New War Memorial dedicated
SANDGATE Sub-Section was honoured to be associated with the Dedication Ceremony of a new War Memorial and Remembrance Gardens at Murrumba Downs on 6 February 2020.
Fig Tree Retirement Village, located at 1 McClintock Drive, some 40km north of Brisbane, spent much of the last year organising the installation of a space for Village residents, their family and friends as well as the wider local community, to gather to honour the memory of The Fallen who have served in uniform in defence of the Commonwealth of Australia, and her allies, in times of war and peace.
It will become the focal point for future Anzac Day and Remembrance Day observances.
Sandgate Sub-Section President, Darby Ashton, was joined by Sub-Section Treasurer, CDR Darryl Neild OAM (RAN Retd.) and Mrs Margaret Neild, for the event, which due to inclement weather, was obliged to move indoors, where the Priest in Charge of Kangaroo Point Anglican Parish, the Reverend Canon Gary Harch, performed the Blessing and Dedication Ceremony, in front of several dozen Village residents, community leaders, veterans of all the Services and sponsors.
Below, courtesy of Darby, is a gallery of images from the day.
Click here for more information about Fig Tree Retirement Village.
ABOVE: Mr Shane Urquhart, a bugler from the Pine Rivers Brass Band, pictured in front of the new Memorial. Mr Urquhart sounded the Last Post and Reveille. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: Mr Gabriel Oriti, Manager of IRT The Ridge, Bracken Ridge, joins Sandgate Sub-Section President, Darby Ashton, inside the Fig Tree Retirement Village meeting rooms ahead of the Dedication Ceremony. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: The new War Memorial is the centrepiece of the Fig Tree Retirement Village’s Remembrance Gardens. It was a wet overcast day for the Dedication Ceremony on 6 February 2020, so formal part of the proceedings were held in the Village’s meeting room. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: The new War Memorial permanently signifies the respect and debt of honour due The Fallen of each branch of the Australian Defence Force. Three bronze plaques commemorate “Australian Service nurses”, “those who gave their lives in defence of our country” and “Australian seamen of the Merchant Navy” respectively. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: With Sandgate Sub-Section President, Darby Ashton, in front of the newly-dedicated Memorial at Fig Tree Retirement Village, were (at left) Ms Cathy Tonks, representing the Commonwealth Minister for Home Affairs – and Federal Member for Dickson – the Hon. Peter Dutton MP, and Councillor Denise Sims, Division 7 representative on Moreton Bay Regional Council. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: Seated in the front row ahead of the Dedication Ceremony were (from left) the Manager of IRT The Ridge, Bracken Ridge, Mr Gabriel Oriti; Pine Rivers-Sandgate Royal Australian Air Force Association Branch President, Mr Phil Symonds; Sandgate Sub-Section Treasurer, CDR Darryl Neild OAM (RAN, Retd.) and Mrs Margaret Neild; Moreton Bay Regional Council representative for Division 7, Councillor Denise Sims; and Ms Cathy Tonks, representing the Hon. Peter Dutton, Commonwealth Minister for Home Affairs and the Federal Member for Dickson. Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
ABOVE: Waiting for the Dedication Ceremony to commence (from left) were Pine Rivers-Sandgate Royal Australian Air Force Association Branch President, Mr Phil Symonds; Sandgate Sub-Section President, Darby Ashton; and Sub-Section Treasurer, CDR Darryl Neild OAM (RAN, Retd.). Photo courtesy of Darby Ashton.
