Jean King at the Battle of Australia monument that she worked so tirelessly to establish. 62130 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Charlene Gatt
MEMBERS of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra will visit Spotswood this week to determine if the Battle of Australia monument at Veterans Reserve will be officially recognised.
The names of over 200 World War I and II veterans were put in a time capsule in a tribute to the original Avenue of Honour.
Two granite plaques, inscribed with “let their names be forever held in proud remembrance, lest we forget” sit atop the time capsule, with a request for Hobsons Bay Council to open the capsule in 50 years’ time and read out the names of the fallen.
The Japanese air raids on Darwin began on 19 February 1942 and were the first of almost 100 attacks that killed more than 250 people.
Yarraville resident Jean King, who worked tirelessly to erect the monument which recognises those who lost their lives in the Japanese attack on Darwin during World War II, was thrilled at the prospect of the monument being officially recognised.
Ms King was working at a factory in Collingwood spinning and weaving army material for the men who were fighting overseas on the day of the attack. It was also her 21st birthday.
“It’s (the monument) my pride and joy,” Ms King said.
“It’s taken us 12 years to get that monument there and we had so much opposition.
“It should have been in Footscray Park. To have it acknowledged by the war memorial in Canberra is an honour.”
In 1947, more than 700 name plaques were installed in the nature strips and service road median strips along Geelong Rd in Footscray to create the Avenue of Honour.
The avenue was later demolished when the road was widened.
Only 257 plaques from the original 700 remain.
Maribyrnong City Council is currently removing the remaining plaques lining Geelong Rd, and will relocate them to Footscray Park as part of an Avenue of Honour Memorial Garden.
