REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SERVED
Statue to honour officers
Services, marches for Anzac
A BRONZE statue has been unveiled at Point Nepean National Park to commemorate former graduates of the Portsea officer cadet school who died during active service. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions the 18 March unveiling by former graduates Major General David J McLachlan AO and Lieutenant Colonel Robin A McBride, was broadcast online. Of the 22 names on the statue’s plaque fixed to a granite base, 15 lost their lives in south Vietnam, four in the Philippines, two in Malaysia and one on the Thai-Laos border. The statue faces the former parade ground close to Badcoe Hall, named after Major P J Badcoe VC, who died in south Vietnam on 7 April 1967. The Portsea officer cadet school was at Point Nepean from 1952 to 1985, resulting in the graduation of 3544 officers (during 1972 and 1973, 68 of these undertook the course at the officer training unit at Scheyville, NSW). Of the 3544 graduates, 2826 Australians were commissioned as regular army officers and 30 as RAAF officers. The school also trained 688 international officers from 14 countries, the first being from New Zealand and Malaya in 1957. The international graduates came from New Zealand (398), Malaya/Malaysia (91), Papua New Guinea (61), Singapore (40), The Philippines (38), Fiji (24), Brunei (16), South Vietnam (6), Nigeria (4), Cambodia and Kenya (3 each), Tonga (2), Thailand and Uganda (1 each). The statue was approved by the state government, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Bunurong Land Council and Parks Victoria. The cost of the statue and associated works was paid for with donations from cadet school graduates, RSL Victoria and the Rye RSL sub-branch. Barry Irving
TWELVE Mornington Peninsula towns will host Anzac Day services on Sunday 25 April 2021. This year marks the 106th anniversary of the 1915 Gallipoli landing in Turkey. Mornington Peninsula Shire has issued a news release urging “our community to commemorate Anzac Day safely” by following COVIDsafe guidelines at the various dawn services, marches and remembrance services. The dawn service and march in Melbourne will be livestreamed from 5.40am at shrine.org.au The peninsula’s Anzac Day program: Crib Point: March 10.40am; Crib Point RSL service 11am. Dromana: dawn service 6.15am Peninsula Club; march 9.15am, service 9.45am, Dromana Cenotaph. Flinders: service 10am Flinders Hall; march 10.30am; wreath laying 11am, Flinders war memorial. Hastings: dawn service 6am Hastings foreshore; march 10.30am; Hastings RSL service 11am. Mornington: dawn service 6am Memorial Park; march 9.45am from corner Queen and Main streets; service 10am Memorial Park. Mount Eliza: service 2pm Remem-
Attention: A statue depicting a saluting officer cadet has been unveiled at Point Nepean National Park by Major General David J McLachlan, left, and Lieutenant Colonel Robin A McBride. Picture: Barry Irving
SUN APRIL 18TH Take the scenic drive down to Point Nepean National Park, just past Portsea, to experience a fabulous outdoor craft and food market nestled amongst the historic buildings of the Quarantine Station located along side the coast. An ideal family day out, picturesque Point Nepean has just the right ambiance for a classic outdoor CMA market. Visitors can explore the beautiful coast line and enjoy stunning views of the headland of Port Phillip Bay while enjoying a vibrant market filled with a wonderfully diverse range of quality stalls showcasing home baked, home made, home grown products.
For more info visit - craftmarkets.com.au PAGE 6
Southern Peninsula News
14 April 2021