The Australian Governments’ Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin recently launched a new online resource to search for information on Australian overseas war memorials.
Photo: Australian War Memorial, London [Chris Munro]
The Overseas Memorials Search includes details and photographs of more than 110 official and privately constructed overseas memorials which honour Australian service across the globe.
“Australians have served in locations throughout the world – not only protecting our nation, but helping to protect our neighbours and allies,” Mr Griffin said.
“Official memorials have been established by the Australian Government or the Commonwealth in many of these locations, and local communities have also erected special memorials and monuments.
“I encourage all Australians to consider visiting an overseas memorial as part of future travel plans, or as part of research into our wartime history.”
Mr Griffin said the new database provides travellers with details about memorials on the Kokoda Track, a memorial plinth at Subic Bay in the Philippines and a memorial stone in Elands River in South Africa.
“The database will continue to grow as more data is collected, and I invite people with information about the location or details of overseas memorials to contact my Department,” Mr Griffin said.
“The stories behind each memorial are unique and provide a powerful reminder of the courage of Australians who served and died overseas.”
One such story is the moving tribute from the local community in Stadil, Denmark, who built a wooden cross to commemorate the crew of the Lancaster bomber EE138 which was shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter over Stadil on 4 September 1943. The crew of eight men, four of whom were Australian, managed to steer the damaged Lancaster away from the village before it crashed. All eight men were killed.
The cross was engraved with the words “Minde over faldne allierede Flyvere” translated as “In memory of fallen Allied Airmen”, and after an Australian Government grant, now includes a memorial plaque and garden maintained by locals.
Photo: The Bullecourt Cross [Chris Munro]
The data base also contains lesser known Australian World War 1 Memorials including: The Bullecourt Cross; The Mouquet Farm Battle Exploit Plaque; The Cavalry Memorial ; The ANZAC Memorial, Weymouth; The Fovant Badges.
Do you know of an overseas Australian Memorial which is not already included in The Overseas Memorials Search ?
If so why not contact the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) with your information by clicking here.
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The Families and Friends of the First AIF applauds the joint Australian–UK decision, announced by The Hon Greg Combet AM MP and the Hon Kevan Jones MP, to conduct a full DNA testing program on the remains of Australian and British soldiers found in mass graves at Pheasant Wood (Fromelles), and for their continuing commitment to identify as many of the fallen as is possible. We also thank the Australian, UK and French governments for affording dignified individual reburials for these soldiers, buried by German soldiers following the Battle of Fromelles on 19/20 July 1916, in the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery presently under construction at Fromelles.