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Victoria Remembers
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25.01.2022 Interviewed by podcaster Megan Parker, Jim Paizis, the skinny Greek kid from Carlton, shares his memories of what Melbourne was like back in the1940s ,when he became a Sub Lieutenant for the Royal Australian Navy. In 1942, attracted by the navy uniform and its gold buttons, Jim was keen to enlist as soon he turned 18 years old. Jim and other young lads visited the Navy’s recruiting office on Collins Street there they were scrutinised to see if they were ORQ Officer of Ri...ght Qualities. Jim was so he pleased that he was ORQ and had made the grade. After eight weeks training, Jim was off to war, working off the east coast of Australia and the Pacific islands. Jim served on corvettes and on 26 May 1945 he was on the HMAS Colac in the Solomon Islands when the vessel was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. On that day Jim lost two of his shipmates and the torpedo also created a massive hole in the engine room. The crew worked furiously to get the vessel out of the channel as water began to flood in. Thankfully they were rescued and towed back to Sydney. To hear Jim Pazis’ entire WWII story, watch his interview at https://wwiiathome.com.au/jp.html As we approach Remembrance Day, let us remember the service and sacrifices of all veterans and their families. Find out about other veterans stories and the Remembrance Day online broadcast here: www.vic.gov.au/world-war-2-75th-anniversary As we approach Remembrance Day, let us remember the service and sacrifices of all veterans and their families. #remembranceday20 #redtoremember #lestweforget #wwiiathome In 1942, attracted by the navy uniform and its gold buttons, Jim was keen to enlist as soon he turned 18 years old. Jim and other young lads visited the Navy’s recruiting office on Collins Street there they were scrutinised to see if they were ORQ Officer of Right Qualities. Jim was so he pleased that he was ORQ and had made the grade. After eight weeks training, Jim was off to war, working off the east coast of Australia and the Pacific islands. Jim served on corvettes and on 26 May 1945 he was on the HMAS Colac in the Solomon Islands when the vessel was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. On that day Jim lost two of his shipmates and the torpedo also created a massive hole in the engine room. The crew worked furiously to get the vessel out of the channel as water began to flood in. Thankfully they were rescued and towed back to Sydney. To hear Jim Pazis’ entire WWII story, watch interview at https://wwiiathome.com.au/jp.html As we approach Remembrance Day, let us remember the service and sacrifices of all veterans and their families.
24.01.2022 For years Australians longed for the Second World War to end. Days after the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered to the Allied powers. Six tough years of wartime deprivation came to an end.... Some 39,000 Australians were lost forever, but others were coming home. Prime Minister Ben Chifley announced the news in a radio broadcast at 9.30am on Wednesday 15 August 1945. Australian cities and towns erupted in celebration. By evening, the joyful crowds were the biggest ever seen in Australia. In a live radio broadcast from the streets of Sydney an hour after the official news came through, ABC reporter Talbot Duckmanton describes the scenes of rejoicing from Martin Place. Listen to this ABC News clip to understand what this day meant to ordinary Australians. https://ab.co/3fw29hu This great video from British Movietone/ AP also captures the atmosphere of the day. https://bit.ly/33v6ak6 #archive #tbt #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemembers ABC Australia British Movietone #AP #Melbourne #Sydney #Brisbane #memories #Victoria
23.01.2022 The War Cabinet Room inside Victoria Barracks was one of the most important sites during the Second World War. Now, for the first time, @National Trust Australia (Victoria) brings you a 3D tour of the room where it all happened. Click on the post below and follow the link to see inside this and other significant Victorian locations. ... #Victoriaremembers #VPDay75 #openhouse #behindthescenes #war #secret #Cabinet #WarRoom #WWII #WWII #melbourne #victoria #sitesofsignificance From National Trust Australia (Victoria) in partnership with Centre for Architecture | Open House Melbourne
23.01.2022 By 1943 there were 150,000 American G.I.s in Australia. To help them navigate their way around, the US War and Navy Departments published A Pocket Guide to Australia. In this book a choice selection of Aussie slang is explained to help the Americans understand what the Australians are talking about. Some of these include: drogo (a clumsy Australian insect) - rookie. ... sheila - babe cliner - another babe sninny a third babe shivoo - a party imshi - scram shikkered - drunk chivvy - lip or back talk plonk - cheap wine smooge - to pitch woo boko - nose dinkum oil Gospel Truth barrack to root barracker louds sports fan grafter good worker Do you remember these? Read more about this important time in Australia's history https://www.vic.gov.au/history-wwii #dinkum #slang #history #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemembers
22.01.2022 The Shrine of Remembrance is a beacon of red, starting the Red to Remember lighting program in the lead up to Remembrance Day - Wednesday 11 November. Ten of Melbourne's leading cultural and civic buildings will form the Avenue of Red from St Kilda Road along Swantson Street to Rathdowne Street Carlton in honour of all veterans. Watch out for our posts of when these buildings will be turning red. #lestweforget #redtoremember #remembranceday20 #shrineofremembrance
22.01.2022 Mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII with the Victory in the Pacific Day magazine. Read the stories of brave Victorians who fought in the war and moving recollections of how we celebrated VP Day and the end of World War II in todays Herald Sun. #VictoriaRemembers #vpday75
22.01.2022 Squadron Leader Roy Goon trained 200 RAAF pilots before he was accepted into the RAAF himself. Ballarat born Goon was one of the first Australians to make flying his career. In the mid-1930s he fought with Chinese Nationalist forces against the Japanese. Returning to Australia, he was employed training pilots for the RAAF. ... At the outbreak of war, Goon was keen to enlist, but Australian rules meant that he couldnt join because he was not substantially of European descent. Goon was so keen to serve, he considered moving with his family to Hong Kong so he could join the RAF there. One day at Essendon Airport, he spoke with the Minister for Air, James Fairbairn, about his situation. The minister pushed for Goon to be admitted and he became the first Chinese Australian in the RAAF. He rose through the ranks to squadron leader. In June 1943, he flew the first intercept against enemy aircraft by an Australian designed and built Boomerang fighter from RAAF Learmonth, Western Australia. The military records note his contribution, Squadron Leader Goon displayed conspicuous leadership and devotion to duty and was at all times an inspiration to all personnel under his command. Hear more about this story from Roy's son Chris Goon, and others on the ABC Radio Melbourne Conversation Hour today at 11am. https://www.abc.net.au//the/the-conversation-hour/12537066 #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 #chineseaustralian #chineseanzacs #multiculturalism #TYFYS Chinese Museum ABC Radio Melbourne Photo of Roy Goon in RAAF uniform Photo of Roy Goon at Royal Victorian Aero Club, next to his father Frank Shum Goon (Photographs from CHINESE ANZACs EXHIBITION, Museum of Chinese Australian History.)
20.01.2022 War cemeteries are a profound acknowledgment of the ultimate sacrifice made to serve a country. The Springvale War Cemetery has nearly one hectare dedicated to the graves of 607 World War II Commonwealth service people, and a further 75 are commemorated in the adjacent Victorian Cremation Memorial. By reflecting on the individual human experience of those who died as a result of war, we begin to understand the magnitude of their sacrifice and the lasting impact this had on our communities. Today at 1.00pm, RSL Victoria will be holding its virtual Annual State Remembrance Service from the Springvale Cemetery go to https://www.facebook.com/rslvic/posts/2140976656042254 to watch their service. #remembranceday20 #lestweforget #redtoremember #RSLVictoria #springvalecemetery
20.01.2022 As we approach Remembrance Day on 11 November, we reflect on the service and sacrifice of WWII veterans and all veterans and their familes. Join the Shrine of Remembrance's broadcast service online from 10.45am, https://www.facebook.com/events/1098267750625057 #remembranceday20 #redtoremember #lestweforget #WWII #75thanniversary #honour #sacrifice #victorianveterans
19.01.2022 The anniversary of 75 years since the end of the Second World War has given us an opportunity to thank our surviving veterans for their service. Cec Browning is one of them. #VPDay75 #Victoriaremembers #veterans #TYFYS #torquay
19.01.2022 The memory of his service was never far from Syds mind. He never forgot the generosity and bravery of the Greek people, Catherine Bell nee Grant (Syd's daughter). In April 1941, Syd Grant was one of the thousands of diggers waiting at Kalamata for evacuation. He had gone to the north of Greece with 2/8th Battalion to face the Germans in battle. But after a series of bitter rear-guard actions, and constant air attacks, the Allies fell under the weight of the German onslaug...ht. Thousands were evacuated in this second Dunkirk but others including Syd were left behind. He wrote about those desperate days, trying to swim in the dark out to what they thought were Allied ships, only to return to the waterfront. Syd became one of the 8,000 Allied soldiers captured by the Germans as they entered Kalamata. But Syds war did not end there. Along with many others, he was able to escape and make his way along the coast of the area known as the Mani, eventually reaching the small seaside village of Trahila. Here Syd and his Allied comrades were looked after by the local community, hidden in a local disused building and fed by local women who brought food to them. Syd and the others would be evacuated a few days later by the British warship HMS Hero. Syd would be taken to Crete and then back to Egypt. After the war following his return to Australia, Syd would name his farm Kalamata in remembrance of the campaign and the locals who helped him evade capture. The final image below shows his two daughters outside the farm. With thanks to Jim Claven who is authoring the forthcoming book With the Anzacs in Greece - Stories from Greeces WW2 Anzac Trail. Image credits: Allied soldiers with local Greek villagers, Kalamata, April 1941. Photograph taken by Syd Grant. Reproduced courtesy of Catherine Bell nee Grant Women of Trahila coming to the aid of Syd and his comrades at their hiding place, Trahila, April, 1941. Photograph taken by Syd Grant. Reproduced courtesy of Catherine Bell nee Grant. Horshams Private Syd Grant. Reproduced courtesy of Catherine Bell nee Grant. Catherine and Elizabeth Grant at the farm gate, Kalamata Farm, Victoria, 1956. Photograph taken by Syd Grant. Reproduced courtesy of Catherine Bell nee Grant. #Australia #Greece #Greek #GreekAustralian #AnzacTrail #Kalamata #Horsham #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 Hellenic Museum
19.01.2022 On March 15, 1941, what was known as the Heidelberg Military Hospital was officially opened, with only 20 patients and ambitions to grow to 1500 beds and become the largest hospital in Victoria. Within two years, demand from wounded Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen, plus American, French and other Allied troops required 2,000 beds and the attention of 1300 staff. But the demand on the hospital services also revealed something more positive the medical breakthroughs..., particularly in plastic surgery to rebuild damaged faces, sophisticated surgery, x-ray techniques, pathology and psychiatric care. When VP Day was declared, the hospitals Australian Army Medical Womens Service aides marked the peace with a flower in their hair. In 1947 the army handed the hospital over to the Department of Veterans Affairs, who continued to control it until the hospital became part of the Victorian state health system in 1995. Read more at https://wwiiathome.com.au/hmh.html National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Open House Melbourne #heidelberg #hospital #nurses #service #worldwarII #ww2
18.01.2022 Few AIF battalions suffered a worse disaster, in a matter of minutes, than the 2/33rd waiting at Port Moresby, on 7 September 1943. The 2/33 Battalion served in the Middle East and the Pacific during the Second World War. They were heavily involved in the fighting along the Kokoda Track. They acted as a rearguard as the Australians retreated, before helping to push the Japanese back to the north coast of Papua New Guinea. The battle-ready troops were in a truck convoy in Po...rt Moresby when a US Army Air Force Liberator, taking off on a bombing mission, hit a tree and crashed into five trucks. Seventy three people died 60 battalion members, two truck drivers and the Liberators 11 crew. Ninety other men of the battalion were injured in what is still the worst air disaster in Australian history. Memories of what happened that morning haunted survivors for the rest of their lives. As part of the 75th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War program, SERCO are restoring this and other plaques in the Shrine Reserve, commemorating key battles, to honour those who served. The photos show the plaques before and after cleaning and restoration. Read more about Victorias significant sites https://www.vic.gov.au/sites-significance Shrine of Remembrance #memorial #worldwarII #VPDay75 #victoriaremembers 2/23rd Australian Infantry Memorial Plaque at The Shrine of Remembrance Reserve before and after cleaning.
18.01.2022 Minister for Veterans, Shaun Leane has announced successful recipients for three Veteran Grants Programs - Victoria Remembers Minors, Anzac Day Proceeds Fund and Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenues of Honour. Go to https://www.vic.gov.au/grants-support-and-commemorate-veter to see the list of successful recipients.
18.01.2022 When we look back at the Second World War we imagine a time of unity. Its easy to forget we were a nation living in fear. For years the people of Melbourne lived with the threat of attack. It was a time of stress and heightened emotions, not unlike the time were living through today. For years Melburnians lived with the brownout. Street lights were turned off or hooded and windows were covered from December 1941 to protect Melbourne from night-time Japanese aerial attack...s. Trenches were built all over the city, to prepare for protecting key sites, including at the Royal Exhibition Building, where thousands of RAAF troops were stationed. The RAAF took over the iconic building and Carlton Gardens to use as a training facility. Trainees struggled to get to sleep in the main hall and camps were set up in Carlton gardens. An online exhibition exploring this history opens on 15th August 2020. Both REB and Carlton Gardens are now included in the World Heritage List. You can read more about this story here https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/16908 @RoyalExhibitionBuilding @MuseumsVictoria @DELWPVictoria #HeritageVictoria #REB #Carlton #homefront #melbourne #WW2 #victoriaremembers #VPDay75 Images: RAAF Soldiers digging trenches outside the Royal Exhibition Building during World War II Salvation Army Tea Van & RAAF Airmen at Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Sep 1942 Aerial View of the Exhibition Building from North East, Melbourne, 1947 (Museums Victoria)
18.01.2022 From the youngest to the oldest members of your family, we can take a moment to pause and show our thanks to those who served to safeguard our freedoms. Show your respect for surviving World War II veterans by writing a letter of thanks and sending it to them via RSL Victoria, Anzac House, 4 Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000. Commemorate the upcoming anniversary from home. Here are some suggestions for activities that you can do with your family. ... https://www.vic.gov.au/activities-home RSL Victoria #victoriaremembers #VPDay75 #TYFYS #children #activitiesforchildren
18.01.2022 Wishing a Happy 100th Birthday to the fabulous veteran Jean Smith. Sunrise recorded this special piece earlier in the week. Current restrictions mean that Jean can't see her family on the big day. But we're sure you'll join us in sending her the warmest of birthday wishes. #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 #TYFYS #WWII #Veterans
18.01.2022 At its opening in 1958, ICI House was a ground-breaking project, using the latest in technology and workplace thinking. ICI House introduced a new modernity to office design in Melbourne, becoming the citys first skyscraper and the tallest building in Australia. The building was designed by Bates, Smart & McCutcheon who drew on innovative building techniques developed during WWII. ... This building followed by others reflect the new era of modernism in Melbourne and Australia. #victoriaremembers #VPDay75 Open House Melbourne National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
17.01.2022 A secret bunker ready to self-destruct at a moments notice During WWII Mallacoota's secret communications bunker was off limits to the locals. The whole area was patrolled by armed guards and charges were laid around the perimeter, so that in the case of a Japanese invasion the whole facility could be destroyed. This bunker was the headquarters for the RAAF coastal intelligence for the region. Its main purpose was to keep the shipping lanes open in the face of 13 Japanese s...ubmarines that were known to be operating off Australia's east coast. The bunker is now a museum, run by Mallacoota's Historical Society, and it welcomes all visitors and their stories. Read more about it here https://wwiiathome.com.au/mb.html #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 #Mallacoota #Victoria #secretlocation #wartime #wwiiathome #ww2 Image: Radio Operator Bunker WWII Mallacoota & District Historical Society Inc. Radio Operator Bunker WWII Mallacoota & District Historical Society Inc.
17.01.2022 When Victoria was under threat, volunteers stepped forward to protect the country. Loveridge Lookout, in Anglesea, was originally built by the Loveridge family in 1938 as a memorial to James Loveridge. He loved the sweeping coastline views it offered (it might also have been a nice spot for a private drink).... During the war, after reports of Japanese flights over Australia, the site became an important lookout, manned up to 24 hours a day by 56 Volunteer Air Observers Corp (VAOC). Volunteers looked out for planes. A phone at the site connected them to Geelong and they immediately reported any planes they saw. From 1942 - 1945 the site logged a total of 3000 aircraft movement reports. It was one of many observation posts established at locations overlooking vulnerable areas. Angleseas Loveridge Lookout has been added to the Victorian Heritage Register, as part of commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Loveridge Lookout is one of a number of important places that you can visit virtually when the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) reveals a new website World War II At Home in association with Centre for Architecture Victoria | Open House Melbourne on August 15th. Loveridge Lookout is located on the traditional land of the Wathaurung people. Loveridge Lookout #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 National Trust of Australia (Victoria) #anglesea #SitesofSignificance #Barwonsouthwest #Anglesea #Heritage #Victoria #HeritageVictoria Open House Melbourne Image credits: National Trust Australia (Victoria)
16.01.2022 We congratulate former Victorian Veterans Council (VVC) Chair, Lieutenant Colonel Laureen Grimes who has been inducted into the 2020 Honour Roll of Women. Laureen joined the VVC in 2012 before becoming the Council’s Deputy Chair, and then its first female Chair. Over three terms, she generously served the Council and Victoria’s veteran community. Since 1980, Laureen has also served the broader Australian community, as an Army Reservist and has attained the rank of Lieutenant... Colonel in the Royal Australian Transport Corps. During her career, Laureen has served in a broad range of roles including Defence Liaison Officer for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Chief of Staff of the 4th Brigade and as an Honorary Aide de Camp to the Governor of Victoria for three years. Laureen was the first female to be appointed as Commanding Officer of Victoria’s Combat Support Services Battalion at Maygar Barracks, which was closely involved with Operation Victorian Bushfire Assist in 2009. Nominations are now open for the 2021 Victorian Honour Roll of Women. Nominate an inspirational woman like Laureen today. Visit bit.ly/HonourRollWomenVic #HonourHer #victorianwomen #emergingleaders #leadership #localchampions #trailblazers #changeagents #leadingthroughdisaster
16.01.2022 Do you have young children to keep busy at home? If so, weve got an idea for you. You can involve the youngest members of your family in the commemorations for Victory in the Pacific Day next weekend Saturday 15 August. Let youngsters put their stamp on the day by creating bunting designs to decorate the front gate, fence, inside windows or front door. ... Use our bunting template, which you can download from https://www.vic.gov.au/activities-home We cant mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two with traditional commemorations and gatherings this year, but there are still many ways to connect with and honour our veterans from home. #VPDay75 #victoriaremembers @keepkidsbusyathome
15.01.2022 Watch the live presentation now from The Shrine of Remembrance commemorating 75 years since the end of the Second World War. #VPDay75 #Victoriaremembers
15.01.2022 August 15th 1945 The Second World War ended. Six long years of suffering were over. 75 years later, we come together. To honour all who served And reflect on the wars impact on our state... Join in online https://www.vic.gov.au/75th-anniversary-end-world-war-two-w Music: V for Victory, by Peter Dawson (Sydney) Images with thanks to Australian War Memorial and State Library Victoria Archive from Movietone newsreel AP
14.01.2022 Closing Soon - Victorian Government - Veterans Grants A friendly reminder this is the final week to submit your applications for Victoria Remembers Minor Grants and ANZAC Day Proceeds Fund grant programs. Applications will close 5:00pm on Monday 31 August 2020. We encourage you to submit your application early to avoid any last minute technical issues. ... Please note, we receive a high volume of enquiries in the days before applications close. Best to contact the Veterans Branch as soon as possible with your enquiries via [email protected]. A friendly reminder this is the final week to submit your applications for Victoria Remembers Minor Grants and ANZAC Day Proceeds Fund. Applications will close 5:00pm on Monday 31 August 2020. Applications for Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenue of Honour Grant Program will close 5:00pm on Monday 7 September August 2020. Applications for Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenue of Honour Grant Program will close 5:00pm on Monday 7 September August 2020.
12.01.2022 Family was everything to Frank Walsh. He was serving in the RAAF and billeted in Melbourne’s Exhibition Building while he did technical training. Most Aircraftmen were far from their families, but Frank’s wife Rene and little daughter Paula were boarding just around the corner. Frank sometimes slipped away from the Exhibition Building to look after Paula while Rene went to work as a telephonist. Even Frank’s father Francis, a Gallipoli veteran, lived nearby, and he sometimes... proudly marched alongside Frank’s unit through Carlton. Frank later served in New Guinea, Borneo and beyond, longing for the day he would be reunited with his family. But when he was demobilised little Paula no longer recognised him he had been away too long. To explore other veteran stories go to: https://www.vic.gov.au/75th-anniversary-end-world-war-two-w As we approach Remembrance Day let us remember the men and women and their families who served and sacrificed greatly for the freedoms we enjoy today. #victoriaremembers #remembranceday20 #lestweforget2020
12.01.2022 In the lead up to Remembrance Day, 10 of Melbourne’s iconic cultural and civic buildings will be lit red to honour the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families and commemorate 75 years since the end of WWII. The Shrine of Remembrance, Old Treasury Building, Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, Arts Centre Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Town Hall, Bolte Bridge, Victoria Harbour Lighthouse and 101 Collins Street will all be lit up to mark the day. Victorians are encouraged to safely mark Remembrance Day on Wednesday 11 November, as we continue our sustainable steps out of restrictions. #victoriaremembers #remembranceday #lestweforget
11.01.2022 World War II provided new work opportunities for Australian women, mainly on the factory floor, but also in other areas that had previously been only for men. For the first time women were employed as journalists and not only on womens magazines. By 1941 the ABC employed 19 women as announcers, and over 20 women were accredited war correspondents. ... They didnt report on action at the front, instead they were expected to provide human interest stories. Melbourne journalist Adele Shelton-Smith was the first Australian woman to report from overseas. Representing The Australian Women's Weekly, she went with a photographer to Malaya in 1941. Banned from writing articles about the war, Shelton-Smith wrote about daily life in the camp; the soldiers healthy meals and their living quarters, more comfortable than home. This story and others are featured in the new exhibition from Old Treasury Building Women Work for Victory in World War II. Read more at https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au/work-for-victory/ and visit in person when restrictions are lifted. The exhibition is open until June 2021. Clipping: Adele Shelton Smith, the Australian Womens Weeklys Ace Woman Reporter, The Daily Telegraph, 3 April 1941. Reproduced courtesy National Library of Australia #warreporter #womenatwork #journalist #history #archive #melbourne #women #worldwarII #WW2 #pioneers
10.01.2022 Closing Soon - Victorian Government - Veterans Grant A friendly reminder that Monday 7 September is the closing date for Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenue of Honour grant applications. Applications will close at 5:00pm. We encourage you to submit your application early to avoid any last minute technical issues.... Please note, we receive a high volume of enquiries before applications close. Best to contact the Veterans Branch as soon as possible with your enquiries via [email protected].
10.01.2022 In December 2009, the artist Dean Bowen was one of many Australians who watched on as the wreckage of the Centaur ship was pulled out of the ocean near Moreton Island, off the coast of Queensland. The hospital ship was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese Navy in May 1943, killing 268 Australians. Sixty-four people on the ship survived, including just one wo...man, Nursing Sister Ellen Savage. The story of the sunken ship captured Bowens imagination and inspired a series of charcoal drawings by the celebrated artist. The beautiful, thought provoking-work, commemorates the lives lost and the horror of the attack. These works are included in an exhibition which will be available to view Shrine of Remembrance later this year. Read more about this story in today's Spectrum: https://www.smh.com.au//i-went-right-down-exhibition-evoke
08.01.2022 PLAN YOUR COMMEMORATION We may be unable to mark the75th anniversary of the end of World War II with traditional commemorations and gatherings this year, but there are still many ways to connect with and honour our veterans from home. Tomorrow, Saturday August 15, mark the end of World War II by joining the Victory in the Pacific Day online presentation. Follow the presentation Shrine of Remembrance on Facebook or Youtube or through RSL Victoria ... The commemorations begin at 11.20 am and end by noon. You can also read a special commemorative pull out feature in Herald Sun tomorrow. https://www.heraldsun.com.au//28630427efc1029dd2e59272ff02 #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemembers
08.01.2022 We congratulate Echuca Historical Society for the creation of the Echuca in Uniform - the Untold Stories video. Supported by the Victorian Government, this commemorative video for the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War Two, was created to honour Echuca's local men and women who served during the war. This is a fine example of an organisation who had to pivot their original plan of holdiing an exhibition within their museum to creating an engaging video to tell the people's stories. #victoriaremembers #VPDay75 #echuca #echucahistoricalsociety
08.01.2022 If walls could talk, these walls would tell fascinating stories. Instead theyre completely soundproof and sealed off to the public. This room was the site of the War Cabinet, the headquarters for Australias World War II response, hidden within Victoria Barracks. Now, for the first time you can take a virtual reality tour. During the Second World War, Federal Parliament and decisions relating to the general running of the country were still carried out in Canberra, but ever...ything to do with the war effort was run from Melbourne. Important and difficult decisions were made here. It was from this room that Australia declared war on Japan in 1941. The following year the War Cabinet decided to ignore Churchills request for AIF forces to stay in the Middle East and instead decided they should come home to defend Australia against the Japanese. The decisions made here by some of our great political and military leaders would have a lasting impact on how this conflict shaped our country, both during and after the war. Visit https://wwiiathome.com.au/wcr.html to experience the 360 degree footage allowing you to virtually walk the halls of Victoria Barracks. #VPDay75 #victoriaremembers #history #historybuff #historynerd #historylovers #Victoria War Cabinet Room - National Trust of Australia (Victoria) State Library Victoria - first meeting of new Advisory War Council, Victoria Barracks, 1940
08.01.2022 When I arrived in Melbourne it was about January 1941 and then we were posted up to the Exhibition Building and I thought we were the first of the air force group that had gone there, said WWII RAAF serviceman Richard ‘Dick’ Thompson, who went on to be posted to Darwin, the Admiralty Islands and Tarakan. He returned to Australia on 25 Feb 1946, after the Battle of Tarakan, one of the thousands of servicemen and women to be welcomed home after WWII ended 75 years ago. Yeste...rday, as we marked Remembrance Day, we took the opportunity to reflect on their stories. We also honoured the thousands who never made the journey home, and the many, many more who have served so bravely in all wars and conflicts. During WWII, Melbourne’s Exhibition Buildings played a vital, yet now long forgotten, role as a barracks and technical training facility. Over the course of the WWII, the buildings housed more than 2,000 instrument makers, radio engineers and wireless operators. The buildings balconies became sleeping areas, and the great hall became a mess that fed hundreds each day. When Dick first arrived there, he trained as an RAAF wireless operator, a role that saw him spend eight hours a day learning, sending and receiving morse code to support the war effort in Europe and the Middle East. He was then posted to Darwin as part of the RAAF number 12 squadron. His second training stint at Melbourne’s Exhibition Buildings followed the bombings of Darwin on 19 February 1942 the day the war came to Australia, changing the course of the conflict, and igniting a huge homefront effort. Dick’s last WWII postings were to the Admiralty Islands and Tarakan, where he served as a member of the RAAF Mobile Fighter Control Unit, providing ground monitoring of aircraft. The team intercepted enemy positions and fed information to anti-aircraft guns across The Pacific. This year, the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, Victorians are invited to share in the stories from the war. Learn more at www.vic.gov.au/world-war-2-75th-anniversary. We will remember Dick, and all who have served. Lest we forget. #RemembranceDay20 #VictoriaRemembers #RedtoRemember.
08.01.2022 On Tuesday 18 August at 11am, join the online Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony. While Vietnam Veterans are unable to gather in person, join the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia's (Victoria Branch) online Ceremony to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of those who died and say thank you to the almost 60,000 Australians who served in the Vietnam War. Vietnam Veterans Day marks the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan (1966), where D Company 6 Royal Australian Regimen...t Battalion (6RAR) fought a fierce battle against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops close to the village of Long Tan. Watch the service on the VVAA Vic website http://vvaavic.org.au/ or Shrine of Remembrance Facebook page.
08.01.2022 As a young aboriginal man, Reg Saunders grew up around the stories of colonial wars and the wars of nations. He hunted his own food, he spent time in the bush. His daughter Aunty Glenda Humes explains: It was really about the people around him, his aboriginal family, the boys he played cricket or football with. The stories about his land, his country that needed protecting. Those were the things dad joined up for, it wasn't about king or country.... Reg Saunders accomplished extraordinary achievements in his military career. He was Australias first Indigenous officer and he later rose to become a captain. After his first experience of close combat, he spent 11 months as a fugitive evading capture on Crete. However, on returning to Australia, he found that his lack of status meant few jobs were open to him. His daughter explains; When he left the army there was nothing for him. He had commanded troops in a time of great victories, but when he came back, for him there was no job awaiting. It was a very difficult time for my father after the war. He had to work in labouring jobs. He had to deal with racist comments. He felt more comfortable with his army mates. Saunders later led the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) during the Battle of Kapyong in the Korean War. It wasnt until after the 1967 Referendum, however, that opportunities in civilian life started to open up for him. After retiring from the army, Reg eventually moved to Canberra to the office of Aboriginal Affairs which later became the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. He was a great advocate for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and returned soldiers. In this interview, Aunty Glenda Humes, daughter of Captain Reginald Reg Saunders, reflects on her fathers service in the Australian army and the challenges he faced as an Aboriginal man in post-war Australia. Watch the full interview here: https://www.wwiiathome.com.au/crs.html #indigenous #aboriginalaustralia #history #WorldwarII #WWII #heroes #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 image: Captain Reg Saunders and others from Australian War Memorial
07.01.2022 We haven't quite lost hope yet but by hokey, if I'm still here next April Fool's Day I won't be worth saving can't say I am even now have grown into a snitchy, bad tempered old spinster and look more like a chook or an old fowl every day" said Betty Jeffrey. Australian nurse, Betty Jeffrey, spent more than three years as a prisoner in the Japanese ‘hell camps’ in Sumatra during the Second World War. Water and food were strictly rationed with drinking water limited to a... mugful per person per day. Betty was liberated in 1945, but was hospitalised for almost two years, suffering from tuberculosis and amoebic dysentery. She weighed just 32 kilograms. To learn more about the role of women during World War Two go to https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au/ As we approach Remembrance Day let us remember the service and sacrifice of WWII veterans and all veterans including their families. #remembranceday20 #lestweforget #redtoremember
07.01.2022 The Australian Catalina flying boats undertook a range of roles during World War II, from patrol aircraft, to bombers and also laying mines. But like all aircraft, they needed repair and for that they were sent to a secret location in the dry, flat Mallee area, at Lake Boga. The location was the only inland flying boat base in Australia and it remained a well-kept secret until late in the war. The lake itself was a brilliant sea-blue colour, shaped like a saucer and perf...ect for the Catalinas to come to rest. A roofed swimming pool sat next to the lake to provide respite for the air crews and tradespeople labouring in the dry heat. The site was home to not only a group of RAAF mechanics but also about 100 WAAF (Womens Auxiliary Air Force) who came from Melbourne, Portland, Ballarat, Sydney, Ulverstone and other points of the compass to provide skills that ranged from fabric repair to dental nursing. Australia took delivery of its first 18 Catalinas from the US in 1940 and the flying boats remained in RAAF service until 1950. Some were painted black, called Black Cats and were used to lay mines as far from Lake Boga as the South China Sea. The lake has become a well-known camping spot that includes a museum with a restored Catalina. This history is detailed at the Flying Boat Museum in Lake Boga. In addition, a grant has enabled the Swan Hill Remembers project to create a short film and exhibition of memorabilia commemorating local heroes, heroines and sites of World War II. This will be available through the Swan Hill Librarys Facebook page from August 31st 2020. https://www.facebook.com/swanhilllibrary/ Learn more about the sites of significance here https://www.vic.gov.au/sites-significance #LakeBoga #Mallee #VictoriaRemembers #VPDay75 #SwanHill #swanhillremembers #sitesofsignificance
07.01.2022 Explore the online exhibitions for 75th Anniversary of the end of World War Two and see the local stories of strength and bravery at www.vic.gov.au/cultural-program Visit Response, Reflection and Rejuvenation: WWII at Home https://www.wwiiathome.com.au/ this sweeping virtual reality exhibition traces Victorias response to the war effort in 18 sites including the Commonwealth Governments War Room, aircraft hangars, munitions factories through to sites of reflection at the S...hrine of Remembrance and the building rejuvenation that followed. This online experience runs until August 2021. National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Open House Melbourne The Shrine of Remembrance presents Dean Bowens Imagining Centaur an exhibition that tells the tragic sinking of the Australian hospital ship during the war. Digital content including an animation, survivors stories and more are available at www.shrine.org.au/exhibition-dean-bowens-imagining-centaur. This exhibition runs until April 2022. Museums Victoria presents an RAAF virtual exhibition highlighting the significance of the Royal Exhibition Building during the war and stories of the soldiers who were stationed there. Available until December 2020. museumsvictoria.com.au//uncovering-the-exhibition-buildin/ And the Old Treasury Building offers Women Work for Victory in World War II until June 2021. A free digital exhibition tracing the contribution of women in WWII and their changing roles on the home front. https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au//introduction-wome/ The Old Treasury Museum #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemembers #
07.01.2022 This Saturday at 2:00 - 3:15pm please join us at National Trust of Australia (Victoria)'s panel webinar which marks the launch of WWII At Home - an interactive online platform that explores 18 sites of significance that represent the transformative impact World War II had on Victoria. Read more below. #WWII #vpday75 #VictoriaRemembers #online #museumfromhome #Victoria #launch #sitesofsignificance #nationaltrustvictoria #nattrust #historynerd #historylovers
06.01.2022 Born near Wangarrata, Sir Edward Weary Dunlop earned his nickname playing football because, like Dunlop tyres, he never wore out. His mental and physical stamina was put to the test when he became a medical officer in the Australian Army Medical Corps. He rose through the ranks and served all over the Middle East and in North Africa, before being withdrawn to fight the Japanese in South East Asia. Dunlop was in command of Allied General Hospital at Bandoeng (Bandung) when ...Java fell to the Japanese. Along with thousands of other Australians, he became a prisoner of war. The Japanese put Dunlop in charge of the Commonwealth soldiers. He encouraged education, sport and entertainment to try to keep up the morale of his fellow prisoners. Many times he put his own life at risk when he stood up to the brutality of the Japanese captors. Watch this video to discover more about the remarkable heroism shown by Weary Dunlop, in the most challenging conditions. https://youtu.be/dMqfMhw5l9w
06.01.2022 As we approach Remembrance Day let us remember to give thanks and respect to all veterans and especially surviving World War Two veterans as we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII in the lead up to Remembrance Day. Here are some creative ways to mark your respect. Make your own red poppies and messenger bird decorations for your home with messages of thanks to all Victorian veterans. During wartime, messenger birds have kept people connected, shared importa...nt information across borders and are a symbol of peace, wellbeing and hope. Red poppies are a symbol of keeping the faith and remembering all soldiers who were on the battlefields of Belgium and France during WWI. Free red poppy templates can be found online or download the messenger dove template here: https://www.vic.gov.au/recognise-remembrance-day #remembranceday20 #redtoremember #lestweforget #messengerbird
05.01.2022 As we approach Remembrance Day 2020, the year we also mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, we reflect on the importance of Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance as a place for commemoration, and to remember all who have served. The Shrine Second World War Memorial Forecourt is one of Victoria’s most important places of reflection on WWII. It incorporates modernist design principles, and the influence of architects and artists who migrated to Australia as a result of the ...war. The forecourt is designed in the form of a non-denominational cross and features an eternal flame and cenotaph on the western arm and three flagpoles on the eastern arm. The Victorian Government is proud to support the National Trust’s WWII At Home exhibition as part of commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. Take a closer look at the Shrine of Remembrance and 18 other significant WWII sites in Victoria at: wwiiathome.com.au We may not be able to mark Remembrance Day as we usually would, but we can observe a minute’s silence from wherever we are, in honour of all our veterans. Explore the other ways you can safely recognise Remembrance Day, and learn more about Australia’s WWII sacrifice at: www.vic.gov.au/world-war-2-75th-anniversary.
04.01.2022 Join the Shrine of Remembrance's commemorative broadcast this Sunday 30 August for the Rats of Tobruk. #victoriaremembers #VPDay75
02.01.2022 Almost one million Australians served their country during the Second World War. To recognise and say thanks to WWII veterans still with us today, the Department of Veterans Affairs are providing a Commemorative Medallion and Certificate of Commemoration. If you have a family member, friend or neighbour who is a World War Two veteran, make sure they receive their medallion and certificate by registering their details online at http://dva.gov.au/medallion or call 1800 838 372. #victoriaremembers #VPDay75 #OneInAMillion
02.01.2022 To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) in association with the Centre for Architecture Victoria | Open House Melbourne will launch WWII at Home next Saturday 15 August. Digitally explore 18 sites of significance that represent the transformative impact the Second World War had on Victoria through response, reflection and rejuvenation. Launching next Saturday 15 August: www.wwiiathome.com.au ... Watch this short preview video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=643543419871881 #WWIIatHome #NationalTrustVic #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemember #VPDay75 #VictoriaRemembers #museumfromhome #Melbourne #Victoria
02.01.2022 The following Veterans Grants programs close today at 5pm - Anzac Day Proceeds Funds and the Victoria Remembers Minor Grant. Don't leave submitting your application to the last minute, submit early today so you don't encounter any technical difficulties. Feel free to contact the Veterans Branch with any grants queries via [email protected]
01.01.2022 Right across Australia there were key sites that were utilised or built fit for purpose to equip Australian soldiers during World War Two. Victoria has participated in this project below go to anzacportal.dva.gov.au/sites-of-significance to see all sites or to https://www.vic.gov.au/sites-significance
01.01.2022 While Victorias Legacy tin rattlers cant hit the streets as they usually would for this years Legacy Week from 30 August to 5 September, the families of veterans still need our support. If you are able to give, digital purchases and donations are welcome. If you buy a Legacy Bear, you can display it for neighbourhood walkers to spot during their daily exercise, or share online, as part of the Legacy Bear Hunt. Legacy has cared for veterans families for 97 years and today... Legacy cares for 60,000 families nation-wide. Donate online www.legacy.com.au/donate or call 1800 534 229 #LegacyBearHunt See more
01.01.2022 Today is Remembrance Day, a day to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those in our armed forces who have died or suffered during conflicts of war and peacekeeping operations. The day itself marks the signing of the Armistice bringing World War One to an end on 11 November 1918. Each year it is an opportunity for us to recognise those currently on active service, peacekeepers, medical personnel and others who have been affected by war and of course, all of our veterans.... This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two (WWII) and is an opportunity to acknowledge and say thanks to those WWII veterans still with us today. We can show our support for our veterans by observing one minute of silence at 11am this morning. The State Remembrance Day Service will be a virtual service hosted by the Shrine of Remembrance from 10.45am further information is available at www.facebook.com/shrineofremembrance You can also show your support by donating to the RSL Poppy Appeal, with virtual poppies available from poppyappeal.com.au. The proceeds raised are used to support current and former serving veterans and their families in need.
