THE historic 100th Anniversary of ANZAC is being celebrated by the Aurukun Shire Council with the unveiling of two specially-cast bronze plaques on ANZAC Day this year.
A special event will be held at the remote Far North Queensland community’s ANZAC memorial site to commemorate Aurukun’s linkages to ANZAC.
The plaques were mainly funded through Queensland Government’s ANZAC Centenary Grants Program, and will be placed either side of the honour roll at Aurukun’s ANZAC memorial.
The Mayor of Aurukun, Cr Dereck Walpo, said the magnificent plaques celebrate Aurukun’s connection to its brothers in the Torres Strait, where soldiers from Aurukun joined the defence contingent in the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion.
“The two plaques depict local soldiers in uniform and an appropriate Australian military crest,” Cr Walpo said.
“We make a special effort to always engage the youth in the community so that they are properly educated about Aurukun's efforts in World War I and World War II for Australia,” he said.
“We want to acknowledge and pay respect to the people of Aurukun who have served Australia.”
During World War II, 11 Aurukun men enlisted and joined the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion, which played a vital role in protecting the maritime borders of Far North Queensland, and supporting the effort against Japanese forces in Papua New Guinea.
It is not well known that after Darwin, Horn Island in the Torres Strait was the second most attacked piece of Australian territory during World War II.
“The Torres Strait Light Infantry, which our Aurukun soldiers joined, greatly assisted with their local knowledge of geographic and sea conditions, especially in the Cape York region, which was targeted for very heavy bombing by the enemy during World War II.
“To this day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers continue to display a strong tradition of service in the Australian Defence Force.
“The loyalty and commitment of our Indigenous soldiers has helped establish what it is to be Australian.”
In all, 870 men from Cape York and the Torres Strait served with the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion. The 11 men from Aurukun who joined up were:
• Johnny Bandicootcha
• Charlie Bob Ngakyunkwokka
• Billy Buttons Woolla
• Callum Woolla
• Billy Comprabar
• Johnnie Lac Lac Ampeybegan
• Charlie Warnkoola
• Billy Panjee Peinkyekka
• Sandy Pootchemunka
• Tommy Toikalkin
• Frank Wolmby.
“These plaques will greatly enhance the existing ANZAC memorial in Aurukun.”
