Community
16 February, 2024
Proud day for Nashos
THE National Servicemen’s Association in Cairns finally has a home for its memorial plaque.
It was unveiled on Wednesday this week at the Edmonton cenotaph by stalwart John Wallwark at a ceremony attended by about 30 people.
Cairns branch president Patrick Galwey said members had been searching for a suitable place with a military presence after there was no room left at the Cairns cenotaph on the Esplanade.
“It’s just a beautiful cenotaph, it couldn’t be a better location, the second best in the whole of Cairns,” he said.
Mr Galwey said, after receiving Cairns Regional Council approval, it took 18 months to obtain funding of $2000 from the federal government and for the plaque to be designed and manufactured.
He said the Edmonton cenotaph would now be the centre of their Nashos’ activities in Cairns apart from Anzac Day.
The plaque reads: “National Servicemen’s Memorial commemorating the 287,000 men called up for national service in the navy, army and air force between 1951-1972 – 212 were killed and 1479 wounded overseas. Lest we forget.”
John Hardy, of the Tablelands branch, read the commemoration address on behalf of Nasho and former commanding officer of the 51st Battalion the Far North regiment Kel Ryan, who was ill.
He said the earlier post-World War 2 or the conscription of the 1960s-70s were different but served the purpose of the government of the day.
“Each of you won the lottery. The prize it gave you was life-changing,” Mr Ryan’s speech said. “It took you from your post-school environment and introduced you to men from across the social spectrum.
“It gave you an introduction to life beyond your comfort zone. It, I would be bold enough to say, gave you the life you have today.”
The speech said compulsory national service was politically divisive but it should never have come to that.
“Nationally, we must look for the benefits to be gained by national service. The experience of mateship, discipline and the notion of service are not just military benefits, but are national benefits that would inspire us all as the nation continues to develop.”
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Nashos, Cairns Regional Council, the air force and air force association, ex-servicewomen’s association, the police and the RSL. The ode was recited and the Last Post and national anthems played.
