been vandalised.

THE 5th Light Horse statue which was erected at Hervey Bay's Freedom Park in Pialba earlier this month has been vandalised.

Hervey Bay RSL Sub Branch president John Kelsey said the significant damage to the sword was clearly the work of some irresponsible culprits.

"I just noticed the damage this morning but it's clear that someone went to the park in the last few days and tried to pull the sword off and cracked it," Mr Kelsey said.

"I'm devastated and the police are not happy."

Nothing is broken but Mr Kelsey said staff from the foundry in Brisbane where the statue was made would have to travel to Hervey Bay to repair it.

"I'm not so worried about how much damage they've done to it, I'm just disgusted at those who stooped so low to destroy a national memorial recognising our soldiers who saved the country," he said.

"I hope the police catch the idiots before the veterans catch them."

Mr Kelsey said the veteran community was outraged that someone could desecrate a national memorial.

Historian and veteran at the RSL Sub Branch Jim Wilson said he hadn't seen the damage but he was livid.

"It's a real disgrace and a disservice to the society. We worked so hard to have this built to honour those who fought in World War I and how could someone do this? It's unbelievable."

Police Constable Janet Ward, who took the report, said the matter was under investigation.

"Mr Kelsey said the Fraser Coast Council may have video footage but we haven't obtained that yet," Const Ward said.

"We'll get in touch with the council to get the CCTV footages and look through them and investigate from that."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hervey Bay police station.

Councillor Robert Garland is willing to co-operate with the police if they want footage from the council.

"We have 24-hour CCTV cameras here but we don't know what's been captured," he said.

Hervey Bay RSL Sub Branch president John Kelsey is furious that vandals have damaged the statue at the newly dedicated Anzac Memorial in Pialba. Picture: Valerie Horton