By Vanessa Chircop
The certificate was awarded for her work in establishing the Battle of Australia monument in Hobsons Bay.
The 90-year-old said that of all the community work she has done over the years establishing the Battle of Australia monument at Veterans Reserve in Spotswood was her pride and joy.
“We finally achieved some dignity for those who gave their life for this country,” she said.
“This shows what we can achieve if we all work together.”
The monument recognises those who lost their lives in the Japanese attack on Darwin during World War II.
Mrs 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.
“We knew when the foreman and the manager came out to talk to us that something was very wrong,” she said.
“We were very stunned – prior to that the war was in Africa and on the other side of the world.
“It was devastating.”
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.
Cr Peter Hemphill said Mrs King worked to get the memorial established for 11 years and was motivated by the fact that there were no memorials to commemorate the Battle of Australia but many to recognise other battles on foreign soil.
“It is such a unique part of our municipality and we’re very honoured to have it,” Cr Hemphill said.
In receiving her certificate the Yarraville resident called on the council to change the name of the memorial from Veterans Reserve to ‘Veterans Garden of Remembrance’. “Perhaps we can then call this site the jewel in the crown of the West.”
