RESPECT and remembrance brought a gathering of veterans and well-wishers to the Inverell cenotaph on Friday to mark Victory in the Pacific, or VP Day.
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Though Australia had been engaged in the War since 1939, the battle in the Pacific saw servicemen and women in dire conflict throughout the region and soon, on the nation’s doorstep.
Newly inducted Inverell RSL sub-branch president Pat McMahon gave the gathering a concise history of the war that reached Australian shore on February 19, 1942 in the Darwin air raid.
The strikes took the lives of 252 military personnel and civilians. It was only the beginning of the attacks made on Australia’s northern border.
Those who gathered on Friday felt it was vital that the sacrifices made in WWII should not be forgotten.
“Because it’s the only war that touched Australian shores, and it lasted longer than any other war. One million at least enlisted, and yet, it’s been put in the background somewhere,” said Gus Stevens.
“Why should the most important war that touched every Australian family be put in the background? It’s a crime as far as I’m concerned.”
Pat said for the 75th anniversary of the WWI landing at Gallipoli, war veterans were flown to Turkey, and he played a part by flying a rescue helicopter to ferry the men to the site.
“They had a month away at Gallipoli, the Lone Pine everywhere. And for World War II, they haven’t done anything.” Pat has contacted the RSL President Ken Doolan in light of the WWI Centenaries and the word will be handed down to Prime Minister Abbott this week.
“We should be doing something now for the WWII (personnel) like we did for the WWI blokes, because in a couple years, there’s going to be no one left,” he said.
Brian Hungerford said his brother in the Navy was on the survey ship, HMAS Benalla in WWII. Their task was to identify where the enemy lay before the Allied troops arrived.
“Some of the stories he told me, as well as other relatives, it’s something that’s got to be remembered.
“It’s not actually rememb-ering war, it’s remembering all the deeds that all these people went thought so we could live here like we are today,” Brian said.
“I think Australian history, in all these conflicts should be brought to the fore because if people don’t remember, well, what was all this cruelty for?
“Future generations, they won’t know anything about it.”