Oberon Council general manager Bruce Fitzpatrick said the trees needed to be removed so the road could be widened.

The memorial features desert ash trees planted between 1925 and 1927 by the O’Connell community to commemorate the 34 men and two women from the O’Connell district who served in World War I.

One O’Connell resident angry at this decision is Frances White, whose grandfather and great uncles are remembered in memorial avenue.

“My great uncle Leslie Purdon died in France and his brother Cecil, my grandfather, fought at Gallipoli,” Ms White said.

“Leslie Purdon was one of 10 soldiers who died on foreign battlefields. My grandfather Cecil went on to fight in the Second World War, and their brother Bill returned to live a reclusive life on his family farm.

“My mother, who was a child at the time, recalls the trees being planted by local families and returned soldiers, one of whom was Edward Gornall, the last Australian soldier to leave Gallipoli.

“Mum also remembers her grandmother, Leslie’s mother Maryanne Purdon, standing in front of a framed photograph of her lost son with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“We owe it to the memory of those soldiers who fought for their country, especially those who died on foreign shores, to keep the rest of their memorial alive.”

Mr Fitzpatrick said he sympathised with the community’s need to preserve the memorial trees. He said the RTA were putting together a presentation to go on display at Oberon Council, and an amended proposal would be based on community consultation.

He said the realignment of the road would affect the trees on the North-East side but genetic stock would be taken from the existing trees to grow seedlings for a new memorial.

“In the future the trees on the other side of the road will also need to be replaced. Arborists have advised us a lot are in very, very poor condition and they will all need to be replaced,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.