June 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Opinion – Ataturk’s sentiments are junked.

Great vision on junk heap

FOR Australians there is probably no more emotive place on Earth outside their own country.
It is even named after the men who fought there and the many buried in that part of the Gallipoli Peninsula known as Anzac.
For thousands of grieving families there was little likelihood they would ever be able to travel to the small, scattered cemeteries painstakingly recreated at war’s end on the advice of official historian Charles Bean.
Filed Under: Home, Memorials
March 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment

The Royal Australian Regiment Place

The Blessing and Dedication of The Royal Australian Regiment Memorial took place on 24th March 2017 at The Royal Australian Regiment Place, Ferguson Park ENOGGERA in Brisbane, it is a public memorial for the people of Brisbane.  It was officially opened by His Excellency, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).

The Regiment’s National Memorial Walk is considered the spiritual home of the Regiment. However recent security restrictions on entry to the Gallipoli Barracks has created a major barrier in allowing the public to be able to visit it.

As a result it was decided to build a public RAR memorial in a suitable location close to the military base with all its history from the Boer War to the present, with easy access by public transport via Gaythorne Railway Station, 300 meters away and a Bus service which passes the memorial.

Brisbane City Council were very supportive and agreed to Ferguson Park becoming the preferred location allowing The Regiment to co-name our portion of the Park as The Royal Australian Regiment Place.  DVA also were instrumental in the Memorial becoming a reality through their approval of our application for a Saluting Their Service Grant.

The Memorial was designed by RARA (Qld) President Brigadier Neil Weekes AM MC (Retd) who passed away on 6th March just prior to the dedication and offical opening.  He was to host the event with this duty falling to his Deputy and now President RARA (Qld) Lieutenant Colonel EA (Ted) Chitham MC OAM (Retd).

The memorial was erected by Stonemason Peter Wrafter who does all our masonry at the NMW.  On the reverse side of The Memorial are the names and dates of RAR’s operational deployments

A feature of The Memorial is the gold inlay of the images against the black granite, at night, ground lights illuminate the images that from a distance in a moving car on Samford Road attract the eye with a certain spookiness that provokes thought and awareness of service and sacrifice of those who have served in The Royal Australian Regiment and put their “Duty First”.

All gave some, some gave their all, “Lest we Forget”

The Memorial will be maintained by the RARAQ’s Dads’ Army.

All requests to use The Royal Australian Regiment Place at Ferguson Park for a formal activity should be directed to the Secretary RARA Qld ([email protected])

 

 

Filed Under: Home, Memorials, The Royal Australian Regiment Place