PEOPLE travelled from as far away as Adelaide and Melbourne especially to attend the official unveiling of the Malanda RSL Sub-Branch’s Memorial Wall.
An extremely strong showing of sponsors and supporters attended the official ceremony despite the impending onslaught of Cyclone Ita.
Mayor Rosa Lee Long formally unveiled the Memorial Wall with Deputy Mayor and Councillor Geoff Stocker and wife Jacquie in attendance.
Other Official guests included Shane Knuth MP as well as representation from local Primary and High schools.
Apologies were received from Far Northern District RSL President Alan Pickering after being stranded in Cooktown as a result of Cyclone Ita.
Mark Linke, the oldest son of Sub Committee member Hans Linke travelled from Adelaide whilst Trevor Lloyd, youngest son of Judy Lloyd travelled from Melbourne, both came especially for the official unveiling.
“We are united here today because three years ago, one man had a vision. Barry Ashcroft, the then Malanda Sub Branch President, had the idea to create a visual legacy, dedicated to those who served and continue to serve within the forces. Generations continued to answer the call to preserve our freedom and defend our values and way of life. It is the duty of all of us to ensure those who lost their lives in service to our country, and to us, did not do so in vain.
We proudly dedicate this memorial to all those men and women who have served and to those especially who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we have today,” Sub Committee member Hans Linke said.
Another Sub Committee member, Deborah Stacey echoed similar sentiments.
“As with any project, you start at the beginning. And the beginning for us was the layout of the wall and selection of imagery.
“At last count, the Australian War Memorial had over 500,000 digitised photographs in its various collections…sifting through them to find the ‘right’ one was always going to be both laborious and impossible. For there is no ‘right’ photo. Each photo represented here, embodies what it is to be an Australian. What it is to be a mate. What it is to have hope. What it is to have courage.
“This visual legacy honours all who gave a part of themselves for the very lives we live today.
“We honour the women who left their own homes and loved ones to care for our men and we honour those who stayed behind. We honour our Indigenous soldiers, whose unrivalled local knowledge has greatly affected the outcome of conflicts sometimes too close to home. We honour the innocents who lost their lives and we honour innocence lost.
“This is our enduring gift to our community, to our children and to our mates. Let us never forget,” Deborah said.
In her official address Mayor Rosa Lee Long said, “I would like to take this opportunity to especially congratulate Hans and the Sub Committee - consisting of Hans Linke, Deborah Stacey and Trevor Smith, which was formed to carry out the hard work to ensure this project came to fruition. I would like to congratulate the RSL for delivering this very fitting project.”
Shane Knuth MP gave a vote of thanks to the Malanda RSL Sub-Branch saying, “It is a great honour to give this vote of thanks to the Malanda RSL Sub-Branch for the work they do to spread the message of all those past and present that have fought and fell for this country and by these sacrifices we have inherited the freedom and prosperity right to this day.”
President of the Malanda RSL Sub-Branch Mr Phil English said, “Each generation has been proud of our soldiers, sailors and aircrew who have been ready to put their lives on the line.
“They are brave, professional and selfless and they have suffered for our country.
“They uphold freedom, justice and human rights. We expect them to embody what’s best for our country and they don’t let us down.
“There is no greater love than this, that someone should lay down their life for their friends. Their bodies are buried in peace, but their names live forever.”
The Malanda RSL Sub-Branch has a Memorial Book which remembers and honours all those who have served in the Navy, Army and Air Force and have either died in action or have returned home, gone back into normal civilian life and have now passed away. On the date of their death, the Memorial Book is turned to the page showing the person’s details so that they can be remembered and honoured.
Ex-Servicemen and women from anywhere can be entered into the Memorial Book.
All that is needed for someone to be entered into the Memorial Book is a photograph of them either in uniform or in later years or both, their full name, their date of birth and date of death and any other information that would like to be included such as any medals awarded or ‘left a family of three’.
For further details please contact: judylloyd1@bigpond.com or 0409 695 470.